New technologies in the field of genetic engineering now allow us to change the traits of different species quickly and with great flexibility. One of the most significant applications of these technologies may be the genetic modification of entire species in the wild - mainly species that cause heavy damage, such as disease-carrying mosquitoes such as malaria or invasive species that harm the environment and economy. Changing the characteristics of these species will allow for a significant reduction in the harmful populations, and may even lead to their complete eradication. However, one of the main concerns from the use of this technology is that the engineered genes will "slide" from the harmful population to other populations, and even to other species, and cause severe and unexpected ecological changes.

Dr. Gili Greenbaum of the Institute of Life Sciences at the Hebrew University and three leading researchers at Stanford University in the United States have published a new study on the subject in the journal Plos Genetics. This is a theoretical study based on computational models, and presents the possibilities facing the world of science for the use of gene drive genetic engineering technology, which provides for the first time a solution to the problem of the distribution of engineered genes in natural populations.

gene drive produces a "genetic engine" that violates natural inheritance laws, thus enabling widespread and rapid distribution of engineered genes in the population, even in situations against which natural selection is strong. In fact, this genetic engine makes it possible to bring defective engineered genes to widespread distribution within individual generations. Because this technology is based on heredity through sexual reproduction, it is applicable to insects, mammals, reptiles, fish and most plants, but not to bacteria and viruses.

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