Genetic tweak to save UK crayf ish

CRAYFISH modified to carry infertility genes could be used to tackle American invaders in British waters.

‘Gene drive’ science being developed at Edinburgh University is said to offer hope against the US signal crayfish.

The technique involves altering the genetics of individual crayfish to spread traits throughout the population.

Signal crayfish, which were introduced to the UK in the 1970s, spread a plague which is fatal to Britain’s native, whiteclawed species.

Prof Bruce Whitelaw, of the Roslin Institute, which created cloned sheep Dolly in 1996, said the gene drive technique was applicable to different species.

‘It doesn’t matter if it’s mosquito, crayfish or squirrel,’ he said. ‘Crayfish produce large numbers of fertilised eggs in one go, which is an advantage for spreading the gene drive.’