All You Need to Know About Gene Editing

Imagine watching dinosaurs come out of the big screen and into reality. Or designing a baby much like a video game character, adding the feature you want like height, strength, and eye colour. And eliminating things like genetic disorders and diseases. These don’t have to be confined to the realms of science fiction with the current rate of advancement in gene editing technology, this is the future we are heading to. But what is gene editing? How is it done? And what are the ethical implications of this technology? This blog aims to explore and answer all these questions.

What is Gene Editing?

Gene editing is a revolutionary new technology that allows scientists to make precise changes to an organism’s genome. It is a process that involves altering the genetic code of living organisms, such as,

• Microorganisms 
• Plants
• Animals
• Humans 

This technology can cure genetic diseases, create new medications, and even alter the human genome. 

The first genome editing technologies were developed In the late 1900s. CRISPR, a genome editing tool, was created in 2009. CRISPR makes gene editing easier, quicker, less expensive, and more precise when compared to earlier techniques.

How Does Gene Editing Work? 

There are several gene editing techniques out there, such as,

• Homologous recombination
• ZFN (Zinc-Finger Nucleases)
• TALENs (Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases )
• CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)

Each one of these techniques has its advantages and disadvantages. However, CRISPR is the most effective, accurate and widely used gene editing technology.

CRISPR uses a protein found inside cells called the Cas9 protein. Bacteria commonly use this protein to prevent virus infections. The protein works by detecting the presence of virus DNA moving towards it, attaching itself to the virus DNA, and cutting it in half.

Researchers found that, by making small changes to the Cas9 protein itself, it can be designed to target and cut any gene sequence in the DNA as required.

1 - The DNA strand 

2 - The DNA base pair that needs to be edited

3 - The CAS9 protein targets the particular base pair

4 - The CAS9 protein cut the base pair out of the DNA 

5 - The CAS9 protein replaces the base pair with a different base pair

6 - The DNA strand is now edited 

Applications of Gene Editing 

Turning Pigs into Organ Donors

For many years, researchers have considered using animals to be donors of certain organs to support the present organ transplant shortage. Currently, more than 114,000 individuals are awaiting transplants. 

There are two major challenges involved in organ transplantation.

 

• Immune Response 

The immune system of the human body rejects foreign tissue.

• Infections 

Human recipients may develop infections from animal donors.

To solve these challenges, various pig organs, such as the heart and lungs, are approximately the same size as human organs. CRISPR removes groups of viruses in pig DNA that might be transferred to recipients during organ transplants. It does this by using Cas9 protein to target a certain type of carbohydrate-protein called α-gal (Galactose α-1,3-galactose), which causes organ rejection and infections in humans. 

Decaf Coffee Beans

A company in the UK has created a gene-edited variety of naturally decaffeinated coffee beans. CRISPR is used to cut and remove the DNA portion responsible for creating caffeine. This variety has a positive impact on 

• Flavour
• Nutrition 
• Cost of coffee

Ethical Considerations

The ethical considerations of emerging medical technologies are complex and far-reaching. Healthcare professionals must consider the ethical implications of how these technologies are used.

• Gene editing can alter the human genome, creating ethical dilemmas around the implications of such changes. 
• Healthcare professionals must consider the potential for misuse of the technology, such as using it to create designer babies or to manipulate behaviour. 
• A designer baby is a child whose genetic makeup has been chosen or altered to eliminate a specific gene or genes linked to illness and born with enhanced physical and mental capabilities. 
• Arguments over unequal gender selection and gamete selection also have to be considered. 
• Safety is the primary concern due to the possibility of edits in the wrong place or some cells carrying the edits that others do not.
• Gene editing could create organisms resistant to diseases, but this could have unintended consequences, such as creating superbugs that are immune to antibiotics.
• The unintended sequence could lead to the exploitation of animals and the potential for the edited genes to be passed on to future generations.
• There are concerns related to the potential for gene editing to be used for malicious purposes, such as creating bioweapons or genetically modified organisms that could be used to cause harm. 
• Another concern is the potential for gene editing for non-medical purposes, such as creating designer pets or livestock with enhanced traits. 

Conclusion

Gene editing is an emerging technology that can potentially revolutionise our world. From creating drought-resistant crops to transplanting a pig's heart into a human, we have barely scratched the surface of this new technology. As such, it is important to tread carefully and consider its ethical implications.

Check out the Skill-Lync website for a wider knowledge about similar topics and contents. We provide courses, internships, and PG programs in Bioengineering & Medical Device Technology and Medical Technology in all the major domains exclusively for engineering graduates. Talk with our experts to book a free demo session!