Genetic Engineering: Gene drive used to turn all female mosquitos sterile

Introversion · Sep 27, 2018

In the lab, mosquito populations don't evolve resistance to this approach.

Ars Technica said:
We've known for a long time that we can limit malaria infections by controlling the mosquitos that transmit them. But that knowledge hasn't translated into control efforts that have always been completely successful. Many of the approaches we've used to control mosquitos have caused environmental problems, and mosquito populations are large enough that they have evolved resistance to many of our pesticides.

That made the development of what are called "gene drive" constructs exciting (if a bit scary). They have the potential to rapidly spread genes throughout a population—including a mosquito population. But the prospect of a modern genetic control of mosquito populations has run up against the very old problem of evolution, as the gene drives often stall due to genetic changes that allow mosquito populations to escape their impact.

Now, a team has figured out a way to possibly avoid this problem: use gene drive to target a gene that is fundamental to how mosquitos develop as male or female. In doing so, it makes the females sterile and, at least in the lab, causes mosquito populations to collapse.

...

That's kind of a terrifying thing: The ability to commit targeted genocide of an entire species, perhaps multiple related species. I hate mosquitoes as much as the next guy, and I know they're a major vector for terrible diseases. But, I'm pretty we have no good idea of what would happen to ecologies were we to remove such species? I doubt we understand well enough what other species depend on them.

So for me, this is the paragraph that resonates most:

Ars Technica said:
Even aside from that, the gene drive isn't ready for use in the field. Doublesex is so central to insect sex determination that every species we have looked at has a version, and the ones in closely related species are similar enough that the gene-drive construct could potentially hop species. While targeting other mosquitos might not be a terrible thing, we probably want to have a clear idea of potential issues before releasing anything like this into the wild.

It's hard to imagine this technique not eventually being used, though, because we hate insect pests, "what could possibly go wrong", and "here, hold my beer".

Maryn · Sep 27, 2018

My first thought, as one of those mosquito magnet people who gets a dozen bites when those around her get two or three for the entire group, and whose bites become nickel-sized welts, was still, "Nope, bad idea."

You don't eliminate a species, not even a pest, unless and until you understand fully its place in ecosystems. Bats, for instance, dine on mosquitoes. What would happen to them?

Maryn, refusing to hold Science's beer

Brightdreamer · Sep 27, 2018

Wasn't there a Twilight Zone ep with a similar premise, that resulted in a future with no males at all?

Yeah, traditionally, yanking one thread of the ecological web creates at least a dozen unintended consequences, so I call this a "pass" too. (Also, not entirely sure there couldn't be a mutation workaround genetically even if the lab test indicated it couldn't. Life's a persistent thing. It only has to happen once, after all, and the lab ain't the field, and then what kind of super-skeeter would we be dealing with?)

Tazlima · Sep 27, 2018

Maryn said:
You don't eliminate a species, not even a pest, unless and until you understand fully its place in ecosystems. Bats, for instance, dine on mosquitoes. What would happen to them?

And birds, lizards, spiders, ...

Albedo · Sep 27, 2018

Yeah, gunna love it when it turns out it can spread to all insects. You wanna eliminate all life on Earth? Cos that's how you eliminate all life on Earth.

AW Admin · Sep 27, 2018

I think people should read Racoona Sheldon aka James Tiptree Jr. (AKA Alice Sheldon's) wonderful and horrific story "The Screwfly Solution."

Roxxsmom · Sep 27, 2018

Introversion said:
In the lab, mosquito populations don't evolve resistance to this approach.

That's kind of a terrifying thing: The ability to commit targeted genocide of an entire species, perhaps multiple related species. I hate mosquitoes as much as the next guy, and I know they're a major vector for terrible diseases. But, I'm pretty we have no good idea of what would happen to ecologies were we to remove such species? I doubt we understand well enough what other species depend on them.

So for me, this is the paragraph that resonates most:

It's hard to imagine this technique not eventually being used, though, because we hate insect pests, "what could possibly go wrong", and "here, hold my beer".

I've wondered the same thing. Countless human (and other animal too) lives could be saved if we eliminate the mosquito species that spread malaria alone, let alone other mosquito-borne ailments, but there will likely be unforeseen effects. How will this affect food webs and ecosystems as a whole? Will some beneficial species go extinct or change their diets and start feeding on some more beneficial insects (such as pollinators) instead of mosquitoes? Will some other unpleasant insect species rise from the ashes of these mosquitoes to fill the void, and what kind of problems might they cause?

And how long before something like this could be used as a weapon of terror or warfare?

AW Admin said:
I think people should read Racoona Sheldon aka James Tiptree Jr. (AKA Alice Sheldon's) wonderful and horrific story "The Screwfly Solution."

I thought of this story too.

Also, remember the story "The White Plague," where all the women got some virus or something that made them incapable of producing fertile eggs.

We're on the brink of being able to produce eggs and sperm from any old body cell, but that would be rather a costly way to keep the human race going.

Might solve the climate change problem, though...

Brightdreamer · Sep 27, 2018

Albedo said:
Yeah, gunna love it when it turns out it can spread to all insects. You wanna eliminate all life on Earth? Cos that's how you eliminate all life on Earth.

I dunno about "all life on Earth" - wouldn't single-celled organisms still get by?

frimble3 · Sep 27, 2018

This sounds like the sort of 'brilliant' idea that makes a swell horror film, but a horrible future. We're killing off pollinators already, I hate to think what this could lead to.
Let's remember the rats, the mongeese, the rabbits, the wild boars and other human efforts to mess with nature.

Genetic Engineering: Gene drive used to turn all female mosquitos sterile

Introversion

Pie aren't squared, pie are round!

Maryn

At Sea

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

Tazlima

Albedo

Alex

AW Admin

Roxxsmom

Beastly Fido

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

frimble3

Heckuva good sport