Scholarly Literature
This is a database of scholarly literature that concentrates currently on natural and engineered selfish genetic elements (gene drives). The latest are shown here.
Disclaimer>
A CRISPR homing gene drive targeting a haplolethal gene removes resistance alleles and successfully spreads through a cage population
Tags: Gene drive synthetic, Population modification/replacement, Replicator/site directed nuclease, Resistance, Toxin-antidoteJ. Champer, E. Yang, E. Lee, J. Liu, A. G. Clark and P. W. Messer, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 202004373. 2020.
Here, we present a CRISPR homing drive that was able to successfully spread to all individuals in a laboratory cage study in Drosophila melanogaster without any apparent evolution of resistance.
Underlying beliefs linked to public opinion about gene drive and pest-specific toxin for pest control
Tags: Biodiversity/Conservation, Gene drive synthetic, GeneticsE. A. MacDonald, E. Edwards, J. Balanovic and F. Medvecky, Wildlife Research, 2020.
Public engagement that acknowledges and responds to these underlying beliefs, rather than a traditional campaign based on biodiversity and environmental gains, may be more effective at creating a constructive dialogue about if and how these tools should be used, and to avoid ...
Prospects and Pitfalls: Next-Generation Tools to Control Mosquito-Transmitted Disease
Tags: Gene drive synthetic, Genetic biocontrol, Genetic incompatibilities, Other Symbionts, WolbachiaE. P. Caragata, S. Dong, Y. Dong, M. L. Simões, C. V. Tikhe and G. Dimopoulos, Annual Review of Microbiology, 74:455-475. 2020.
A diverse array of next-generation tools has been designed to eliminate mosquito populations or to replace them with mosquitoes that are less capable of transmitting key pathogens.
Generating single-sex litters: development of CRISPR-Cas9 genetic tools to produce all-male offspring
Tags: Biodiversity/Conservation, Gene drive synthetic, Rodents, Sex distorterC. Douglas, V. Maciulyte, J. Zohren, D. M. Snell, O. A. Ojarikre, P. J. Ellis and J. M. A. Turner, bioRxiv, 2020.09.07.285536. 2020.
Using the mouse as a model, we developed a synthetic, two-part bicomponent strategy for generating all-male litters.
Suppressing evolution in genetically engineered systems through repeated supplementation
Tags: Gene drive synthetic, Genetic engineering, Modeling, Population genetics/dynamics, ResistanceN. C. Layman, B. M. Tuschhoff, A. J. Basinski, C. H. Remien, J. J. Bull and S. L. Nuismer, Evolutionary Applications, 12. 2020.
Genetically engineered organisms are prone to evolve in response to the engineering. This evolution is often undesirable and can negatively affect the purpose of the engineering. Methods that maintain the stability of engineered genomes are therefore critical to the successful ...
Maternal Transmission Ratio Distortion in Two Iberian Pig Varieties
Tags: Transmission distortionM. Vazquez-Gomez, M. M. de Hijas-Villalba, L. Varona, N. Ibanez-Escriche, J. P. Rosas, S. Negro, J. L. Noguera and J. Casellas, Genes, 11:16. 2020.
Although TRD can be a confounding factor in genetic mapping studies, this phenomenon remains mostly unknown in pigs, particularly in traditional breeds (i.e., the Iberian pig). We aimed to describe the maternal TRD prevalence and its genomic distribution in two Iberian varieties. ...
Inherently confinable split-drive systems in Drosophila
Tags: CRISPR, Fruit fly, Gene drive synthetic, Replicator/site directed nuclease, Resistance, Self limitingG. Terradas, A. B. Buchman, J. B. Bennett, I. Shriner, J. M. Marshall, O. S. Akbari and E. Bier, bioRxiv, 2020.09.03.282079. 2020.
Here, we test split gene-drive (sGD) systems in Drosophila melanogaster that were inserted into essential genes required for viability (rab5, rab11, prosalpha2) or fertility (spo11). I
Governing New Biotechnologies for Biodiversity Conservation: Gene Drives, International Law, and Emerging Politics
Tags: Biodiversity/Conservation, Gene drive synthetic, Policy, Regulation, Synthetic biologyJ. L. Reynolds, Global Environmental Politics, 20:28-48. 2020.
This article describes and analyzes the international law and politics of gene drives’ research, development, and possible use, with an emphasis on their potential biodiversity applications.
Gene Drive Dynamics in Natural Populations: The Importance of Density Dependence, Space, and Sex
Tags: Ecology, Evolution, Gene drive synthetic, Genetic biocontrol, GeneticsS. Dhole, A. L. Lloyd and F. Gould, Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 51:505-531. 2020.
The spread of synthetic gene drives is often discussed in the context of panmictic populations connected by gene flow and described with simple deterministic models. Under such assumptions, an entire species could be altered by releasing a single individual carrying an invasive ...
Chromosome drives via CRISPR-Cas9 in yeast
Tags: Chromosomal drive, CRISPR, Gene drive synthetic, Yeast and FungiH. Xu, M. Han, S. Zhou, B.-Z. Li, Y. Wu and Y.-J. Yuan, Nature Communications, 11:4344. 2020.
Our results show that the entire Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome can be eliminated efficiently through only one double-strand break around the centromere via CRISPR-Cas9. As a proof-of-concept experiment of this CRISPR-Cas9 chromosome drive system, the synthetic yeast ...
Evading evolution of resistance to gene drives
Tags: CRISPR, Gene drive synthetic, Population suppression, Replicator/site directed nuclease, ResistanceR. Gomulkiewicz, M. L. Thies and J. J. Bull, bioRxiv, 2020.
Here we develop mathematical and computational models to identify conditions under which suppression drives will evade resistance, even if resistance is present initially.
Novel combination of CRISPR-based gene drives eliminates resistance and localises spread
Tags: Gene drive synthetic, Invasive species, Replicator/site directed nuclease, Resistance, Rodents, Self limiting, Self sustaining, Toxin-antidoteN. R. Faber, G. R. McFarlane, R. C. Gaynor, I. Pocrnic, C. B. A. Whitelaw and G. Gorjanc, bioRxiv, 2020.
We present HD-ClvR, a novel combination of CRISPR-based gene drives that eliminates resistance and localises spread. As a case study, we model HD-ClvR in the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), which is an invasive pest in the UK and responsible for both biodiversity and ...
Next-generation gene drive for population modification of the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae
Tags: Anopheles, CRISPR, Gene drive synthetic, Genetics, Population modification/replacement, Replicator/site directed nuclease, ResistanceR. Carballar-Lejarazú, C. Ogaugwu, T. Tushar, A. Kelsey, T. B. Pham, J. Murphy, H. Schmidt, Y. Lee, G. C. Lanzaro and A. A. James, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 202010214. 2020.
We show here that the Cas9/guide RNA-based gene-drive components of a genetically-engineered malaria mosquito vector, Anopheles gambiae, achieve key target product profile requirements for efficacy and performance.
A home and rescue gene drive forces its inheritance stably persisting in populations
Tags: CRISPR, Fruit fly, Gene drive synthetic, Replicator/site directed nuclease, ResistanceN. P. Kandul, J. Liu, J. B. Bennett, J. M. Marshall and O. Akbari, bioRxiv, 2020.08.21.261610. 2020.
We demonstrate that HomeR can achieve nearly ~100% transmission enabling it to persist at genotypic fixation in several multi-generational population cage experiments, underscoring its long term stability.
Mixed knobs in corn cobs
Tags: Genetic engineering, Sex distorterP. Lamelza and M. A. Lampson, Genes and Development, 34:1110-1112. 2020.
In this issue of Genes & Development, Swentowsky and colleagues (pp. 1239-1251) show that two types of knobs, those composed of 180-bp and TR1 sequences, recruit their own novel and divergent kinesin-14 family members to form neocentromeres.
Distinct kinesin motors drive two types of maize neocentromeres
Tags: Genetic engineering, Sex distorterK. W. Swentowsky, J. I. Gent, E. G. Lowry, V. Schubert, X. Ran, K. F. Tseng, A. E. Harkess, W. H. Qiu and R. K. Dawe, Genes and Development, 34:1239-1251. 2020.
Here we describe a second kinesin-14 gene, TR-1 kinesin (Trkin), that is required to mobilize neocentromeres made up of the minor tandem repeat TR-1.
Lateral Gene Transfer Mechanisms and Pan-genomes in Eukaryotes
Tags: Population genetics/dynamicsS. J. Sibbald, L. Eme, J. M. Archibald and A. J. Roger, Trends in Parasitology, 2020.
Here we review evidence for known and potential mechanisms of LGT into diverse eukaryote lineages with a particular focus on protists, and we discuss trends emerging from recently reported examples. We also explore the potential role of LGT in generating ‘pan-genomes’ in ...
Self-limiting paratransgenesis
W. Huang, S. B. Wang and M. Jacobs-Lorena, PloS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 14:9. 2020.Our results suggest that initial field trials can make use of this reversible system whereby released recombinant bacteria expressing anti-plasmodial compounds from a plasmid revert to wild type at a predictable rate.
Towards Responsive Eco-technology: The Development of a Male Sex-biased Mouse
Tags: CRISPR, Gene drive synthetic, Rodents, Sex distorterW. Kamau, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2020.
CRISPR-Cas systems have catalyzed the emergence of several synthetic population management strategies, like gene drives, for controlling pests and disease vectors. As these technologies garner greater visibility in both general and regulatory audiences, questions have arisen ...
Bednets or Biotechnology: To Rescue Current Persons or Research for the Future?
Tags: Ethics, Gene drive synthetic, Malaria, PolicyD. E. Callies, Fudan Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences, 14. 2020.
After an exploration of the duty to rescue and cost-effectiveness analysis, I suggest we look towards the literature on intergenerational justice for a justifiable answer to the question of how we ought to allocate our malaria resources.

Contact Us
Alex Sullivan
Foundation for the
National Institutes of Health
geneconvenevi@fnih.org
