By: Frances Kueper and Devika Rao
Although the word miracle is used sparingly in science, CRISPR technology has recently been awarded this title. In short, CRISPR is a gene-editing technology derived from a bacterial genome. When used in conjunction with Cas9, a gene-cutting enzyme, CRISPR’s capacity to transform DNA is endless, ranging from combating genetic diseases in animals to precisely mutating crop species for improved nutrition.
What is CRISPR and how does it work?
CRISPR, pronounced “crisper”, is shorthand for CRISPR for CRISPR-Cas9—the combination of specialized stretches of repeating DNA and the Cas9 (CRISPR-associated) protein, an enzyme that acts as a pair of molecular scissors. CRISPR-Cas9 identifies and splices out a target sequence of DNA; in its place, a new, synthetic strand is often inserted. Because CRISPR can target specific gene sequences, it is especially useful in replacing harmful genes that are associated with monoallelic diseases: that is, diseases caused by just one flaw in a single gene. Surprisingly, this includes a wide variety of illnesses, including HIV and Huntington’s disease.
Current applications of CRISPR technology:
Food and agricultural industries are currently utilizing CRISPR technology to vaccinate industrial cultures against viruses and create probiotic cultures. CRISPR is also utilized in agriculture to boost production, improve drought resistance, as well as improve nutritional properties.
Gene drives are self-propagating mechanisms that allow desired genetic variants to spread more quickly compared to the usual Mendelian inheritance. Because of CRISPR, the alleles can now continue to spread even if they provide undesirable features for an organism (for example, sterility). Gene drives can also be used for removing invasive species or reversing pesticide and herbicide resistance in crops.
Cell and Gene Therapies utilize CRISPR technology to cure a wide variety of genetic diseases—these diseases include blood disorders, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases, just to name a few. The first trial for the cell therapy was utilized for sickle cell disease back in 2019, and the specific treatment was able to restore fetal hemoglobin, eliminating the need for a functional copy of adult hemoglobin. However, many ethical issues surround CRISPR for use in humans.
Bioenergy is an emerging alternative to fossil fuels. This form of energy can be produced through algae and bacteria, however, producing large quantities of bioenergy is a big challenge. That is when CRISPR technology steps in. Now, it is possible to produce twice the amount of algae, giving rise to the production of bioenergy as well.
Unusual uses of CRISPR technology
Decaffeinated coffee beans have been created by a Biotech company in the UK called Tropic Biosciences. Through the use of CRISPR technology, they have been able to turn off the genes that produce caffeine in coffee beans. There may be many benefits from this, including nutrition, lowered cost of decaffeinated coffee, as well as an overall positive impact on the flavor of the coffee.
Spicy tomatoes are currently in the process of being made by scientists from Ireland and Brazil who are utilizing CRISPR technology to turn on the nascent spicy genes within the tomatoes. Peppers produce molecules known as capsaicinoids: these molecules are what give spice to the peppers. Peppers are the only plants that can naturally produce capsaicinoids. However, recently, scientists have found an alternative. Peppers and tomatoes come from similar roots, hence, many scientists have started to attempt to turn tomatoes into tiny machines that produce capsaicinoids. Of course, this would not be possible without CRISPR technology.
Gluten-free foods are now being made by researchers at Wageningen University in The Netherlands. Modifying gluten would allow people who are battling Celiac disease to eat gluten without any significant symptoms. In order to modify the gluten, the Dutch research group is utilizing CRISPR gene editing. The researchers’ main focus is to remove the specific elements and parts of the antigens in gluten that the immune system reacts to.
The ethics of using CRISPR:
As mentioned earlier, there are many ethical issues surrounding the use of CRISPR in humans, even though CRISPR is widely accepted to be used in editing plant genomes. For example, failure to successfully complete gene therapy in humans can lead to chronic issues or even be fatal. An extremely controversial case of the use of CRISPR-Cas9 to grant HIV immunity to two twin girls in 2018 can be found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6724388/
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Vidyasagar, A. (2021, October 21). What is CRISPR? LiveScience. Retrieved February 12, 2022, from https://www.livescience.com/58790-crispr-explained.html
Moore, W. (n.d.). What is CRISPR? what conditions does it treat? WebMD. Retrieved February 12, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/cancer/guide/crispr-facts-overview
Raposo, V. L. (2019, August 22). The first Chinese edited babies: A leap of faith in science. JBRA assisted reproduction. Retrieved February 12, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6724388/
Locker, Melissa. (2019, January 8). Whoa, Scientists Want to Use CRISPR to Make One Spicy Tomato! Fast Company, Fast Company. Retrieved February 12, 2022, from https://www.fastcompany.com/90289713/scientists-want-to-use-crispr-to-make-one-spicy-tomato
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