Preliminary work towards gene drives in Rattus rattus - three designs modelled - Cornell University

Rattus rattus

Common rat or black rat

Intended use

Eradicating invasive rat populations on islands to address their impacts on biodiversity

Readiness of Technology

2a - Gene drive proposed with supporting theoretical work

Project leader

Messer PW

Institution

Cornell University, USA

Publications

Champer et al., 2021

Authors name for system

Three drives modelled: ‘homing drive’ targeting either 'haplosufficient female fertility gene' or 'haplosufficient zygote viability gene'; and ‘Y-shredder located on the X-chromosome’

Class of Technology

Homing gene drive

Sex ratio distorter

Other gene drive system

Field(s) of application

Conservation

Description of system

Homing CRISPR (targeting ‘haplosufficient female fertility gene’ or ‘haplosufficient zygote viability gene’) and ‘Y-shredder’ (located on X-chromosome)

For specialists

Research in target organism

✖

Research in model organism

✖

Intended for release

✖

Intended direct effects

Population suppression/eradication