If you think it’s so easy, what gene do you propose?
One proposal is a gene for the mosquito to resist malaria. This has no ecological consequences, but it probably wouldn’t wipe out malaria. This could be driven with CRISPR techniques, but I don’t know if there are any such candidates.
Another proposal I have heard is sexual drive. In species with XY sex determination (some, but not all malarial mosquitoes), a male that produces only Y sperm and breeds true could wipe out the species. But this is a more complicated drive than CRISPR. RIDL+CRISPR techniques might yield a male whose daughters die young, but that might not be enough drive.
The great thing about genetic drive is that it requires the release of very few mosquitoes, so it can be done surreptitiously.
I was thinking of a virus gene that self replicates and doesn’t produce issues if there one copy of the gene but produces issues if there are 1000 copies.
If you think it’s so easy, what gene do you propose?
One proposal is a gene for the mosquito to resist malaria. This has no ecological consequences, but it probably wouldn’t wipe out malaria. This could be driven with CRISPR techniques, but I don’t know if there are any such candidates.
Another proposal I have heard is sexual drive. In species with XY sex determination (some, but not all malarial mosquitoes), a male that produces only Y sperm and breeds true could wipe out the species. But this is a more complicated drive than CRISPR. RIDL+CRISPR techniques might yield a male whose daughters die young, but that might not be enough drive.
The great thing about genetic drive is that it requires the release of very few mosquitoes, so it can be done surreptitiously.
I was thinking of a virus gene that self replicates and doesn’t produce issues if there one copy of the gene but produces issues if there are 1000 copies.