2022 journal article

Cite it

Leveraging a natural murine meiotic drive to suppress invasive populations

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

By: L. Gierus^*, A. Birand ^*, M. Bunting^*, G. Godahewa^*, S. Piltz^*, K. Oh^*, A. Piaggio^*, D. Threadgill^* ...and 6 other authors, including 1 NC State author, J. Godwin , O. Edwards^*, P. Cassey^*, J. Ross, T. Prowse^* & P. Thomas^*

10.1073/pnas.2213308119

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zenodo.org (repository)

Source: ORCID

Added: November 9, 2022

Invasive rodents are a major cause of environmental damage and biodiversity loss, particularly on islands. Unlike insects, genetic biocontrol strategies including population-suppressing gene drives with biased inheritance have not been developed in mice. Here, we demonstrate a gene drive strategy (tCRISPR) that leverages super-Mendelian transmission of the t haplotype to spread inactivating mutations in a haplosufficient female fertility gene (Prl). Using spatially explicit individual-based in silico modeling, we show that tCRISPR can eradicate island populations under a range of realistic field-based parameter values. We also engineer transgenic tCRISPR mice that, crucially, exhibit biased transmission of the modified t haplotype and Prl mutations at levels our modeling predicts would be sufficient for eradication. This is an example of a feasible gene drive system for invasive alien rodent population control.