10 years ago,only a few would have thought that a device in our pockets would be good enough to access all the information of the world, would do social networking, calls, would calculate, act as a torch and what not.
We today are on a similar brink ofrevolution in genetic engineering, where the effects would be so magnificent that they would need to be measured on a Richter scale!
Enter CRISPR, which is an acronym for 'clustered regularly interspaced shortpalindromic repeats', a crispy new technology which promises to shrink the costs involved in genetic engineering by 90%, makes the procedure easier andshorter.
*What is it?
We have managed to hack an antibacteriophage mechanism in bacteria to our advantage.
Only a few bacteria survive bacteriophage invasion. To protect themselves from a further invasion, they store a part of the phage DNA into their archives.
When another attack does occur, an RNA copy of the archived phage DNA is presented to what is known as a CAS 9 protein.
CAS 9 compares the two copies, one from the foreign DNA and the other from the archives, and is very precise at that.
If it finds a 100% match, it cuts off thenew phage's DNA, thus rendering the attack a big embarrassment for the bacteriophage. :-p
*What can we do with it?
Oh, a lot of awesome things!
-Pissing off viruses
In 2015, scientists armed with CRISPR achieved a significant reduction of HIV load from patiens.
This year, in mice, they slashed off 51% HIV DNA from mice, just by a couple of shots in their tails!
*Making cancer re evaluate its careerchoice-
Malignant cell detection by the immune system can be enhanced.
*Designer babies-
A lot of desirable traits- super awesome eyesight, superman esque strength and so on, can be selected from a wide palette during embryogenesis.
*Bidding adieu to genetic diseases
*Making ourselves look hot at 120-
CRISPR holds the potential to slow and even reverse ageing! We can take a leaf off the books of certain aquatic species who already are doing that.
.. and a lot more.
*The last word
A few controversies sorround though.
- We don't know if any adverse
reactions may triggered, as our
knowledge is still just the tip of the
iceberg.
- Some powers like say dictators
might use it to gain precedence.
- The fear of genetic pollution.
Anyway, these are just hurdles which we need to plan and overcome for a glorious future for humanity!
Source- Kurzgesagt.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Crispy C.R.I.S.P.R.!
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