**3.7** *Wolbachia-***induced cytoplasmic incompatibility**

The utilization of *Wolbachia-*induced cytoplasmic incompatibility remains one of the most promising alternatives for insecticide-independent strategies of vector control. *Wolbachia* is an arthropod-specific bacteria that establish a systemic infection and can be vertically transmitted by infecting the host oocytes [93]. Several strains of *Wolbachia* are known to induce a phenomenon known as cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) where the progeny from infected males and uninfected females are turned nonviable [94]. While recent reports have identified populations of *A. aegypti* carrying native *Wolbachia* infections [95], these seem to be deviations from a general rule where *Wolbachia* strains are not naturally able to infect *A. aegypti*. Nevertheless, *Wolbachia* strains have previously been adapted to infect *A. aegypti* by trans-infection in the lab, and CI has been shown to manifest in this model. In that sense, the release of CI-carrying *Wolbachia*infected males has been proposed as a strategy to suppress *Aedes* populations, and field trials have been implemented [96, 97]. The molecular mechanisms mediating cytoplasmic incompatibility started to be elucidated and two key genes linked with the prophage WO have been identified [98, 99]. Transgenesis of such genes

would provide alternatives to induce CI in the absence of *Wolbachia* infections [100]. Such strategies would be beneficial for the cases where stable *Wolbachia* trans-infections have not been achieved, as is the case of many anophelines.
