Frequent fly-er program

A group at the University of California San Diego has developed a method for using CRISPR-based gene editing to create homozygous loss-of-function mutations in Drosophilathat could be extended to other species. The researchers' goal was to develop a rapid system for using CRISPR in situations ranging from creating mutant mice to delivering transgenes to pest populations, but the technique is likely to add to the debate about the potential uses and misuses of gene editing. (See "Lines in the sand." BioCentury Innovations (March 26, 2015))

Ethan Bier, a principal investigator on the study, told BioCentury that he and co-author Valentino Gantz developed the method to make it easier to perform genetic screens in a variety of species. He said that although the genome sequences are now known for many organisms, "one of the big barriers to entry is that there aren't the tools that make it possible to perform genetic screens in those species."...