A gene drive is the insertion of a gene sequence onto a chromosome which automatically copies itself into the other chromosome of the pair, thus raising the odds of it appearing in the offspring of the organism which has had the gene drive inflicted on it. It’s a new bit of technology. So what, you say? Well, this report by Michael Le Page in NewScientist (29 September 2018) made my blood run cold:
MILLIONS of lives might be saved or transformed for the better by the first working gene drive. This piece of “parasitic DNA” could spread through mosquito populations, wiping them out by making them infertile and halting the spread of deadly malaria.
In the lab, the gene drive killed off all mosquitoes within 12 generations. “There were no progeny,” says Andrea Crisanti of Imperial College London, whose team’s gene drive is based on the CRISPR gene-editing method.
There are 200 million cases of malaria each year and half a million deaths. Those who survive may have lasting health issues, and can become trapped in a cycle of illness and poverty.
“Gene editing holds the potential to save millions of lives and empower millions of people to lift themselves out of poverty,” billionaire Bill Gates, whose charity is helping fund the work, wrote earlier this year.
Gene drives are pieces of parasitic DNA inserted into one of an organism’s chromosomes. Chromosomes generally come in pairs, only one of which is passed from a parent to its offspring, so such a piece of DNA would usually pass to half an animal’s progeny. But gene drives “copy and paste” themselves onto both chromosomes when eggs and sperm form, meaning they get passed on to all offspring and spread through a population.
And scientists found a way to ensure that mutations won’t affect the gene drive. Basically, a gene sequence can be spread throughout a population just by inserting it using gene drive into a few individuals of reproductive age and inclination.
The scientists are jubilant, but it strikes me that this could cause havoc in a human population if used with malicious aforethought. The dangers should be obvious.
