Daniel Garay
Last Wednesday two women won the nobel prize in Chemist. They discovered a molecular system called CRISPR/Cas9 which essentially is a natural process in some bacteria to be protected from some virus. Why is this molecular system so important? because it allows to cut a specific part of any DNA and replaces it for another one in a highly accurate way. This work used to be hard even impossible, it used to take a lot of and time, it was expensive and very imprecise. How does it work? To summarize, Dr Emmanuelle noticed in some bacteria that some of them were able to survive to certain virus by a peculiar mechanism. She discovered this mechanism in which, part of the viral DNA was copied in the bacterial DNA. The molecule Cas9 looks for specific viral DNA sequences, cut them and copy them in the molecule CRISPR. With the help of Dr. Jennifer Doudna, they developed this natural process in a lab and now it's the most powerful tool to modify genes. This genetic tool has been used since its publication in 2012 in all over the world. Some of it uses are for example, the development of stronger and upgraded vegetales and fruits, there are researchings to cure different diseases such as HIV, cancer, diabetes, inherited diseases, etc And some potential uses in a near future are the design of babies with upgraded skills or even to stop the anging. Of course, there are some ethical issues and it still needs regulation, for example for the use in human embryo. Actually, in 2018 there was a genetic modifitication in an embryo to cure HIV, the scientiest cut a DNA sequence that allows the virus gets into the human cell. Unfortanely we don't know well what happened with them. It is said that they are healthy. This case was controversial because we still don't know other future consequences of this change in their DNA. *Please correct me. I will accept any advice or changes I need to do in my writing. I will appreciate it. Thanks.
Oct 15, 2020 7:16 PM
Corrections · 2
Last Wednesday two women won the Nobel prize in Chemist. They discovered a molecular system called CRISPR/Cas9 which essentially is a natural process in some bacteria which protects them from some viruses. Why is this molecular system so important? Because, it allows the cutting of a specific part of any DNA and replacing it for another one in a highly accurate way. This work used to be difficult, even impossible, it used to take a lot of and time, it was expensive and very imprecise. How does it work? To summarize, Dr Emmanuelle noticed in some bacteria that some of them were able to survive certain viruses by using a peculiar mechanism. She discovered this mechanism in which, part of the viral DNA was copied in the bacterial DNA. The molecule Cas9 looks for specific viral DNA sequences, cuts them and copies them in the molecule CRISPR. With the help of Dr. Jennifer Doudna, they developed this natural process in a lab and now it's the most powerful tool to modify genes. This genetic tool has been used ever since its publication in 2012 all over the world. Some of it uses are for example, the development of stronger and upgraded vegetales and fruits. Scientists are researching cures to different diseases such as HIV, cancer, diabetes, inherited diseases, etc and some potential uses in a near future are the design of babies with upgraded skills or even to stop them anging. Of course, there are some ethical issues and it still needs regulation, for example for the use in human embryo. Actually, in 2018 there was a genetic modifitication in an embryo to cure HIV, the scientiest cut a DNA sequence that allows the virus gets into the human cell. Unfortanely we don't know much about what happened to them. It is said that they are healthy. This case was controversial because we still don't know other future consequences of this change in their DNA. *Please correct me. I will accept any advice or changes I need to do in my writing. I will appreciate it. Thanks.
October 15, 2020
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