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Tldr: Ticks put a heavy coating of wax on their eggs which has previously prevented researchers from injecting the embryo to modify the tick genes. They remove
by DoreenMichele 5y ago
Tldr:
Ticks put a heavy coating of wax on their eggs which has previously prevented researchers from injecting the embryo to modify the tick genes. They removed the gland that secretes the wax and that opened up the ability to modify the embryo successfully, which opens up new means to conduct research.
Kind of a first step in a longer range plan of modifying tick populations in hopes of preventing the spread of Lyme et al.
- inglor_cz 5y agoIt isn't completely clear to me how the optimal modification should look like. Perhaps "ticks that hate human smell and avoid people as much as they can"? Because if we just exterminate ticks en masse by introducing DNA errors, something else may take their place.