Genetic drive

Genetic drive technology enables the biased transmission of specific genetic traits throughout a population far more rapidly than through natural inheritance patterns. It works by leveraging homing endonucleases or CRISPR-Cas systems to ensure that a modified gene has a much higher chance of being passed to offspring, overriding the typical Mendelian ~50% inheritance ratio.

This manipulation of allelic frequencies within populations allows for the accelerated spread of desired traits - whether beneficial, neutral, or destructive - through successive generations.

The mechanism behind Gene Drive relies on a self-replicating genetic element that cuts the corresponding wild-type allele on the opposite chromosome during meiosis. The cell then repairs the damage by copying the gene drive sequence from the modified chromosome, effectively converting a heterozygous organism into a homozygous one. This process ensures that the modified gene spreads rapidly, often unchecked, through populations, especially those with high reproductive rates.