Regarding the safety of CRISPR-Cas9 to make genetically modified species, physicists have taken action

Suppose you now have a genetically modified anti-malaria mosquito ready to be released.

In total, how many genetically modified mosquitoes are needed to replace the wild-type virus-carrying mosquitoes?

How to distribute the most effective?

How to stop the premature leakage of genetically modified mosquitoes?

Will the release of genetically engineered organisms in the wild cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem?

For many researchers who have not experienced on-site investigations, how to answer the above questions?

Applied mathematics and physicists at Harvard University and Princeton University have designed a mathematical model to guide the release of genetically modified genes in terms of efficiency and safety control to replace wild mosquitoes

During the evolutionary selection period of natural species, only a small part of any particular trait is destined to be inherited by offspring

The powerful gene editing system CRISPR-Cas9 has caused serious safety problems

Hidenori Tanaka, a graduate student in the Department of Applied Science and Physics at Harvard University's School of Engineering, believes that accidentally or prematurely releasing gene drive products into the natural environment is bound to irreversibly destroy the ecosystem

Therefore, in order to prevent similar incidents, Tanaka teamed up with authors such as David Nelson and Howard Stone to propose a narrow-range selection of unfavorable factors after gene diffusion and a critical threshold for gene diffusion

Researchers use nonlinear reaction diffusion equations to simulate the movement of genes in space

"In fact, we can only start or stop the spread of the gene drive only when the inoculation parameters exceed the critical value we can predict," Tanaka said

Researchers have calculated that artificial genes need to be released in a large amount in a specific area instead of spreading sparsely in the entire large area.

Researchers also found that gene drive products are easily affected by compounds that are harmless to wild-type genes, and the spread of genetically modified organisms can be prevented by obstacles such as pesticides

This article shows that physicists and applied mathematicians are also using the experimental and theoretical knowledge of biologists to contribute to the development of spatial population genetics

The cooperation and reciprocity between disciplines may enable human beings to avoid detours in the matter of "transforming nature

In the next step, the applied mathematical physics team is also preparing to further understand the direct or indirect effects of gene mutation types and changes in the number of biological populations on the gene drive system

Original title: Spatial gene drives and pushed genetic waves

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(Biotech: Ouyang Mu)