DNA was first discovered in the 1860s. As humanity’s understanding of how genes work grew, so did their curiosity about altering it. For quite some time, the ability to manipulate DNA for various purposes was little more than science fiction. In the late 1980s, though, it became a reality with the introduction of CRISPR. By 2016, actual human trials using CRISPR technology were underway. Then, just two years later, scientist, He Jiankui made waves with the announcement that twin girls with CRISPR-edited genes had been born.
This use of gene-editing technology sparked quite a bit of controversy despite its undeniable ingenuity. Though He Jiankui and his team faced serious repercussions for their experiment, they paved the way for entirely new branches of science and medicine. New technologies and CRISPR alternatives are emerging, and they’re bringing a great deal of hope to people who are living with illnesses and medical conditions that were incurable or largely untreatable until now.
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Base Editing
One of the latest developments in genetic engineering is base editing. This technology allows scientists to alter a single DNA base pair without cutting the double helix. With CRISPR, that wasn’t possible. Base editing is more precise than original CRISPR techniques, and it reduces the risks of unwanted insertions or deletions that can cause problems later on. At this point, base editing can correct more than half of the genetic variants that are associated with certain diseases.
Prime Editing
Prime editing entails using a Cas9 nickase, a reverse transcriptase enzyme, and a guide RNA to create genetic alterations. It’s a more versatile solution than base editing, and it can be used for both inserting new DNA sequences and eliminating existing ones. This process can be used to perform all possible base-to-base changes. Prime editing can make more significant DNA changes than CRISPR, and it gives scientists more precision. It also reduces the likelihood of unwanted mutations. It’s being used to treat a variety of conditions, including certain neurodegenerative disorders, cystic fibrosis, and DMD.
Retron Library Recombineering
Retron library recombineering was unveiled in 2021. It uses retron elements, a reverse transcriptase, a recombinase, and a guide RNA to create genetically modified single-stranded DNA and incorporate it back into a genome. Like the other methods mentioned here, it eliminates the need to make double-strand breaks in gene editing. It’s a precise process that leads to fewer unwanted changes, and it allows for more complex gene editing than other technologies. It’s also a more efficient process because it allows scientists to make multiple changes simultaneously.
That being said, it’s designed for editing bacterial cells, so it has certain limitations. Still, it has numerous benefits and applications. It’s being touted for its research purposes. Additionally, it can be used to create genetic changes in bacteria that make them less contagious or less resistant to antibiotics among other possibilities. Since bacteria reproduce via binary fission, each new cell is identical to its parent cell. As such, changes made to the parent cell are automatically passed down through future generations.
Taking Medicine Into the Future
Not very long ago, genome editing seemed highly unlikely if not altogether impossible. Today, it’s a reality. Several new technologies have emerged in this field, and it’s still in its early stages. There’s virtually no limit to what the future might hold for genetic modification. Though it’s still a controversial matter, there’s little denying that it has the potential to make a major positive difference in countless people’s lives both directly and indirectly.
