PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Virginie Courtier-Orgogozo
AU  - Antoine Danchin
AU  - Pierre-Henri Gouyon
AU  - Christophe Boëte
TI  - Evaluating the Probability of CRISPR-based Gene Drive Contaminating Another Species
AID  - 10.1101/776609
DP  - 2019 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 776609
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/09/19/776609.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/09/19/776609.full
AB  - The probability D that a given CRISPR-based gene drive element contaminates another, non-target species can be estimated by the following Drive Risk Assessment Quantitative Estimate (DRAQUE) Equation: D = (hyb+transf).express.cut.flank.immune.nonextinct withhyb = probability of hybridization between the target species and a non-target speciestransf = probability of horizontal transfer of a piece of DNA containing the gene drive cassette from the target species to a non-target species (with no hybridization)express = probability that the Cas9 and guide RNA genes are expressedcut = probability that the CRISPR-guide RNA recognizes and cuts at a DNA site in the new hostflank = probability that the gene drive cassette inserts at the cut siteimmune = probability that the immune system does not reject Cas9-expressing cellsnonextinct = probability of invasion of the drive within the population We discuss and estimate each of the seven parameters of the equation, with particular emphasis on possible transfers within insects, and between rodents and humans. We conclude from current data that the probability of a gene drive cassette to contaminate another species is not insignificant. We propose strategies to reduce this risk and call for more work on estimating all the parameters of the formula.CRISPRClustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic RepeatsDRAQUEDrive Risk Assessment Quantitative EstimateHGThorizontal gene transferHTThorizontal transfer of transposable elementTEtransposable element