# Self-eliminating strategy to control gene drive

> **NIH NIH R01** · TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH · 2022 · $741,091

## Abstract

The ability to deliver pathogen-resistance genes into mosquito populations has long been
sought as a potential alternative for disrupting dengue or malaria transmission where funds and
infrastructure are the limiting factors in effective mosquito control. The recent development of
effective gene drive transgenes based on CRISPR/Cas9 has largely solved the technical
challenges of achieving super-Mendelian introgression, however there exists no means to
control or recall such genetic elements once released making safety testing in the relevant
environments problematic. Drosophila melanogaster is an extremely trackable genetic model
organism, while Aedes aegypti is the main vector of dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya
viruses, as well as a model system for studies of other mosquitoes. In this project, we will
employ both D. melanogaster and A. aegypti to evaluate a transgene self-elimination strategy
whereby a transgene can be pre-programmed to first drive itself into a population and then
remove itself from the population without any intervention from the experimenter. We will
characterize some of the limiting parameters of the self-elimination system, such as direct
repeat length (Aim 1) and number and type of nuclease targeting sites (Aim 2). Finally, we will
test this self-elimination strategy in the context of an active gene drive in both flies and
mosquitoes (Aim 3). Our innovative approach takes advantage of naturally occurring processes
that are conserved throughout eukaryota to completely eliminate all transgenic sequences
following potential field releases. Thus, we anticipate that this project will dramatically alter the
National and International conversations concerning gene drive technology as a whole, and will
raise expectations for what is possible in any future trial to generate pathogen-resistant
mosquitoes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10401434
- **Project number:** 5R01AI148787-03
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH
- **Principal Investigator:** Zach N. Adelman
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $741,091
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-06-25 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10401434

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10401434, Self-eliminating strategy to control gene drive (5R01AI148787-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10401434. Licensed CC0.

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