Antimicrobial Peptides Modulating Insect Microbiota for Vector Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods are inadequate in effectively controlling the spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and trypanosomiasis, as they fail to sufficiently modulate the fitness of insect vectors that carry these pathogens, leading to significant human morbidity and mortality.
Innovation Solution
Development of compositions and methods involving antimicrobial peptides with high sequence identity to cecropin, melittin, and other peptides, which are delivered to insect vectors to alter the metabolism or activity of resident microorganisms, thereby decreasing the vectors' fitness and transmission capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional methods are used to control insect vectors, then current disease transmission is maintained, but human morbidity and mortality remain significant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physiological parameters of insect vectors by delivering antimicrobial peptides that alter microorganism levels, activity, or metabolism in the host, thereby modulating vector fitness and reducing disease transmission capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses antimicrobial peptides as intermediary substances that mediate between the delivery system and the insect vector's microorganism population, indirectly reducing vector fitness and disease transmission without directly killing the vector
2Reliability
If antimicrobial peptides are delivered to insect vectors, then vector fitness is decreased, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs insect comestible compositions as a self-service delivery mechanism where the vector naturally ingests the antimicrobial peptide through its normal feeding behavior, eliminating the need for complex external delivery systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and utilizes naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides that can be delivered through simple means such as insect comestible compositions, rather than requiring complex synthetic delivery systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed solution effectively decreases the fitness of insect vectors, reducing their ability to transmit diseases, thereby lowering human disease incidence and mortality rates.
Implementation Method 1
an agent that alters a level, activity, or metabolism of one or more microorganisms resident in a host, the alteration resulting in a modulation in the host's fitness
Implementation Method 2
delivering an antimicrobial peptide having at least 90% sequence identity with one or more of the following: cecropin, melittin, copsin, drosomycin, dermcidin, andropin, moricin, ceratotoxin, abaecin, apidaecin, prophenin, indolicidin, protegrin, tachyplesin, or defensin to the vector
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are methods and compositions useful for human health, e.g., for targeting one or more microorganisms resident in a host insect (e.g., arthropod, e.g., insect, e.g., pathogen vector), the modulation resulting in a decrease in the fitness of the host. The invention features a composition that includes a modulating agent (e.g., phage, peptide, small molecule, antibiotic, or combinations thereof) that can alter the host's microbiota in a manner that is detrimental to the host. By disrupting microbial levels, microbial activity, microbial metabolism, or microbial diversity, the modulating agent described herein may be used to decrease the fitness of a variety of insects that carry vector-home pathogens that cause disease in humans.