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.