{"id":5191,"date":"2025-07-27T19:30:36","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T22:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/genetic-engineering-in-conservation-what-can-biotechnology-do-for-biodiversity\/"},"modified":"2025-07-27T19:36:45","modified_gmt":"2025-07-27T22:36:45","slug":"genetic-engineering-in-conservation-what-can-biotechnology-do-for-biodiversity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/genetic-engineering-in-conservation-what-can-biotechnology-do-for-biodiversity\/","title":{"rendered":"Genetic engineering in conservation: what can biotechnology do for biodiversity?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"307\" src=\"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/White-Minimalist-Blog-Post-Linkedin-Article-Cover-1024x307.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5186\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/White-Minimalist-Blog-Post-Linkedin-Article-Cover-1024x307.png 1024w, https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/White-Minimalist-Blog-Post-Linkedin-Article-Cover-300x90.png 300w, https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/White-Minimalist-Blog-Post-Linkedin-Article-Cover-768x230.png 768w, https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/White-Minimalist-Blog-Post-Linkedin-Article-Cover-1536x461.png 1536w, https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/White-Minimalist-Blog-Post-Linkedin-Article-Cover.png 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<p><strong>How can we restore what has already been lost?<br\/><\/strong>This question, central to conservation biology, is beginning to receive a new answer: <strong>genomic engineering applied to biodiversity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p>A recent article published in <em>Nature Reviews Biodiversity<\/em> proposes incorporating gene editing into nature conservation strategies. According to the authors, led by researchers from the University of East Anglia and Colossal Biosciences, biotechnology can offer <strong>unprecedented tools to restore the genetic diversity of threatened species<\/strong> and increase their ability to adapt to a changing planet. <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>From protection to genetic restoration<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>Today, biodiversity conservation relies on practices such as:<\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Protection of natural habitats;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Captive breeding programs;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Control of invasive species;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reintroduction of species in recovered areas.<br\/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<p>These actions &#8211; called &#8220;<em>first aid<\/em>&#8221; by the authors &#8211; are effective in preventing immediate extinctions. However, they <strong>fail to restore what has already been lost within the species&#8217; own DNA<\/strong>: their genetic diversity, which is essential for adapting to new threats such as climate change, disease and environmental degradation. <\/p>\n\n<p>This is where what the authors call the &#8220;<em>second bailout<\/em>&#8221; comes in: <strong>genomic engineering as a tool for repairing evolutionary potential<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is genomic erosion?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p><strong>Genomic erosion<\/strong> is the progressive loss of genetic diversity in a population. This can occur for various reasons, such as <\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Drastic reduction in the number of individuals (population bottleneck)<\/strong>;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Geographical isolation<\/strong>, which prevents the exchange of genes between populations;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accumulation of deleterious mutations<\/strong> over generations;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And above all, <strong>inbreeding<\/strong> &#8211; when related individuals reproduce with each other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<p>In some cases, an endangered species can recover numerically by increasing its population. This is called <strong>demographic success<\/strong>. However, even with more individuals, genetic diversity can remain low &#8211; leaving the species vulnerable to new environmental pressures.  <\/p>\n\n<p>A <strong>practical example:<\/strong> if a population of a thousand individuals descends from just five original survivors, they will have almost the same genes. In other words, they will be many, but genetically similar &#8211; and with a reduced ability to respond to environmental challenges, such as diseases. <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What can genetic engineering do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>With tools such as <strong>genome editing (e.g. CRISPR)<\/strong>, <strong>assisted reproduction<\/strong>, <strong>comparative genomics<\/strong> and <strong>biobanks<\/strong>, it is possible:<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Reintroducing lost adaptive genetic variants<\/strong> from genetic material preserved in museums, collections and frozen samples;<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Reduce the deleterious genetic load<\/strong> by eliminating harmful mutations that have accumulated through inbreeding;<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Transfer resistance or adaptation genes<\/strong> between populations or related species, through genomic engineering or controlled crosses;<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Making populations more resilient<\/strong> to new environmental challenges, such as pathogens, droughts, extreme heat or pollution.<\/p>\n\n<p>These strategies represent a <strong>highly promising technical-scientific boost for conservation<\/strong>, especially on a planet where biodiversity loss is advancing faster than traditional solutions can contain it.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ethics, risk and governance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>The introduction of biotechnologies in conservation is not without controversy. The article emphasizes the need to: <\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Rigorous environmental risk assessments;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Participation of local communities and traditional peoples;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scientific transparency and communication with the public;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Equity in access to technologies and the benefits of their application.<br\/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<p>In other words: <strong>more than just a technical issue, this is a challenge of governance, ethics and intersectoral dialog<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bio Bureau&#8217;s experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>At Bio Bureau, we have already explored this frontier between genetic innovation and conservation in projects such as the biotechnological control of the <strong>golden mussel<\/strong>, one of the most damaging invasive species in Brazil. Our aim with this project is to develop a genetically modified strain that, by reproducing with wild populations, <strong>spreads infertility and leads invasive populations to collapse, <\/strong>using a gene drive mechanism with CRISPR\/Cas9. <\/p>\n\n<p>This is a concrete example of how biotechnology can be used <strong>to restore ecological balance<\/strong> and protect ecosystems from the negative impacts caused by biological invasions.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A new chapter for conservation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>The message of the <em>Nature Reviews<\/em> article is clear: <strong>there is no more time for dichotomies between &#8220;technology&#8221; and &#8220;nature&#8221;.<\/strong> Tackling the biodiversity crisis will require a combination of solutions: <\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Traditional ecological knowledge;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cutting-edge biotechnological tools;<br\/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ethical and inclusive governance.<br\/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Genomic engineering is no substitute for traditional conservation, but it could be the key to making it viable in the long term<\/strong>, given the rapid environmental changes we are experiencing.<\/p>\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>???? Full reference:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p>Van Oosterhout, C. et al. (2025). <em>Genome engineering in biodiversity conservation and restoration<\/em>. <em>Nature Reviews Biodiversity.<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s44358-025-00065-6\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s44358-025-00065-6<\/a><\/p>\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<p>Did <strong>you like the topic?<br\/><\/strong>Do you want to understand how technologies such as eDNA, genomics and gene editing can strengthen your organization&#8217;s environmental commitments?<br\/>???? <strong>Talk to our technical team.<\/strong> Bio Bureau is at the forefront of biodiversity-tech in Brazil.<\/p>\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How can we restore what has already been lost?This question, central to conservation biology, is beginning to receive a new answer: genomic engineering applied to biodiversity. A recent article published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity proposes incorporating gene editing into nature conservation strategies. According to the authors, led by researchers from the University of East Anglia [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5191"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5191"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5191\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5195,"href":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5191\/revisions\/5195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biobureau.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}