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The use of the marker gene and the self-limiting gene in the diamondback moth stands to benefit farmers and produce consumers worldwide.

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Oxitec's self-limiting gene works by using the moth's own biology against it. When the males with the gene are released into the wild, the gene is passed on to their offspring and the gene prevents growth essential proteins from being created eventually causing the moth to die.

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1.  No longer causing billions of dollars globally in annual crop damage.
2. Gets rid of an invasive species without the use of pesticides.

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In the areas where Diamondback Moths are found, there will be significant crop damage to brassica plants such as cabbage, kale, and broccoli.

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1.  They can be controlled to some extent by interplanting weeds with crops.
2.  They have become a food source for some insects in areas they are invasive to such as the Lacewing.

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Why was the Diamondback Moth genetically altered?

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Why was the Diamondback Moth genetically altered?

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After causing $4-5 billion in global damage to brassica crops and becoming resistant to many insecticides, the best solution to get rid of the invasive Diamondback Moths was to alter their genes.

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Thought to be native to Europe but having now made its way to the Americas, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Australia, the Diamondback Moth has become an incredibly invasive species.

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How was the Diamondback Moth genetically altered?

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How was the Diamondback Moth genetically altered?

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Starting in 2016 as a combined effort between Oxitec and Cornell University, Oxitec implemented a self-limiting gene in Diamondback Moth males which stops the offspring of the males from living into adulthood.

The moths are also being tracked by Oxitec and Cornell researchers in Geneva, New York by using a marker gene created with the fluorescent protein DsRed2.

As of late January of this year, the first genetically modified moths were released in New York state.

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A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism that has genetic material that was altered using gene engineering techniques.