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Concerning RNA-Guided Gene Drives for the Alteration of Wild Populations

View ORCID ProfileKevin M. Esvelt, View ORCID ProfileAndrea L. Smidler, Flaminia Catteruccia, George M. Church
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/007203
Kevin M. Esvelt
1Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
2Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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  • For correspondence: kevin.esvelt@wyss.harvard.edu fcatter@hsph.harvard.edu gmc@harvard.edu
Andrea L. Smidler
2Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
3Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Flaminia Catteruccia
3Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
4Università degli Studi di Perugia, Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Scienze Biochimiche, 05100 Terni, Italy
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  • For correspondence: kevin.esvelt@wyss.harvard.edu fcatter@hsph.harvard.edu gmc@harvard.edu
George M. Church
1Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
2Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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  • For correspondence: kevin.esvelt@wyss.harvard.edu fcatter@hsph.harvard.edu gmc@harvard.edu
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Abstract

Gene drives may be capable of addressing ecological problems by altering entire populations of wild organisms, but their use has remained largely theoretical due to technical constraints. Here we consider the potential for RNA-guided gene drives based on the CRISPR nuclease Cas9 to serve as a general method for spreading altered traits through wild populations over many generations. We detail likely capabilities, discuss limitations, and provide novel precautionary strategies to control the spread of gene drives and reverse genomic changes. The ability to edit populations of sexual species would offer substantial benefits to humanity and the environment. For example, RNA-guided gene drives could potentially prevent the spread of disease, support agriculture by reversing pesticide and herbicide resistance in insects and weeds, and control damaging invasive species. However, the possibility of unwanted ecological effects and near-certainty of spread across political borders demand careful assessment of each potential application. We call for thoughtful, inclusive, and well-informed public discussions to explore the responsible use of this currently theoretical technology.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-ND 4.0 International license.
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Posted July 17, 2014.
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Concerning RNA-Guided Gene Drives for the Alteration of Wild Populations
Kevin M. Esvelt, Andrea L. Smidler, Flaminia Catteruccia, George M. Church
bioRxiv 007203; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/007203
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Concerning RNA-Guided Gene Drives for the Alteration of Wild Populations
Kevin M. Esvelt, Andrea L. Smidler, Flaminia Catteruccia, George M. Church
bioRxiv 007203; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/007203

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