Why you are for or against genetic engineering 

Why you are for or against genetic engineering 

1. What is genetic engineering and how it happens

Genetic engineering is the use of rDNA (recombinant DNA) technology to alter an organism’s genetic make-up. It is when genetic material (DNA), from various biological species with different properties. Cut and put together-encoding different features- to be reintroduced into an organism to create new hereditable genetic material combinations (Oliver 1997). This begins by isolating cell DNA, cutting the DNA with sequence-specific restriction endonucleases, mixing the individually isolated DNA and using DNA ligase to join the DNA molecules. Finally, the DNA is reintroduced into cells where the cells carrying the newly joined DNA molecules are identified.

2. Describe what CRISPR/CAS9complex is and how it is used in genetics.

The CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/CAS9 complex is a tool for genome editing that enables researchers to target and modify any gene sequence with increased specificity and efficiency. It imitates how bacteria naturally identify and targets foreign DNA injected into the cells by viruses. The system uses CAS9, an RNA-guided nuclease, and gRNA, a guided RNA, to a target sequence, to achieve a sequence-specific cleavage of target loci through the genome (Konermann, 2015). The procedure comprises of two key molecules that spearhead mutation into the DNA; CAS- is an enzyme that behaves as molecular scissors to cut the two DNA strands at a specific genome location, therefore, enabling the addition or removal of DNA bits and a guided RNA- that comprises of a small pre-designed RNA sequence piece found in a more extended scaffold of RNA.

To ensure the CAS9 enzyme cuts the right genome part, the scaffold part joins to DNA as the pre-designed RNA sequence guides CAS9 to the right genome. CRISPR/CAS9 complex can be used in genome editing and engineering, gene correction for iPSC-specific disease, cell-based therapy, miRNA/gene knockdown, and synthetic biology.

3. Mention how and why CRISPR/CAS9 has made genetic engineering easier, cheaper, and more accessible.

Traditional means of causing mutation, such as the use of chemicals and radiation, was inefficient as there were no direct means of controlling the genome mutation’s location. This led to the development of various gene-editing technologies to increase the method of targeting such as ZENs (zinc-finger nuclei) and TALENs (transcription activator-like effector nucleus). Compared to ZENs and TALENs, CRISPR/CAS9 is more comfortable to implement. Both DNA strands can be cut, regular target sites and high target efficiency.

According to Robert Sanders, anyone can create tens of thousands of precisely guided probes covering the whole genome of an organism in the lab, with less than 100dollars (Sanders, 2019. This shows just how affordable the CRISPR/CAS9 tool is, therefore, accessible to a massive number of individuals. Also, Anne Sneed concurs as she identifies that it costs less than 100 dollars to knock out a gene and try other different genes (Sneed, 2017).

CRISPR offers the breaking of genes with 75% success as compared to a 25% success rate with traditional methods. Also, it provides the mutation of simultaneous genes at once, therefore, portraying the interaction of genes. Time is also minimized with CRISPR. For example, a study by Patel’s lab identifies that it took a year to knock out six Hox genes. Previously, years had been spent on trying to break specific Hox genes with no success.

Pros and cons of genetic engineering

Pros

Genetic engineering can be used useful in;

1. Helping fight diseases

Human beings are prone to a wide range of illnesses that are attributed to inherited genes from parents or as a result of genetic mutations by environmental mutagens. Through genetic engineering, conditions such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cystic fibrosis can be cured through the alteration of defective genes. For example, gene therapy has shown great promise in helping to target beta-thalassemia, which is an inherited blood disease where the bone marrow is unable to produce adequate red blood cells (“Advances in genetic modification could help us cure diseases and fight malnutrition”, 2019).

2. The potential increase of lifespans

By reducing the infections and disease incidences, genetic engineering possesses the potential of increasing the overall lifespan. Dealing with conditions that may have at one point been life-threatening is as a result of effective gene therapy and vaccines. For example, xenotransplantation, the transplanting of animal organs into humans, can help reduce the massive number of individuals awaiting organs (Dong, 2019).

3. Making disease-resistant plants

Biotechnology is a form of genetic engineering in plants that can be used in agriculture to improve the resistance of crops to a range of insects, diseases, herbicides and pesticides (Mofat, 2000). This guarantees the preservation of crop yields.

4. Improving food’s nutritional content

This is also facilitated through the use of biotechnology.

5. Increasing crop yields

More food is required for the increasing global population. To ensure certain areas can generate enough crops for everyone in the area, genetic engineering is employed to ensure food security.

Cons

Some of the drawbacks associated with the genetic engineering technology are;

1. It is ethically and morally doubtful

There is a lot of a grey area in the field of genetic engineering. Aside from going against numerous religions, genetic engineering also undercuts the basic evolution tenants, primarily, the survival for the fittest (Howles, 1996). There has been a lot of questions about the ability of man to “play God” by tampering with genes via genetic engineering.

2. It may interrupt the ecological balance

Each organism is part of a bigger ecosystem and does not exist in isolation. Therefore tampering with the genes of a body affects the whole web of life, thereby interrupting the entire ecological balance (Mathew, 2000).

3. No adequate government oversight
4. Increasing harmful chemicals used
5. Undermining of genetic diversity (“Pros and Cons | The Basics of Genetic Engineering”, 2019).

I support the implementation of genetic engineering as it helps human beings fight genetically inherited disease that reduce life span. “The company CRISPR Therapeutics is targeting beta-thalassemia, an inherited blood disease where the bone marrow does not produce enough healthy blood cells” (“Advances in genetic modification could help us cure diseases and fight malnutrition”, 2019). This shows that genetic engineering can be the next step to improving the health of human beings whereby previously fatal conditions can be treated, therefore, enhancing the lifespan of an individual.

Also, genetic engineering ensures the creation of resistant crops from insects, diseases, herbicides, and pesticides. For example, 1986 saw the production of a genetically engineered tobacco that was resistant to viruses and expressed a viral coat protein gene (Dong, 2019). This ensured an increased yield as the tobacco was able to withstand previously fatal infections. Through genetic engineering, the flaws of the crop were eliminated to create a superior product via mutation. Genetic engineering is also essential to ensure food security by improving the crop yields and improving the nutritional content and should, therefore, be researched further due to its high potential.

Conclusion

The introduction of the CRISPR/CAS9 technique has helped improve efficiency and accessibility to the genetic engineering technology and should, therefore, be embraced to facilitate a disease-free world. Although genetic engineering has shown remarkable ability, scientists have concluded that approaches in genome editing must be further optimized before the consideration of germline’s clinical applications. This is because the field is still in its early stages with a lot of grey areas, thereby facilitating the need for further research.

References

Dong, O. X., & Ronald, P. C. (2019). Genetic Engineering for Disease Resistance in Plants: Recent Progress and Future Perspectives. Plant physiology, 180(1), 26.

Advances in genetic modification could help us cure diseases and fight malnutrition. (2019). Retrieved 9 December 2019, from https://www.gisreportsonline.com/opinion-the-benefits-of-genetically-modified-organisms,politics,2534.html

Howles, C. M. (1996). Genetic engineering of human FSH (Gonal-F®). Human Reproduction Update, 2(2), 172-191.

Konermann, S., Brigham, M. D., Trevino, A. E., Joung, J., Abudayyeh, O. O., Barcena, C., … & Nureki, O. (2015). Genome-scale transcriptional activation by an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 complex. Nature, 517(7536), 583.

Mathews, J. H., & Campbell, M. M. (2000). The advantages and disadvantages of the application of genetic engineering to forest trees: a discussion. Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research, 73(4), 371-380.

Moffat, A. S. (2001). Finding new ways to fight plant diseases.

Oliver, S. G., & Ward, J. M. (1987). A dictionary of genetic engineering. Cambridge University Press.

Pros and Cons | The Basics of Genetic Engineering. (2019). Retrieved 9 December 2019, from https://sites.psu.edu/english202geneticengineering/pros-and-cons/

Sanders, R. (2019). Simple technology makes CRISPR gene editing cheaper. Retrieved 9 December 2019, from https://news.berkeley.edu/2015/07/23/simple-technology-makes-crispr-gene-editing-cheaper/

Sneed, A. (2017). Mail-order CRISPR kits allow absolutely anyone to hack DNA. Scientific American, 2.