# Paratransgenesis for malaria using Asaia sp. bacteria

> **NIH NIH R15** · DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $410,166

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Malaria is a disease caused by protozoan parasites that are transmitted to humans by mosquitoes in
the genus Anopheles. There are nearly 220 million new cases of malaria every year, and 500,000
people die from the disease while millions of others are severely debilitated (2016 data). About half
the human population is at risk of contracting malaria, and its range may spread as global warming
accelerates. The broad, long term objectives of this proposal are to create new methods of combating
malaria to complement the current methods of control, namely insecticides to kill mosquito vectors
and drugs to kill parasites in infected people. This project seeks to develop the means to create
strains of bacteria that can interfere with the ability of mosquitoes to transmit malaria thus reducing its
overall health burden and aiding in the goal of eradicating this disease.
The specific aims of this research project are as follows:
Aim 1. Creation of genetically-stable antimalarial strains of Asaia bogorensis
For eventual field use, paratransgenic strains of Asaia must be genetically stable. Because these
systems cannot be based on laboratory plasmids that use drug selection, we will develop methods to
create strains that contain genes that are inserted in the chromosome or are borne on plasmids that
require no drug selection and that cannot be horizontally transferred to other bacteria.
Aim 2. Assessing combinations of antimalarial effector genes for effectiveness against
Plasmodium. Field strains of Asaia will have to express multiple antiplasmodial effector gene
encoding products that act against parasites by different routes to avoid the evolution of resistance by
the parasites. We will evaluate different combinations of effector genes in the same strain of Asaia for
effectiveness at killing Plasmodium and for their effect on the fitness of the Asaia strains.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9878330
- **Project number:** 2R15AI107735-02A1
- **Recipient organization:** DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** DAVID J LAMPE
- **Activity code:** R15 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $410,166
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2014-08-01 → 2024-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9878330

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9878330, Paratransgenesis for malaria using Asaia sp. bacteria (2R15AI107735-02A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9878330. Licensed CC0.

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