Control of harmful insects by gender 'switch'

Turn off the gender ' switch ' when paired children promise a smart and environmentally safe method of controlling insects.

Scientists announced in December 2007 that they detected a molecular receptor, otherwise known as a ' switch ', that functions equally in all insects. This ' switch ' turns on the behavior after mating, such as egg laying.

If it is possible to study the production of a chemical to prevent mating behavior, the number of insects will be controlled. Moreover, animal and human diseases also limit spread. Mr. Barry Dickson, Institute of Molecular Diseases, Vienna - Austria, said: ' If we have a receptor inhibitor of the receptor, we can intervene in its function. As a result, we will have a method to control insect proliferation. '

(Photo: Reuters) Many female insects have major changes in activity after mating. Some species lay eggs. Female mosquitoes, for example, go to find a full meal and often spread malaria during their meals.

Scientists already know that these actions are controlled by a so-called sex peptide molecule found in semen of males. But there is still no clear evidence why it has an effect on children.

Now Dickson and his colleagues have discovered the receptor that produces this molecule in fruit flies and demonstrates that this is the key to post-mating behavior. According to their report in the Nature journal, children without this agency will act like they have never mated even when they have just taken that action.

According to research, all insects have such a receptor. Importantly, we can produce a chemical inhibitor that is more widely available, more effective and good for the environment than pesticides.