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Can you show me some evidence that the gene drive affecting that species won't affect other species? From what I've read, hybridization does occur between mosq

Can you show me some evidence that the gene drive affecting that species won't affect other species? From what I've read, hybridization does occur between mosquito species.

stubish 8y ago
The math does not work out. Hybridization happens rarely. To affect another species, hybridization would need to happen on a large enough scale that the hybrid population increases, despite the fact that the hybrid species becomes sterile after a few generations. The hybrid species would also need to out compete the other species, again, before the hybrid species dies out because of the genetic modifications.
- macawfish 8y ago
  I don't know what math you're referring to, but the possibility of adaptive introgression strikes me to be non-negligible, especially given that it has specifically been observed in mosuitoes under selective pressure from pesticides... Hybridization rates are not static. What's more, hybrid mosquitoes would in no way be limited to mating with other hybrid mosquitoes. Consider that this gene drive diminishes the female mosquito's ability to feed on blood. I'd expect it be possible that this would cause modified female mosquitoes to be maladapted in other ways. If modified female mosquitoes were to experience significant additional stress, the adult sex ratio in modified mosquitoes could shift dramatically toward an overbalance of modified males. If this were to happen, don't you see how it could increase pressure on males to outbreed? E.g. if a large proportion of their natural mates were either dead or malnourished? Similarly, can you see how the same kind of situation might emerge for the hybrids, increasing the likelihood of backcrossing? A gene drive that specifically disrupts the females' ability to survive seems like it would increase the likelihood of introgression, potentially by a lot. This whole situation just strikes me as highly unpredictable, risky and poorly understood.
  - johnr2 8y ago
    > I don't know what math you're referring to... Thank you for the rational comment. I found some of your other posts in this discussion to be emotional enough to make me not take them seriously (although I agree with the need for being cautious with GM). A post like the one above carries a lot more weight than "makes me sick" type comments. It's an emotive subject for sure, but straying too much from a rational tone can be counterproductive.

Can you show me some evidence that the gene drive affecting that species won't affect other species? From what I've read, hybridization does occur between mosquito species.

stubish 8y ago

The math does not work out. Hybridization happens rarely. To affect another species, hybridization would need to happen on a large enough scale that the hybrid population increases, despite the fact that the hybrid species becomes sterile after a few generations. The hybrid species would also need to out compete the other species, again, before the hybrid species dies out because of the genetic modifications.

macawfish 8y ago
I don't know what math you're referring to, but the possibility of adaptive introgression strikes me to be non-negligible, especially given that it has specifically been observed in mosuitoes under selective pressure from pesticides... Hybridization rates are not static. What's more, hybrid mosquitoes would in no way be limited to mating with other hybrid mosquitoes. Consider that this gene drive diminishes the female mosquito's ability to feed on blood. I'd expect it be possible that this would cause modified female mosquitoes to be maladapted in other ways. If modified female mosquitoes were to experience significant additional stress, the adult sex ratio in modified mosquitoes could shift dramatically toward an overbalance of modified males. If this were to happen, don't you see how it could increase pressure on males to outbreed? E.g. if a large proportion of their natural mates were either dead or malnourished? Similarly, can you see how the same kind of situation might emerge for the hybrids, increasing the likelihood of backcrossing? A gene drive that specifically disrupts the females' ability to survive seems like it would increase the likelihood of introgression, potentially by a lot. This whole situation just strikes me as highly unpredictable, risky and poorly understood.
- johnr2 8y ago
  > I don't know what math you're referring to... Thank you for the rational comment. I found some of your other posts in this discussion to be emotional enough to make me not take them seriously (although I agree with the need for being cautious with GM). A post like the one above carries a lot more weight than "makes me sick" type comments. It's an emotive subject for sure, but straying too much from a rational tone can be counterproductive.