Communicating Chemistry 2017W1 Section 110

Researchers at Jennifer Doudna’s lab in the University of California have potentially found the cure to all forms of diseases. With the help of CRISPR and gene editing, which was only part of a dream a few decades ago has now become a reality. Research on Escherichia coli bacteria back in the 1980’s has allowed scientists to finally pin down the Cas 9 protein which enables the bacteria to survive virus attacks. When a virus attacks a bacterium, it inserts its RNA into the organism which leads to the virus using the bacteria as a factory and it eventually hijacks the entire cell. However, with E -coli and its Cas 9 protein, the RNA is recognized by the bacteria and allows it to destroy it. When a virus inserts a copy of RNA that is not recognizable by the bacteria, the Cas 9 protein is able to read the RNA and insert it into its memory where it will know which virus is attacking it.

Further research has allowed scientists to isolate this protein and use it for gene editing by using the protein to recognize faulty DNA nucleotides in the human genome. The Cas 9 protein needs to be able to bind specifically and reversible therefore the interaction is via non covalent bonds.With billions of nucleotides present in an organism this protein is highly accurate and can destroy genetic mutations such as metabolic liver disease, congenital blindness, blood disorders, Huntington’s disease and cystic fibrosis. As Jennifer Doudna has stated “We may be nearing the beginning of the end of genetic diseases”. Moreover, there is more than just curing genetic diseases, you can also go a step further and add desirable traits. Since CRISPR is very efficient in detecting the exact nucleotide sequence, you can replace it with the desired characteristics. You want a blond hair, just replace the DNA strand which codes for blond hair color, you want bigger muscles, just replace the nucleotides, you want to be taller just replace the nucleotides – you get the idea. You can be the most powerful person living with this technology – if yet reached.

The insertion of nucleotides in a genome with the help of Cas 9 protein                                                         (Attribution: ViktoriaAnselm – Own work)                                                                           (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/CRISPR-Cas9_mode_of_action.png )

Replace a strand – get super powers ?                                  Attribution: IMGUR (http://i.imgur.com/LTDKlbm.gif)

Researchers are still investigating the full potential of the CRISPR technology and it can lead to artificially selecting humans on birth if used at an early stage. The idea of pre-selecting humans might sound uncomfortable to a few but humans have been artificially selecting for decades from plants to humans. We currently only crop the best type of plant in order to achieve the most desirable traits. In humans , genetic disorders such as down syndrome are undesirable. 88% of people in Europe would undergo an abortion if they found out that their fetus has down syndrome. CRISPR might just amplify the amount of selecting we do, and we have to ask when is enough? I believe that CRISPR is an amazing technology in curing various genetic diseases but using it to select certain traits seems excessive. There are somethings that nature does not want changed. As research continues it is important to keep human rights in our thoughts and as Newton would say “What we know is a drop, what we don’t know is an ocean”. The ocean may be filled with gold or horror.

Garvit Bhatt