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Whether you previously heard about CRISPR-Cas9 or you’re brand new to the concept, this revolutionary new method of gene editing will blow you away. CRISPR-Cas9 is paving new roads in the science and medical fields, proving that it has major potential to radically change modern society.
Although the technology has been around for about a decade, recent years have brought more and more breakthroughs, and here are some of the highlights.
CRISPR-Cas9 is a customizable tool that lets scientists cut and insert small pieces of DNA at precise areas along a DNA strand. This lets scientists study our genes in a specific, targeted way.
Genetic Engineering
Perhaps the most prevalent buzzword surrounding CRISPR-Cas9 is genetic engineering, but the actual meaning and application of that could mean different things. One of the ways in which this technology is making waves is by allowing scientists to specifically edit sequences in an organism’s DNA. A good example illustrating this is a Crispr Cas9-GFP lentiviral vector, in which a Cas9 nuclease is fused with a GFP cDNA.
The implications of this technology are astounding and include the ability to completely delete a certain gene cell or take away parts of it. There is also the ability to create a mutation inside a specific gene by altering base pairs within the DNA. These breakthroughs in genetic engineering open many other doors, which we will explore below.
Disease Eradication
Another way that scientists are using CRISPR-Cas9 is to cure animals of the HIV virus. Researchers worked with three animal models, including mice with transplanted human immune cells.
Then, they focused on HIV-1 cells. By deactivating HIV-1 in the animal test subjects, scientists were able to shrink the tumors and prevent the disease from spreading. Essentially, they decreased the RNA expression of the viral HIV-1 gene by 60 to 95%.
CRISPR-Cas9 also shows promise in slowing down the growth of cancer cells. Using CRISPR’s gene-editing technology, researchers created a gene that could better fight against liver and prostate cancer cells.
Working with mice, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania targeted mutations that stemmed from two distinct genes coming together to form a cancer-causing gene. Through previous experiments, the scientists were able to recognize the fusion gene MAN2A1-FER, which leads to liver and prostate cancer.
Using the genetic editing of CRISPR-Cas9, the scientists were able to replace the fusion gene with known cancer-fighting genes instead.
Editing Human Embryos
In a practice that tows the line between science and ethics, researchers have been looking at how CRISPR-Cas9 can help them with editing human embryos.
Research out of the Oregon Health and Science University used the genetic engineering possibilities of CRISPR-Cas9 to repair a gene in a human embryo that is known to lead to heart failure. By using CRISPR-Cas9’s “molecular scissors,” scientists were able to cut into the mutated MYBPC3 gene. Since most CRISPR-Cas9 experiments have been done on animal test subjects, this human embryo study shows just how precise this kind of gene editing can be.
In the future, CRISPR-Cas9 could even help scientists create new organisms. One study used E. coli bacteria to create a semi-synthetic organism. E. coli bacteria itself has the innate ability to retain genetic information related to viruses, so scientists bred the bacteria with anomalous mixed letter genetic code, rather than the typical four-letter genetic code, to create semi-synthetic organisms.
In the past, researchers have been able to create yellow mosquitoes and smaller versions of pigs through this kind of CRISPR-Cas9 technology. When it comes to using this science for humans, studies have shown that it’s possible to alter or eliminate the genes responsible for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Another common area of study is finding a way to combat Huntington’s disease and sickle cell disease.
As time goes on, we are sure to see more breakthroughs in CRISPR-Cas9 technology, both for the benefit of animals and humans. That being said, one of the threats to CRISPR-Cas9 includes questions that arise about ethical boundaries.
Photo Credits
CRISPR Cas9 – Ernesto del Aguila III, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH – public domain on flickr
E. coli bacteria – wikipedia creative commons
Guest Author Bio
Mian Azhar
I began writing on my personal blog and then discovered my true calling, which is writing about technology, News & business. I have been a technical writer, author and blogger since 2010. I’m an industry watcher that stays on top of the latest innovations and I am extremely passionate about juicy news and general blogs.
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