Far from an esoteric finding, the discovery pointed to a new method for editing DNA, one that might even make it possible to change human genes.
Ten years ago this week, Jennifer Doudna and her colleagues published the results of a test tube experiment on bacterial genes. When the study came out in the journal Science on June 28, 2012, it did not make headline news. In fact, over the next few weeks, it did not make any news at all.
In just a decade, CRISPR has become one of the most celebrated inventions in modern biology. It is swiftly changing how medical researchers study diseases: Cancer biologists are using the method to discover hidden vulnerabilities of tumor cells. Doctors are using CRISPR to edit genes that cause hereditary diseases.
Doudna recognized early on that CRISPR would pose a number of thorny ethical questions, and after a decade of its development, those questions are more urgent than ever. Scientists don’t know of anyone else who has followed He’s example — yet. But as CRISPR continues to improve, editing human embryos may eventually become a safe and effective treatment for a variety of diseases.
Making the cutDoudna and Charpentier did not invent their gene-editing method from scratch. They borrowed their molecular tools from bacteria. To test this revolutionary idea, they created a batch of identical pieces of DNA. They then crafted another batch of RNA molecules, programming all of them to home in on the same spot on the DNA. Finally, they mixed the DNA, the RNA and molecular scissors together in test tubes. They discovered that many of the DNA molecules had been cut at precisely the right spot.
Dow and his colleagues soon found that the method reliably snipped out pieces of DNA in human cancer cells.Cancer biologists began systematically altering every gene in cancer cells to see which ones mattered to the disease. Researchers at KSQ Therapeutics, also in Cambridge, used CRISPR to discover a gene that is essential for the growth of certain tumors, for example, and last year, they began a clinical trial of a drug that blocks the gene.
A number of scientists have invented new versions of CRISPR that overcome some of these shortcomings. At Harvard, for example, Liu and his colleagues have used CRISPR to make a nick in one of DNA’s two strands, rather than breaking them entirely. This process, known as base editing, lets them precisely change a single genetic letter of DNA with much less risk of genetic damage.
Rodolphe Barrangou, a CRISPR expert at North Carolina State University and a founder of Intellia Therapeutics, predicted that prime editing would eventually become a part of the standard CRISPR toolbox. But for now, he said, the technique was still too complex to become widely used. “It’s not quite ready for prime time, pun intended,” he said.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Did you recently graduate from UC San Diego or Imperial Valley College?We are working on a story about recent graduates of UC San Diego and Imperial Valley College and whether they remain in the area or move to another part of the state or country. If you are a recent graduate of either school and would be up for chatting with a reporter about your plans after graduation, please let us know!
Read more »
Roe v. Wade is Deeply Personal for UC Irvine Professor Who Survived RapeA UC Irvine law professor said she is devastated and deeply concerned after the recent Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe vs. Wade. “We see this as a nightmare that has come to fruition but one that is not surprising,” said professor Michele Goodwin.
Read more »
All The News That’s Fit: Cancer's link to wildfires, testicular tissue and forgetfulnessAll The News That's Fit: Cancer's link to wildfires, testicular tissue and forgetfulness
Read more »
Life-saving Pixel feature heading to other Android phones according to hidden codeHidden code indicates that non-Pixel Android phones will get a potentially life-saving car crash detector feature.
Read more »
Berkeley poised to suspend ties to Russian sister-cities amid Ukraine invasionMayor Jesse Arreguín proposed the sister-city suspension after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directly implored mayors across the country to sever their relations earlier this month.
Read more »