Genome Editing
- Teen Medical Research Club
- Feb 13, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 16, 2021
Genome editing is the process of making small changes in an organism’s DNA for desired traits in the makeup. The complex process takes place when a biotechnologist uses certain technology to edit the DNA sequence by rewriting it to produce GMOs. The DNA is cut at a certain point where new DNA can be inserted, or replaced in the sequence to customize genetic makeup.
This is performed by enzymes engineered to target a specific spot to cut the initial strands to remove and alter existing DNA. The first development in gene editing was introduced in the 1900s, the most recent being CRISPR, which stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, developed in 2009. In 2015, gene-editing tool CRISPR Cas-9 was used to modify human embryos. Scientists can use genome editing for a multitude of reasons, including investing possible solutions to human diseases by editing the genetic sequence of animals with the same genes. This could provide insight into the research regarding cures for certain diseases by observing changes in the animal’s health. Gene editing is happening all around the globe, and many scientists are looking into the growth of gene therapy by using gene editing.
As of today, there are two types of gene therapy; germline and somatic. Germline modifications are created so the changes are heritable, alterations are performed on embryos or egg cells. Somatic gene therapies involve targeting specific cells in the body, therefore changes are not heritable. One of the largest advancements made involving the usage of somatic cell therapy was made in 2015 in the UK. An Eleven-month old girl named Layla was given somatic gene therapy for Leukemia and was successfully cured with no signs of the cancer returning several months later. Gene Editing is being practiced in the United States on animals and plants to improve welfare, productivity, and waste reduction. Gene editing was used to prevent Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, an infection in pigs, which can easily spread throughout an entire population of pigs if a single pig is a carrier. Certain technologies were used to create pigs that were resistant to the infection. It was also used to target a specific gene in cattle which causes them to have horns, to produce cows that don’t have any horns, making them harmless to humans.
There are several technical barriers involving genome editing and CRISPR regarding the precision of the cuts being made in the DNA as well as the placement. Scientists are concerned about the errors in the process and effects they may induce on Humans. The damage to improper exposure is still unclear. There are also numerous ethical concerns regarding the development of gene editing. Concerns include the possibility that people will use genetic editing for factors such as altered height, weight or athletic ability and whether that is fair or not, the fact that the wealthy have greater access to gene therapy and whether it is ethical or not to make permanent hereditary changed in DNA
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