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Scientists propose using gene editing to restore genetic diversity in endangered species. By integrating advanced biotechnology with traditional conservation, the approach may rescue species like pink pigeon from genomic erosion extinction threats.
Gene editing technologies, such as those used in agriculture and de-extinction efforts, can be repurposed to provide what an international team of scientists describes as a breakthrough approach for restoring genetic variety and rescuing endangered species.
The multidisciplinary team of conservation geneticists and biotechnologists is co-led by Prof Cock van Oosterhout at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Dr Stephen Turner from Colossal Biosciences, in collaboration with the Colossal Foundation, the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (University of Kent), Globe Institute (University of Copenhagen), Mauritius Wildlife Foundation (MWF), the Mauritius National Parks and Conservation Service (NPCS), and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
Why genetic diversity matters for species survival
“We’re facing the fastest environmental change in Earth’s history, and many species have lost the genetic variation needed to adapt and survive,” said Prof van Oosterhout.
“Gene engineering provides a way to restore that variation, whether it’s reintroducing DNA variation that has been lost from immune-system genes that we can retrieve from museum specimens or borrowing climate-tolerance genes from closely related species.
To ensure the long-term survival of threatened species, we argue that it is essential to embrace new technological advances alongside traditional conservation approaches.”
The problem of genomic erosion
Conservation successes such as captive breeding and habitat protection often focus on boosting population numbers but do little to replenish the gene variants lost when a species’ numbers crash.
As populations rebound, they can remain trapped with a diminished genetic variation and a high load of harmful mutations, a phenomenon known as genomic erosion.
Without intervention, species that recovered from a population crash may remain genetically compromised, with reduced resilience to future threats like new diseases or shifting climates.
Case study: The pink pigeon of Mauritius
One example of this is the pink pigeon, whose population has been brought back from the brink of extinction – from about 10 individuals to a population now of more than 600 birds – by decades of captive-breeding and reintroduction efforts in Mauritius.
Several of the authors have studied the pigeon’s genetics to reveal that, despite its recovery, it continues to experience substantial genomic erosion and is likely to go extinct in the next 50 to 100 years.
The next challenge is to restore the genetic diversity it has lost, enabling it to adapt to future environmental change – genome engineering could make this possible.
Potential of gene editing and current applications
The technology is already common in agriculture: crops resistant to pests and drought cover millions of hectares worldwide. More recently, announcements of plans to bring extinct species back to life have further highlighted its potential.
“The same technological advances that allow us to introduce genes of mammoths into the genome of an elephant can be harnessed to rescue species teetering on the brink of extinction,” said Dr Beth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer at Colossal Biosciences.
“It is our responsibility to reduce the extinction risk faced today by thousands of species.”
Risks and ethical safeguards
They also address the risks, such as off-target genetic modifications and unintentional further reductions in genetic diversity, cautioning that the approaches remain experimental.
The need for phased, small-scale trials, and rigorous long-term monitoring of evolutionary and ecological impacts is emphasised, as well as robust engagement with local communities, indigenous groups and the wider public, before broader implementation.
The authors stress that genetic interventions must complement, not replace, habitat restoration and traditional conservation actions.
A combined approach for biodiversity protection
“Biodiversity faces unprecedented threats that demand unprecedented solutions,” said Associate Professor Hernan Morales of the Globe Institute.
“Genome editing is not a replacement for species protection and will never be a magical fix – its role must be carefully evaluated alongside established conservation strategies as part of a broader, integrated approach with species protection as a guiding principle.”
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