[ad_1]
Once the realm of science fiction, DIY with precision genes is now possible thanks to a technique called CRISPR-Cas9. The precision with which genes can be cut and replaced has been adopted by scientists around the world. The possibilities are potentially limitless: from stopping hereditary diseases to resuscitating extinct species.
But this is not necessarily a good thing.
<! –
->
After Chinese researcher He Jiankui of Shenzhen on Sunday released a video announcing the birth of binoculars, Lulu and Nana, whose DNA had been modified to prevent possible HIV infection, Chinese scientists issued a joint statement in which they called this movement "madness". urging the authorities to close the "Pandora's box".
Their fears are not without reason. The editing of human genes is controversial, as most countries prohibit gene editing in embryos, as this could alter other genes and be pbaded on to future generations, with unanticipated effects. China, unlike other countries that have escaped human trials, has continued its research. The country, which is trying to create the world's largest DNA database, has also been the first to inject modified cells to a patient with aggressive lung cancer.
What is the edition of the genome?
Almost all cells of a living being consist of DNA, a molecule pbaded down from generation to generation by reproduction. DNA is the foundation of life. The genome is the complete sequence of DNA and includes the genes: DNA sequences involved in the production of proteins necessary for the realization of different biological functions.
In other words, the genome of different organisms has a set of instructions and messages encoded in its DNA sequence. By modifying the genome, it is possible to modify these sequences and, consequently, to modify these messages. By inserting a cut or a cut in the DNA, it is possible to deceive the natural mechanisms of repair of the DNA of the cell so that they come into play and introduce the desired changes.
The CRISPR-Cas9 technique creates the way to do it.
Definition of CRISPR-Cas9
Simple and powerful, CRISPR-Cas9 or CRISPR (regularly spaced short palindromic repeats clusters) is a technology that allows researchers to easily modify these DNA sequences . Like a pair of molecular scissors, Case9 protein can cut targeted strands of DNA.
This technology has been adapted from the natural defense mechanisms of bacteria that use Cas proteins, including Cas9, to counteract viral attacks by cutting and destroying DNA strands. foreign bodies. This is only in 2017, when a team of researchers led by Mikihiro Shibata of Kanazawa University and Hiroshi Nishimasu of the University of Tokyo, published an article in the journal Natural Communications that people saw what that process was like.
[19659004] What are the benefits?
The technology has already been used in agricultural industries to create probiotic cultures and also to vaccinate crops, including yogurt from viruses. Research is also underway to improve agricultural yield, protecting it from drought and enriching nutritional content.
However, the potential is literally infinite
For example, the elimination of genes could lead to the eradication of diseases such as heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. Hereditary diseases such as Huntington's could simply be removed from the gene pool. In theory, baby designers could be "created" to have specific traits, ranging from eye color to musculature.
Technology is not limited to humans and could be applied to animals. So, for example, species such as the Tasmanian devil threatened by an infectious disease could be protected, while extinct species could theoretically be brought back to life?
What are the concerns?
Putting aside the fact that science and our understanding of possible mutations and its long-term impact on a gene pool are still nascent, the ethical and ethical concerns of gene editing are innumerable.
Let's take the example of creating "designer babies". Although the claims of Chinese researcher He Jiankui remain unverified, most agree that it is theoretically possible to modify genes to inject certain traits into babies. But researchers argue that it's impossible to know what effect of training could have a change on a given gene. Such a change could be inherited and will not be isolated from a person, from a community or even from a country.
In addition, such technology could lead to a dystopian situation of parents – with the financial means to do so – attempting to give their children the "best possible start" in life, by adapting genes to change the lives of children. Appearance, intelligence and physicality. Existing gaps in society due to inequality in terms of wealth could potentially be cemented by genes.
Even something as noble as "curing a disease" has moral implications. What conditions should be treated? And if someone does not want to be cured? These concerns are not without precedent. Adolf Hitler's vision of Nazi eugenics had the famous goal of preserving the purity of the Aryan race by removing from society those considered to have an "inherited disease".
The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine identified some key issues: "the risks of inaccurate editing", "the difficulty of predicting the adverse effects that genetic modifications may have "," consequences for the individual and future generations "," the fact that once introduced into the human population, genetic modifications would be difficult to eliminate and would not remain in any community or in any country "the possibility of 39 "increase social inequality" or its use for coercive purposes and "moral and ethical considerations necessary to deliberately alter human evolution".
[ad_2]
Source link
