Ecology: Gene-Drive Suppression
A genotype-tracking gene-drive model for mosquito population suppression. Release transgenic males carrying a Y-linked editor, an X-shredder, and an autosomal homing construct, then watch the wild population collapse through sex-ratio distortion and genetic load.
What it simulates
- 1071 genotypes tracked across three genetic components (Y editor, X shredder, autosomal homing).
- Each generation applies mutation, homing, editing, recombination, gamete production with X-shredding, zygote formation, Beverton–Holt density-dependent survival, and genotype-specific fitness selection.
- The default scenario uses high efficiencies and zero resistance, so the population collapses within tens of generations.
Run it on the Hub
- Open the Geci2022 Gene-Drive Suppression Lab on the public Hub.
- Click Run. The default scenario runs for 100 generations.
Inputs you can tune
The lab exposes 24 input ports. The most consequential ones:
| Input | Meaning |
|---|---|
release_size | Transgenic release as a fraction of the initial population (default 0.1). |
homing_efficiency | Homing efficiency at the autosomal cut site. |
editing_efficiency | Female-target editing efficiency. |
shredding_efficiency | X-shredding efficiency in male gametes. |
homing_resistance_rate | Autosomal r3 resistance generation rate. |
editing_resistance_rate | Editing resistance rate. |
shredding_resistance_rate | Shredding resistance rate. |
net_reproduction_rate | Net reproduction rate (default 6.0). |
juvenile_survival | Juvenile survival probability. |
Resistance rates and per-component fitness costs let you stress-test the drive against realistic counter-pressures.
What results to expect
- Adult population time series: total adults, females, and males. The default scenario peaks around generation 5 then collapses to near zero by generation 50.
- Drive metrics: drive frequency, resistance frequency, male fraction, and suppression ratio.
- Summary table: initial and final population sizes, peak drive and resistance frequencies, and the final suppression ratio.
Reference
Faithful Python port of the upstream Julia model from Geci et al. (2022), BioModels MODEL2301120001.
Source on GitHub: models-ecology — geci2022-gene-drive-suppression.