With the validation of the prototype in a relevant environment, we have reached TRL# 5 and will end the experimental development stage – ANEEL’s DE. At this stage, we begin to evaluate the efficacy, efficiency and safety of the GMO.
- Laboratory experiments to advance the understanding of GMO safety, assessing the possibility of horizontal transmission (non-reproductive, unintentional, to non-target species) of the CRISPR construct, a prerequisite of the WHO (Phase I) and CTNBIO guidelines;
- Laboratory experiments to advance understanding of the efficacy of the GMO, assessing the frequency of vertical transmission (reproductive, intentional) over 5 generations, as suggested by the WHO guidelines (Phase I). Also evaluate the occurrence of mutations in GMO mussels.
- Experiments in micro and mesocosms (controlled environment, with containment, in the field) replicating the environment (same water and same species) of a reservoir, assessing by genotyping the possibility of horizontal transmission (non-reproductive, unintentional) of the CRISPR construct to other (cultivable) species in the aquatic trophic chain: bacteria, phyto- and zooplankton, other aquatic invertebrates and specifically molluscs, fish that eat mussels and fish that feed on other fish, as prerequisite of the WHO guidelines (Phase I and Phase II) and CTNBIO.