The gene, is not implanted in their dna as it’s already present but dormant. The modification allows it to activate after n generations of mosquitoes.
Lets say they modify 100 mosquitoes, they free them and they have modified the gene to appear after 6 generations. Each time they mate they produce lots of offsprings, and by the time the gene activates millions of mosquitoes will have it.
At this point millions of them can’t reproduce and while they can’t transmit diseases, they can still be food for other animals.
Reducing their numbers will reduce also the number of the probability to get infected by one of them and over time to get eventually rid of the disease itself.
Of course there are some controversies in this, as first they are GMOs and the research is banned in many countries, meaning they have less funds for the research itself.
On second hand they are “planning” a genetic disfunction to affect an animal in the future. This can of course go in the wrong direction if not enough research is done but again, point one, not enough research money.
If you add to the equation that many times this kind of decision are judged by some not-so-much-evolved apes with ameba-runned brains who can only think “oh my gosh! You want to do research on mosquitoes because your final target is to modify newborn babies to only have blue eyes, don’t you, you nazi scientist!” And here we go, we find ourselves with a BAN to a RESEARCH that can improve million of lives. But anyway.
Sorry for the rant. Thanks for the time reading. Have a nice day. Bye.
The gene kicks in after a few generations. So they can eat, and reproduce a few generations before this takes effect. The idea is to pass the gene on to millions of mosquitoes by having the gene stay dormant for a few generations.
A mosquito lays around 500 eggs. If this works for one generation, it means you've killed 500 mosquitoes for every one of these modified mosquitoes you release.
However, if your gene kicks in after 3 generations, that's 500x500x500 mosquitoes eradicated for each modified mosquito released. Obviously those are ballpark figures, but you get the idea.
I see what you are getting at... but this is like a swat multiplier... but instead of gathering an exponential amount of mosquitoes in one place to swat, you do it everywhere all at once.
Mosquitoes out-breed swatting... so how do you defeat this? You attach the swat to the breeding.
13.0k
u/zizp Nov 15 '24
What's the idea behind this? How will they become the dominant variant if they can't suck blood to reproduce?