DNA sequence modification-based gene drive

A composition comprising two vectors:

• a first vector comprising:
• a first sequence encoding a first component of a DNA sequence modifying complex, wherein the first component of the DNA sequence modifying complex is a nuclease, wherein the nuclease is Cas9 nuclease;
• a second sequence encoding a second component of the DNA sequence modifying complex, wherein the second component of the DNA sequence modifying complex is a guide RNA, wherein the guide RNA enables the Cas9 nuclease to target specific sequences within the essential gene;
• a first promoter operably linked to the first sequence encoding the first component of the DNA sequence modifying complex, wherein the first promoter comprises at least one of a germline promoter, a male specific germline promoter, a female specific germline promoter, a cell-type specific promoter, a tissue-specific promoter, a ubiquitous promoter, a promoter activated at a specific stage of mitosis, a promoter activated at a specific stage of meiosis, a viral promoter or prokaryotic promoter;
• and
• a second promoter operably linked to the second sequence encoding the second component of the DNA sequence modifying complex, wherein the second promoter comprises at least one of a germline promoter, a male specific germline promoter, a female specific germline promoter, a cell-type specific promoter, a tissue-specific promoter, a ubiquitous promoter, a promoter activated at a specific stage of mitosis, a promoter activated at a specific stage of meiosis, a viral promoter or prokaryotic promoter;
• wherein the DNA sequence modifying complex is configured to induce one or more sequence modifications in an endogenous copy of an essential gene;
• a second vector comprising:
• a rescue transgene sequence, wherein the rescue transgene is either a recoded copy of the essential gene or is a gene of unrelated sequence, wherein the rescue transgene encodes a protein that is functionally equivalent to a protein encoded by the essential gene;
• and
• a rescue transgene promoter operably linked to the rescue transgene sequence, wherein the rescue transgene promoter comprises at least one of a endogenous promoter for the essential gene, germline promoter, a male specific germline promoter, a female specific germline promoter, a cell-type specific promoter, a tissue-specific promoter, a ubiquitous promoter, a promoter activated at a specific stage of mitosis, a promoter activated at a specific stage of meiosis, a viral promoter or prokaryotic promoter,
• wherein the composition comprising two vectors is configured for reversibly modifying a population of organisms.