While introducing genetic changes has long been supported by advancing technologies, getting those modifications to spread through wild mosquito populations has remained a challenge. Now, the newly understood concept of gene drive, in which genetic elements can spread more rapidly than those following traditional Mendelian inheritance principles, may finally solve the problem.
Without gene drive, an allele will be passed from generation to generation via traditional Mendelian genetics. That is, when a heterozygous individual carrying only one copy of the allele mates with an individual lacking it altogether, only half of their offspring will inherit the genetic segment. But in a gene drive that spreads the allele to the homologous chromosome in the germline, all progeny will receive a copy. With gene drive, it’s even possible for a deleterious allele to spread through the population, despite imposing a severe fitness cost.
There are three general approaches to implementing gene drives ...
