New genetic tools for screwworm and SWD

To develop strains for genetic biocontrol of pest insects, new genetic tools such as gene promoters and phenotypic mutants are needed for strain development. In two papers in Insect Molecular Biology we reported on the isolation of U6 promoters for guide RNA expression in screwworm (https://doi.org/10.1111/imb.12875) and on spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) eye color mutants (https://doi.org/10.1111/imb.12879). Rossina Novas and Tatiana Baskin co-led the screwworm study and Amarish Yadav led the SWD eye color gene project.