Genetically modified rats will help save the Galapagos
Can something go wrong if a GM-rat is set free?
The Galapagos Islands are known for their wonderful flora and fauna. These islands are like a jewel that floats on the surface of the ocean. Exotic birds, turtles, iguanas - all this attracts the attention of man. But now the island’s fauna is becoming somewhat monotonous: there are more and more rats and mice on the islands. These are gray and black rats . They arrived here in the 17th century with pirate and whaling ships. Immediately upon arrival, the rats and mice set about doing the usual thing - eating eggs and hatching chicks, turtles, or iguanos. Rodents destroy those miracles that so surprised and inspired at the time of Charles Darwin . If it were not for the Galapagos, the "Origin of Species", perhaps, would not have been published.
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Whatever it was, but the Galapagos Islands are in grave danger from rats and mice. Rodents can kill most of the living creatures in this place, as they have done on many other islands. The excellent climate, a lot of food, the absence of enemies - all this allows rodents to multiply almost exponentially. But perhaps the situation is not hopeless yet: Island Conservation, a non-profit organization that protects islands from invasive species, proposed an interesting plan. It is to genetically modify rodents. The modification will lead to the appearance of only males, females will not appear in future generations.
Scientists will assist in editing and modifying the genome of rats and mice using the Crispr method . In 2012–2013, fundamentally new methods of manipulating genetic material appeared in genetic engineering, based on the use of CRISPR-Cas systems. These methods are suitable for targeted editing of the genomes of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes (although the latter do not have their own CRISPR-Cas systems, however, it turned out that the elements of the CRISPR-Cas system of bacterial origin artificially introduced into the eukaryotic cell can also function in the new environment). At the same time, modern CRISPR-Cas technologies use the Cas9 protein, which is the same for all target loci, and the specificity of the action is determined not by the protein, but by crRNA.
So far this is only an idea, the project is far from implementation. But scientists are discussing it, and, perhaps, the project will soon begin to be implemented. Making all rodents male is only one of the ideas, but it looks feasible. Experts suggest using modified sections of the rodent genotype, which will be introduced into the genotype of a number of rats and mice, and they will be released into the wild. As a result, this site will quickly spread in the population - much faster than any ordinary gene. We can say that this method accelerates evolution. Such a method can be dangerous, unpredictable; as soon as the artificial part of the genome begins to spread in natural conditions, within the population of the target organisms, it can no longer be destroyed, cut out of DNA. Therefore, scientists first carefully examine this method in the laboratory, and then will work in the field.
I note that the technique is not new. Not so long ago, scientists changed the genome of anopheles mosquitoes in such a way that the causative agents of malaria simply did not survive in the host's body. GM mosquitoes have become sterile, so to speak. To create antimalarial mosquitoes, scientists drove a DNA element into the Anopheles stephensi genome, resulting in a 99.5% effectiveness of blocking the transmission of the malaria pathogen by this type of mosquitoes. In Asia, it is the Anopheles stephensi species that is the main carrier of malaria.
Likewise, mosquitoes that spread other diseases, including dengue fever and zika fever , can be fought.
But will the technique, tested on mosquitoes, in the case of rodents, help much more complex organisms? After all, if something goes wrong, the situation can become uncontrollable. Yes, and many scientists oppose changes in the genome of organisms that are planning to release into the will, and not to keep in the laboratory.
According to some experts, it doesn’t matter what they think about modifying the genome of living organisms, if we are talking about saving islands and protecting natural ecosystems, protecting endemics. In this case we are talking about small islands, which are removed at a very significant distance from the mainland. This is, so to speak, a laboratory created by nature itself. If something goes wrong, the problem will not go beyond the islands (in any case, I would like to think so).
The gene pool and biodiversity of the Galapagos are too valuable to be given to ordinary rodents without a fight.
Plus, the rodent genome, especially mice and rats, is very well known to scientists who have been working with these animals for decades in laboratories. The idea of using genetics to protect the islands was expressed by scientists even before the Crispr method became popular. Now, perhaps, the time has come to realize our plans. Island Conservation is now forming a team of its own representatives, representatives of the United States Department of Agriculture, the State Association of Scientific and Applied Research of Australia to work on this project.
If scientists succeed in changing the corresponding DNA segment, permission will be obtained to release GM rodents at will, and everything will go as planned - the island will be saved. Now in the Galapagos, rats and mice are fought with the help of pesticides, but this is also a double-edged sword - not only rodents die from poison. In terms of geneticists, there are quite a few "ifs", but scientists have solved much more complicated problems. So everything can turn out.
Goodbye rodents?
Now projects using such a powerful tool as genetic engineering are being developed in other countries. For example, it is planned to destroy or neutralize mosquitoes that spread malaria pathogens in the Hawaiian Islands, to control the spread of black cornflowers (invasive species) in the US forests.
The Galapagos Islands are known for their wonderful flora and fauna. These islands are like a jewel that floats on the surface of the ocean. Exotic birds, turtles, iguanas - all this attracts the attention of man. But now the island’s fauna is becoming somewhat monotonous: there are more and more rats and mice on the islands. These are gray and black rats . They arrived here in the 17th century with pirate and whaling ships. Immediately upon arrival, the rats and mice set about doing the usual thing - eating eggs and hatching chicks, turtles, or iguanos. Rodents destroy those miracles that so surprised and inspired at the time of Charles Darwin . If it were not for the Galapagos, the "Origin of Species", perhaps, would not have been published.
')
Whatever it was, but the Galapagos Islands are in grave danger from rats and mice. Rodents can kill most of the living creatures in this place, as they have done on many other islands. The excellent climate, a lot of food, the absence of enemies - all this allows rodents to multiply almost exponentially. But perhaps the situation is not hopeless yet: Island Conservation, a non-profit organization that protects islands from invasive species, proposed an interesting plan. It is to genetically modify rodents. The modification will lead to the appearance of only males, females will not appear in future generations.
Scientists will assist in editing and modifying the genome of rats and mice using the Crispr method . In 2012–2013, fundamentally new methods of manipulating genetic material appeared in genetic engineering, based on the use of CRISPR-Cas systems. These methods are suitable for targeted editing of the genomes of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes (although the latter do not have their own CRISPR-Cas systems, however, it turned out that the elements of the CRISPR-Cas system of bacterial origin artificially introduced into the eukaryotic cell can also function in the new environment). At the same time, modern CRISPR-Cas technologies use the Cas9 protein, which is the same for all target loci, and the specificity of the action is determined not by the protein, but by crRNA.
So far this is only an idea, the project is far from implementation. But scientists are discussing it, and, perhaps, the project will soon begin to be implemented. Making all rodents male is only one of the ideas, but it looks feasible. Experts suggest using modified sections of the rodent genotype, which will be introduced into the genotype of a number of rats and mice, and they will be released into the wild. As a result, this site will quickly spread in the population - much faster than any ordinary gene. We can say that this method accelerates evolution. Such a method can be dangerous, unpredictable; as soon as the artificial part of the genome begins to spread in natural conditions, within the population of the target organisms, it can no longer be destroyed, cut out of DNA. Therefore, scientists first carefully examine this method in the laboratory, and then will work in the field.
I note that the technique is not new. Not so long ago, scientists changed the genome of anopheles mosquitoes in such a way that the causative agents of malaria simply did not survive in the host's body. GM mosquitoes have become sterile, so to speak. To create antimalarial mosquitoes, scientists drove a DNA element into the Anopheles stephensi genome, resulting in a 99.5% effectiveness of blocking the transmission of the malaria pathogen by this type of mosquitoes. In Asia, it is the Anopheles stephensi species that is the main carrier of malaria.
Likewise, mosquitoes that spread other diseases, including dengue fever and zika fever , can be fought.
But will the technique, tested on mosquitoes, in the case of rodents, help much more complex organisms? After all, if something goes wrong, the situation can become uncontrollable. Yes, and many scientists oppose changes in the genome of organisms that are planning to release into the will, and not to keep in the laboratory.
New time - new methods
According to some experts, it doesn’t matter what they think about modifying the genome of living organisms, if we are talking about saving islands and protecting natural ecosystems, protecting endemics. In this case we are talking about small islands, which are removed at a very significant distance from the mainland. This is, so to speak, a laboratory created by nature itself. If something goes wrong, the problem will not go beyond the islands (in any case, I would like to think so).
The gene pool and biodiversity of the Galapagos are too valuable to be given to ordinary rodents without a fight.
Plus, the rodent genome, especially mice and rats, is very well known to scientists who have been working with these animals for decades in laboratories. The idea of using genetics to protect the islands was expressed by scientists even before the Crispr method became popular. Now, perhaps, the time has come to realize our plans. Island Conservation is now forming a team of its own representatives, representatives of the United States Department of Agriculture, the State Association of Scientific and Applied Research of Australia to work on this project.
If scientists succeed in changing the corresponding DNA segment, permission will be obtained to release GM rodents at will, and everything will go as planned - the island will be saved. Now in the Galapagos, rats and mice are fought with the help of pesticides, but this is also a double-edged sword - not only rodents die from poison. In terms of geneticists, there are quite a few "ifs", but scientists have solved much more complicated problems. So everything can turn out.
Goodbye rodents?
Now projects using such a powerful tool as genetic engineering are being developed in other countries. For example, it is planned to destroy or neutralize mosquitoes that spread malaria pathogens in the Hawaiian Islands, to control the spread of black cornflowers (invasive species) in the US forests.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/394889/
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