Fast-spreading, targeted genetic technology may sound like the stuff of science fiction — but it's very real, and soon it may be able to help manage invasive species and conserve biodiversity (explained here by the American Museum of Natural History).
NewScientist reported on the technology, which is known as a "gene drive." It's very complicated, but what it essentially boils down to is this: The drive changes the odds of an organism inheriting a particular genetic trait, either making it very likely or very unlikely it will receive certain genes.
While scientists have been developing the technology for years, one group based at the California Institute of Technology recently ran its first successful test, using a variation of the process on the thale cress plant, according to NewScientist. Another team in China also reported on their similar work, per the outlet. The next step for the U.S.-based groups is trying the technology with pigweed, an aggressive type of superweed.
Using this technology, scientists will theoretically be able to wipe out invasive plants and superweeds through genetic modification, therefore eliminating the need for toxic herbicides, NewScientist explained.
One application might be to create and regularly plant male invasive plants whose pollen kills off female offspring and blocks that weed's seed production in a certain area.
"That would ultimately crash the entire local population," said Bruce Hay, a lead researcher on the project from the California Institute of Technology, per the news outlet.
Researchers have even suggested that they could one day use the technology to eliminate populations of invasive animals in certain locations.
Similar to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, superweeds present an immense threat to farmers. With 60 million acres of U.S. cropland infested with these herbicide-resistant species, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, it will be imperative to intervene sooner rather than later. And because strong chemical herbicides partly caused this issue, experts argue that using more of them to combat it would be ill-advised.
If the gene drive test works on pigweed, it will be a momentous landmark. "It's a poster child for acquiring broad resistance to all existing herbicides," Hay said.
And the researchers don't just hope to use the technology to reduce populations — they also believe it can be used to help other species grow more resilient. Through propagating certain beneficial genes, the drive could help plants and animals develop greater resilience to disease and climate-related factors, such as heat waves and drought.
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