Year 10 Science · Unit 1 · Lesson 9

Gene Editing and CRISPR

Challenge Worksheet

Name

Date

Class

Learning Goals

Predict the impact of a gene drive releasing modified mosquitoes in north Queensland.
Evaluate the ecological consequences of permanently eliminating a species from an ecosystem.
Construct an evidence-based argument about the ethics of releasing a gene drive that may not be reversible.

Go Deeper

What if…?

Scenario

Scientists propose releasing a gene drive in north Queensland to eliminate the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the main carrier of dengue fever in Australia. The gene drive is engineered using CRISPR and would spread a gene that prevents females from reproducing, eventually crashing the wild population. North Queensland records hundreds of dengue cases each year. Once released, the drive spreads on its own and there is no reliable way to call it back. Resistance, fitness costs or isolated populations may limit it, and reversal drives have been proposed, but none of these can be counted on in advance. Scientists expect it would reach the whole regional mosquito population within several years. The proposal is currently awaiting ethical review.

(a) Predict the likely impact on dengue fever case numbers in north Queensland if the gene drive is successfully released. Use scientific reasoning in your answer.

Challenge 2 marks

(b) Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are part of the local food web, they are eaten by birds, bats and spiders, and their larvae are consumed by fish and aquatic insects. Predict at least two possible ecological consequences of significantly reducing or eliminating this mosquito species from the north Queensland ecosystem.

Challenge 3 marks

(c) Once the drive is released, nobody can promise to reverse it. Using ethical reasoning, argue either for or against proceeding with the release. Your argument must acknowledge and respond to the strongest counterargument.

Challenge 4 marks

Show What You Know

1. He Jiankui edited human embryos in China in 2018 without proper regulatory approval or fully informed consent from parents. Identify two specific reasons why germline editing of human embryos remains banned in most countries, even when the intended outcome (e.g. HIV resistance) might be beneficial.

Challenge 4 marks

2. Compare the reversibility of CRISPR somatic gene therapy in a hospital patient versus a gene drive released into a wild population. Why does reversibility matter ethically?

Challenge 3 marks

Wrap Up

In one sentence, explain why the uncertainty about ever reversing a gene drive makes it ethically distinct from other CRISPR applications.