New Gene Editing Technique Allows Subtle Modifications to Spread Through Wild Populations

A new gene editing technique called Allele Sail, developed by experts from Macquarie University and the California Institute of Technology, allows subtle and more controlled modifications in the genetic makeup of wild populations compared to gene drives. Their study is published in Nature Communications.

Allele Sail is designed to create transgenic organisms that express gene editors, which will make targeted changes in the genome. When released with their wild counterparts, these organisms will produce offspring with two copies of modified genes and one copy of the editor. This method will keep the frequency of the gene editor low in the population.

“Allele Sails offer a simple way to alter the traits and fates of wild populations, and may be more acceptable to use as the genetically modified part is introduced at low frequencies, and its persistence can be tuned,” said Michelle Johnson, the lead author and a computational biologist from CalTech. The research team envisions Allele Sails as a tool to address major global challenges, such as heat tolerance and disease resistance. They believe this approach could help alleviate public concerns and regulatory challenges associated with gene drive.

For more information, read the article from Macquarie University.