Gene diffusion methods: How to measure and limit the environmental risks of gene-driven strategies.

It is not clear whether gene diffusion, known as gene-driven, can work in the wild.
method is designed to remove infleging insects or reduce the spread of insect-borne diseases.
, however, genetic experts have begun to discuss how to stop it if necessary.
recently, researchers and policy experts discussed how to measure and limit the environmental risks of gene-driven strategies at a symposium in Washington organized by the International Life Sciences Association and the National Institute of Science, Engineering and Hospitals.
meanwhile, the U.S. military research community announced that it would fund several influential genetic laboratories to develop ways to reverse or limit the spread of genes introduced, thus avoiding uexpected consequences for animals or ecosystems.
gene-driven work by adjusting genetic laws to increase the chances that a gene will be passed on to the next generation.
although this phenomenon occurs in nature through various mechanisms, they all increase the ability of a gene to penetrate into a population quickly and thoroughly, even if the gene does not have any survival advantage."
inspired by naturally occurring genes, researchers have spent decades trying to perfect a system that could give a mosquito population antimalarial gene or spread a deadly gene that could reduce the number of invasive insects or rodents in the region.
, however, the idea of removing an entire species or releasing genes that could spread like wildfires in a population has been controversial.
the meeting included some practical discussions about how gene drives might be curbed.
, a molecular biologist at the California Institute of Technology, presented his lab's research on "high threshold" gene-driven.
this gene-driven gene will only spread effectively if individuals with new genes make up the majority of the population.
therefore, "willward" intruders are unable to spread genes widely outside the target area.
at the same time, if the genes introduced have uexpected consequences, researchers may be able to reverse the gene drive by introducing more "crazy" and undecided genes that outnate the former in number.
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