Release of GM Mosquitoes
A British biotech company called Oxitec has permission to release genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida and Texas. The Environmental Protection Agency approved an experimental use permit May 1 that allows Oxitec to release genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys and Harris County, Texas (where Houston is located). An update: a plan to release over 750 genetically modified mosquitoes into the Florida Keys in 2021 received final approval from local authorities, against the objection of many local residents and a coalition of environmental advocacy groups. The plan had already won state and federal approval
I of IV :: release?
Remember a few years ago when people especially pregnant women were concerned about contracting the Zika virus? It’s the virus that could cause a birth defect called microcephaly (underdevelopment of the head and brain), according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Intrigued? Learn more about CRISPR here..
II of IV :: Can they?
Can genetically modified mosquitoes change diseases? |
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IV of IV :: how it works?
The invention of the CRISPR gene editing tool has injected new life into a line of research called gene drive. Gene drives use selfish genetic elements to spread a modification through a wild population. Researchers have proposed using gene drives against agricultural pests and invasive species, but the most urgent application is against vector-borne diseases like malaria, which kills hundreds of thousands of people every year, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. |
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