Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have successfully moved one step closer to eliminating mosquitoes that carry dengue fever and the Zika virus using CRISPR, a gene editing tool. In order to pass infectious diseases on to other species, mosquitoes must reach the proper body size and nutritional status. Using CRISPR, researchers were able to make minor changes to the DNA sequences of mosquitoes, which resulted in decreased body size.

“Mosquitoes of small size with diminished fat resources mature later and live shorter lives than nonmodified mosquitoes,” said one of the researchers, Alexander Rachel, a distinguished entomology professor.

Following the modifications, the mosquitoes were found to have a low reproductive capacity and ability to transmit disease.