The Niche of Synthetic Biology in Conservation: Assisted Evolution

Rapid advances in biology has led to a biotechnological revolution in recent decades. This progressing revolution has enabled breakthroughs in genetic technology once believed to be science fiction. The concept of human intervention in the natural processes of biology goes back millennia. Animal and plant breeding to create domestically useful breeds of animals and plants dates back to the earliest forms of domestication. Creating new strands of crops for greater yield and nutrition, breeding livestock and different breeds of household pets like cats and dogs would not be possible without our intervention. As biotechnology progresses new advances in genetics such as gene editing technologies have enabled a greater level of control in biological systems. Sectors from healthcare to agriculture have seen great benefit from gene editing tools ranging from GMO crops and personalized medicine. This control of evolution offers a plethora of new possibilities and limitations regarding the evolutionary trajectory of species on our planet. 

Among emerging biotechnological tools being harnessed in commerce and medical sectors gene editing is slowly making its way into the field of conservation. The notably the emergence of tools geared for the assisted evolution of species are the most direct in their application to conservation. Usage of assisted evolutionary tools for conservation purposes opens a new world of possibilities as well ethical questions. Such tools offer new avenues for biodiversity conservation not widely possible with conventional conservation practices. Enabling conservation projects directly involved in the assisted alteration, monitoring, and management of species in unprecedented ways. Conservation projects now have a new path in monitoring and controlling biological populations from the molecular to ecological levels with greater accessibility and impact. Ranging from engineered resilience to environmental conditions like thermal stress or acidity or disease resistance to pathogens as some examples. This heavy handed approach in the evolutionary process opens many doors and challenges for conservation projects. 

Exploring practical applications of assisted evolution in practice, invasive species management is one avenue currently seeing progress. Alien species wreak havoc on native Australian habitats, notably Rhinella marina the cane toad is one such invasive species destroying populations of native Australian wildlife. The cane toad is a poisonous species that releases a biotoxin when ingested and has spread all across Australia because of its fast rate of reproduction. Due to their poison, carnivorous species can see up to a 95% population decline only after 2 months of the arrival of the toad into their habitat. One affected species is Dasyurus hallucatus, the Northern Quoll, a small marsupial that has seen a 75% reduction in range size since the emergence of the cane toad. In response the University of Melbourne and Colossal Biosciences aim to modify the DNA of the Northern Quoll to be resistant to cane toad toxins. Breeding and releasing quolls to rebreed into the population and provide the necessary genes for survival. This assisted evolution if given enough time would allow the population to get back on its feet and their prevent premature extinction due to its quick reproduction rate. The Northern Quoll provides a window into the possible, showcasing how genetic tools can potentially aid in species recovery and a reference for future endeavors. As efforts continue in the attempt success could spell a new wave of efforts for different species experiencing challenges worldwide. However assisted evolution does not operate uniformly across all species and the effectiveness is constrained by many biological and time factors. 

Species decline, extinction, and evolution is a complex process that lacks control. Processes like these span millennia and yet human intervention has so far spelt doom for many species. The biosphere is entering a new mass extinction that is collapsing biodiversity levels at rates that evolution cannot compete with. Assisted evolution technologies require time but could allow for evolution to keep up with rapid global change. Coral Reef systems are a major contender for potential tools for assisted evolution. Through the modification of coral species to better resist higher oceanic temperatures and ocean pH would allow for populations to survive in the world we are creating. Yet the current pace of environmental change threaten the slow reproducing populations of corals currently surviving. With predictions estimating a decline near the point of extinction. Human intervention and assisted evolution could provide an avenue for refugia of surviving coral populations to rebuild, repopulating and recolonizing the damaged reef systems over centuries. Acting as long term reservoirs of coral reef survival and reliance in a changed ocean. 

The potential and limitations of this application of science is essential in understanding where meaningful intervention may be impactful and necessary. For such a monumental task and in a time of dire ecological crisis assessing the tools available to protect the biodiversity of our planet is vital. The ability to control evolution is a powerful and concerning ability, constrained by time, ethics, and the limits of biology. Whether meaningful intervention is able to make a mark on how conservation projects occur is yet to be seen. As pilot projects continue to progress it is important that prudent conservation monitoring and management to view the scope that these projects have on protecting biodiversity. Human influence on the biosphere is all encompassing and effect every level of life. The evolutionary trajectory of species worldwide are already altered, technological progress provide an opportunity not to erase or rewrite our intervention, but shape more meaningful and impactful avenues intervention going forward. 

Sources:

Direct and indirect impacts of synthetic biology on biodiversity conservation - PMC 

Synthetic biology and nature conservation | IUCN 

Three Stunning Ways Biologists Aim to Edit Animal and Plant Genes to Fight Diseases and Extinction

Synthetic Biology and the Reframing of Nature Conservation - A Bigger Conversation 

New Genes for the Northern Quoll: A Colossal Step Toward Bufotoxin Resistance 

Building coral reef resilience through assisted evolution - PNAS 

Against the clock: Can 'assisted evolution' save our coral reefs? - Oceanographic