With a new method, biologists may be able to quickly spread a gene that thwarts malaria parasites to disease-transmitting mosquitoes. Original article written by John Bohannon In a study published online this week, researchers describe a technique for creating mutations that invade the genome and transmit themselves across to the next generation with near 100% success, defying the classic laws of Mendelian genetics. It is the latest—and some say, most impressive—example of gene drive: biasing inheritance to spread a gene rapidly through a population, or even an entire species. At this level of efficiency, a single mosquito equipped with a parasite-blocking (it blocks transmission, doesn't kill the parasites) gene could in theory spread malaria resistance through an entire breeding population in a single season. A collaboration is under way, based on this study, to do just that. Posted in Biology Source: http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2015/03/chain-reaction-spreads-gene-through-insects
