Medea gene drive in Drosophila Suzukii - UC San Diego

Spotted winged drosophila

Intended use

Reduction of damage to soft fruit crops (e.g. cherries) caused by this species

Readiness of Technology

5 - Limited proof of concept in laboratory

Project leader

Akbari O

Institution

University of California San Diego, USA

Publications

Authors name for system

Synthetic Medea gene drive system

Class of Technology

Toxin antidote gene drive

Field(s) of application

Agriculture

Description of system

Medea gene drive

Description

Medea system with engineered maternal miRNA toxin targeting essential gene myd88, and embryonic antidote generated with insensitive myd88

Notes on readiness of technology

Authors report the emergence of resistance to the drive resulting from natural genetic variation.
No effector genes are included in the current design.

Purpose of research

Proof of concept for Medea gene drive in this species

Notes on purpose of research

Here providing proof of concept for Medea in D. suzukii for population suppression/ replacement

Authors name for construct(s) - old

Medea - transgene sequence constructed in a plasmid named OA-961B

Research in target organism

✔

Research in model organism

✖

Intended for release

✖

Intended direct effects

Not stated