What are we if not evolving humans, who are always hungering for development, for finding ways of surviving, for innovating everything around us? Or even innovating ourselves!
Gene editing is a new technology which has become very popular. It’s still at the beginning and deals with ethics, fears and uncertainties, but it makes it more exciting as studies have shown positive results.
CRISPR is a type of gene editing which uses parts of bacteria to cut molecules from the DNA. Scientists can use it to alter DNA segments or to disable genes so that they can correct mutations at molecular levels. For example, a study was conducted on a human embryo, scientists having removed a genetic mutation.
Gene editing will redesign the world that we know. It can be used in agriculture, medicine or zoology. There are until now ten ways in which CRISPS has been used.
- FDA has approved a new type of salmon which has been genetically modified to taste like Chinook salmon.
- Mosquitoes have been bred to be resistant to a parasite which caused malaria.
- Treating cancer in human trials in order to suppress the growth of tumors.
- Experiments on pigs have treated different issues: the endogenous retrovirus or they even changed pigs so that the produce a low phosphorus manure.
- Experiments have been conducted on ways of substituting insulin for diabetes.
- In China goats have been modified in order to have more muscle and more wool.
- Researchers developed a way to make grapes resist mildew.
- Altered ants by removing the smell sense and found out they became less productive in working out together.
- Studies on mice have been conducted in order to find a way of removing the HIV virus.
- CRISPR was used in breeding cows with no horns so that they will no longer need to be dehorned in the future.
