Mutations could be the end of rodents

BRITAIN: Genetically mutated rats could be released to help tackle the growing problem with rodents, Edinburgh University has said.

Scientists have launched a project to find out if genetically editing animals could provide a more humane method of pest control.

London councils receive 100 complaints about rats and mice each day, with some local authorities reporting a 10 per cent increase in the number of rodents since last year.

Most pest controllers use poison, but rats are becoming resistant to even strong toxins.

Now experts at Edinburgh University believe a process called ‘‘gene drive’’’could solve the problem. It spreads infertility genes through a population, which causes a catastrophic drop in numbers over several generations.

The technology uses the DNA editing technique called Crispr, a natural process by which bacteria fight off viruses by snipping away at their DNA. The rodents would be genetically modified in the laboratory before being released into the wild, where they could mate with the native population.

Professor Bruce Whitelaw, of the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, where Dolly the Sheep was created, said: ‘‘For the first time we have the makings of technology that could reduce or eliminate a pest population in a humane and species-specific manner.

‘‘Crispr is perhaps the most exciting tool that has ever hit biology... It’s time to explore what this technology can do.’’

There are thought to be more than 10 million rats in Britain. Pest control is estimated to cost about £1.2 billion (NZ$2.3b) each year. –