system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
I've heard about efforts to eliminate mosquitoes by genetically modifying them to be sterile. How would the gene spread if the individuals with this gene couldn't have any offspring?
gpt
I’m not sure if this is exactly what you are referring to, but there is a method used called Sterile Insect Technique where large numbers of insects (usually male) are irradiated in order to sterilize them, then they are released in the wild. Females who mate with the sterile males will produce no offspring, thereby reducing the number of insects. You are right that the sterile insects won’t become established in the population, so the process has to be repeated to obtain the desired effect (either population suppression or eradication).