I suspect that a pathogen is needed rather than a gene that takes
generations to manifest - we need a disease that affects a part of gambusia
that natives don't have and which will render them incapable of breeding. In
short we need a specific "gonopodium rot" infectious agent. Preferably viral
so freeze dried distribution would be possible :-)
Regards,
Bruce Hansen
president at angfa.org.au
Please visit us at http://www.angfa.org.au
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Sleet" <rsleet at charitynet.org>
To: <rainbowfish at pcug.org.au>
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2000 7:30 PM
Subject: RE: [RML] Gambusia control
> Hi
>
> >Wouldn't it be nice if the geneticists could isolate a "lethal gene" in
> >gambusia and spread it around all infested areas?
> >
> >Just dreaming, or maybe not! Any hot-shot geneticists out there who could
> >take care of this problem?
>
> I'm not much of a Geneticist these days due to a career switch :-)
>
> but
>
> I'm afraid it can't be done. Where genetic engeneering is used to
introduce
> these "killer genes", it is the F1 and subsequent generation of the
> introduced organism that have the lethal factor, so only descentants of
the
> introduced species would be effected. If they did cross with a local
> population then the gene would be quickly selected out - it is after all
> lethal.
>
> The technique is a good one when introducing a biological control organism
> where you are not sure of the effect the introduced organism would have on
> the environment a whole.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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