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CRISPR gene editing is no longer confined to Earth. Astronaut Christina Koch and scientists have successfully demonstrated CRISPR-Cas9 in space for the first time, using it as part of a new technique to damage DNA and study how it repairs itself in microgravity. According to the researchers, “technical and safety issues” had prevented earlier studies like this one.
The experiment produced a particularly damaging double-stranded DNA break in a yeast cell culture aboard the International Space Station. Koch completed the test long before that (most of the supplies reached the ISS in May 2019), but the results were only available last week.
The new approach paves the way for further research into DNA repair in space. With enough work, scientists hope they can replicate the genetic damage caused by ionizing radiation, not to mention the other effects of long-term spaceflight. This, in turn, could help NASA and other agencies develop technology that protects astronauts and makes deep space exploration convenient. CRISPR may play an important role in bringing humans to Mars and beyond.
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