by Anika Agarwal
Intro
Wouldn’t a world without cancer, without AIDS, without Cystic Fibrosis, without COVID, be a better world? Well, CRIStechnology is making that happen. CRISPR, short for CRISPR-Cas 9, is essentially a developing technology through which scientists can edit genome sequences. This way, they can remove genetic defects or anomalies, treat genetic disorders, and even create better produce. There are many applications of CRISPR that make it such an amazing discovery and technological innovation; however, it does raise some ethical questions and concerns. In this article, the science behind CRISPR, its real-world implications, and the moral concerns involved will be investigated.
The Science Behind it All
There were previously ways medical scientists could edit genome sequences, but they would take weeks and be extremely expensive. However, CRISPR has made it much more cost-effective and time-efficient. Essentially, CRISPR allows for certain genes to not be expressed, deletes genes that are undesirable, or adds genes that are. CRISPR was first discovered in 1987 when scientists in Japan found sections of DNA in E.Coli bacteria that were unusual. As time went on, more scientists discovered this and called it Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats or CRISPR. Turns out, these unusual sections in the DNA were a cog in the bacteria’s immune system. What is so fascinating is that the bacteria would store fragments of virus DNA in the CRISPR space when they were killed, and when a threat or virus would invade the bacteria, special enzymes called Cas 9 would carry around these fragments. If the invading virus’ RNA matches that of the fragment, the Cas 9 enzyme will chop the virus into tiny pieces. A bit violent, isn’t it?
CRISPR scientists working on testing the method on a specific virus
Real-World Applications
Now, what does this mean in the context of genome editing? And how can this process cure previously incurable diseases? Although it hasn’t been tested in humans yet, the CRISPR system works relatively the same in the lab as it does in bacteria. Essentially, the Cas 9 enzyme cuts the DNA at the desired location using RNA fragments as the identifying mechanism. Then, the natural processes of the cell’s immune system repair the genome by adding or deleting the desired genome sequence, and voila, we have an edited genome.
This has so many implications for the real world. Cancer, a disease that was thought to be the most incurable disease, can now be addressed with this technology. So many other genetic disorders that people previously chose to just live with are now possible to get rid of. This technology can be used in the agriculture industry as well. The Cas 9 enzyme can edit the genomes of plants to make them more nutritious or increase diversity. In fact, many crops have already been edited, so you may have already eaten a CRISPR-altered tomato! Lastly, CRISPR can introduce new and improved antibiotics for viruses that just seem to keep coming back, like COVID-19.
Ethical Concerns
However, with all these amazing advancements come many ethical concerns. Currently, these technologies mostly affect somatic cells, meaning the modifications won’t be passed from generation to generation. However, if the changes do affect germline cells, or sperm and eggs, these genome-edited sequences can be passed on. This induces many ethical concerns, as it is debatable whether people should change their child’s DNA. Additionally, there are many safety concerns because CRISPR can sometimes misfire, in which another, more important genome can be affected. Lastly, if CRISPR does affect embryos, there is debate about whether the child should give consent to be altered.
Conclusion
In conclusion, CRISPR technology has many benefits that can save a lot of people’s lives. However, it is still a developing technology: many kinks need to be worked out, including addressing the ethical challenges, before it can be used to make the world a better place.
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