PROJECT SUMMARY Gene drives enable a super-Mendelian inheritance where the chance of passing on the gene to the progeny is 100%, and this super-Mendelian inheritance has been demonstrated for several engineered genes in multiple organisms. Gene-drive mediated trait propagation in the entire ecosystem may find use in the elimination of diseases (e.g., malaria, dengue fever) or invasive species, and reversing the pesticide resistance in plants. We propose to use tools and principles of chemistry to develop controllers that will allow us to understand the strength and limitations of the gene drive technologies.

PROJECT NARRATIVE CRISPR-associated nucleases have furnished transformative biomedical technologies, including gene drives that allow one to bypass the normal Mendelian inheritance. We propose to apply tools and principles of chemistry to control and understand the strengths and limits of the gene drive technology.