Assignment:
Name a Gene Drive!
Please read the assigned preprint titled:
“ Daisy Quorum Drives for the Genetic Restoration of Wild Populations”
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2017/03/10/115618.full.pdf
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1. What is the purpose of “Daisy Quorum ” gene drive?
The purpose is to limit genetic modifications derived from field experiments and to restore the genetic information in a population (the most abundant version) delimited in a geographically defined community.
2. What is your immediate emotional response after reading the preprint?
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​We are in a scientific era limited by our imagination. We have the methods to solve large problems in public health, environment, agronomy and energy. However, the possibilities to genetically alter whole populations is possible. Thus, we must develop mechanisms together to reduce genetic impacts.
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3. Describe a scenario, real or fictional (real-world is preferred), where you would deploy a technology such as “Daisy Quorum”.
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The production of transgenic mosquitoes with the capacity to fecundate wild females in a certain area so that they can generate offspring programmed to die before reaching reproductive age. The mechanism consists of a protein that produces a lethal gene that injects the insects, which, because they are males, do not sting and therefore do not transmit the disease. When more genetically modified males are released in an area, less are the probabilities that wildtype females that transmit dengue will breed with non-transgenic mosquitoes. This experienced was carried out in Brazil.
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4. What would you be concerned about if a neighboring country, or city, decided to deploy “Daisy Quorum” technology?
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​ The concern would be that the laboratory and field tests do not have the scientific criteria. That the studies do not have information on mechanisms of the wild behavior of genetically modified organisms.
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5. Is the name “Daisy Quorum” intuitive to you? If you were to name the technology, what would you name it? Note: we may actually adopt your name in the final publication!
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The name was not very intuitive to me. If it was Quorum 2.G or Quorum 2.0 or Quorum G2, it will give an idea of the objective and when it will happen in nature.
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