Genetic Modification Is Not A New Process Essay

Genetically modified microorganisms are microorganisms/organisms which have been genetically altered meaning that their genetic materials have been modified. This modification is achieved through a technological method, genetic engineering. Genetic engineering also known as recombinant DNA technology/genetic modification is a science that employs molecular biology techniques so as to modify or alter the genome of an organism. It involves manipulation of an organism’s genome directly by use of biotechnology. Typically, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is an exogenous genetic material, is inserted in the host genome. This is done by isolating and copying the genetic material in question using a method known as molecular cloning so as to generate a DNA sequence. That is, the gene that will be inserted into the organism to be modified is first selected/chosen and then isolated. This can be done using restriction enzymes so as to slice DNA into fragments and gel electrophoresis. This separates them as per their length. Artificial synthesis may be applied in a case whereby the DNA sequence is known, but there are no available copies of the gene. For the gene that is to be inserted into the GMO to work properly, it must be combined with other genetic elements. Modification of the gene can also be done at this point to enhance effectiveness. The resulting microorganism through genetic engineering is a genetically modified

During January of 2013, scientists based at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard were able to demonstrate fixed change in human and animal cells using CRISPR-Cas9. This marked a turning point in genetic advancement—though CRISPR was far from mastered, its potential was beginning to show.

CRISPR has been garnishing a lot of media attention recently and it is not just popular among the scientific community but also the general public. Several online news outlets and scientific journals have been talking about the significance CRISPR-Cas could have for the field of genetics and science as a whole. I even came across a Youtube video from The Verge, a tech channel that normally does reviews on new smartphones and laptops talking about CRISPR [15]. So why is CRISPR gaining so much attention both from the scientific community and the general public? The answer lies in the potential this technology possesses.

The science of eugenics was widely used during the 20th century in the United States to strategically eliminate the reproductive rights of women who were deemed inferior on the social ladder (“What is Eugenics?”). Some women of color, women with disabilities, and women from lower financial classes were sterilized for permanent birth control, and sometimes without their consent or knowledge (“What is Eugenics?”). The eugenics movement was aimed to promote selective human features in order to increase those with intelligence, good health, physical characteristics, and class. Currently, the recent controversy of human genetic engineering has scientist concerned that it will become the new eugenics. Sterilizing women as a precaution to prevent the overpopulation of unfavorable offspring would go against Jonathan Swift’s equal treatment of all humans, Benjamin Franklin’s hopes for human ethics in science, and be a direct violation to the natural born rights of all humans. Also, the controversial practice of human genetic modification to restrict reproduction rights only to people of desirable traits is unethical because it promotes racial cleansing.

CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat, referring to the repeating DNA sequences found in the genomes of microorganisms. CRISPR technology allows scientists to make precise changes in genes by splicing and replacing these DNA sequences with new ones. Through these changes, the biology of the cell is altered and possibly affects the health of an organism. The possibilities are endless as this offers opportunities in curing deadly diseases, modifying genes, and changing humanity as we know it. Although bioengineering has been around since the 1960s, CRISPR is significant because of the comparative low costs and the ease of the procedure to

The author gives a brief history of past genome editing but thoroughly explains the history and mechanism of the CRISPR technology. She elaborates on how the technology has already been used to cure diseases and speculates on its future uses and regulation.

Human gene editing has long been controversial topic; however, precise techniques that accomplish this feat have only recently been discovered. According to the Welcome Genome Campus in the UK, the most versatile and simplest technique, called CRISPR-Cas9, allows scientists to cut, alter, or add to sections of the DNA sequence of living organisms (“What Is CRISPR-Cas9?”). This astonishing technology has nearly endless applications, including the potential to eradicate genetic diseases in humans that currently have no cure. This could have vast implications for people who suffer with disease and the economy of the region in which they live, but the technology has yet to be commercialized. The

whereas they do not have control over other countries governed laws. Allowing the United States to fall behind other countries technical and medical enhancements is not a wise decision. The United States would be taking a drastic step backwards by not saving lives, like this technology has done before(Farahany). Scientists have finally found a safer form of genetic modification and are not being allowed to perform these procedures because of safety regulations that no one can improve without funding to understand what exactly is the problem with this technology.

Every few years, advancements in technology alter the way scientists do their work. Recently CRISPR-Cas9, a RNA useful for working organisms in the animal kingdom has proven itself beneficial on a gene-editing platform. After performing many abortive attempts to manipulate gene function, including homologous recombination and RNA interference, scientists have finally had a breakthrough with CRISPR-Cas9.

Cloning has always been a symbol of advancement and intelligence in our society. Its uncertainty may cause people’ hostility towards this unknown technology. I think the exploration of cloning should be supported and we should pursue further improvement. The knowledge should be widely applied to medical, agricultural and reproduction uses, but should be withheld to the stage of physical characteristics or phenotypes modification. I think genetic engineering is a very promising scientific field which can benefit the human society profoundly especially for the medical uses. The research of genetic engineering can also largely contribute to solving scarcity and increase reproduction of limited resources to higher economy of scale. Nevertheless genetic engineering is still a very controversial problem and many opposed opinions may be raised. I will try to prove otherwise that people can obtain more advantages from mastering this technology.

CRISPR or Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat, is used to change the DNA. Today, as humans, we have learned how to use CRISPR for what we want it to do. This is a major break in what we know about DNA. For the future we are looking at how we can change DNA and control what the DNA changes to.

Genetic diseases and illnesses have been of much concern for many years, leaving many deceased or with a poor quality of life. Due to the implication of modern medicine and other techniques used for treatments, mortality rates have decreased and the average life expectancy has increased. Unfortunately, every individual responds differently to the type of treatment they need, which is why the implication of personalized medicine is forthcoming. A certain technique that has been distinguished and commended by researchers today is known as clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats, or CRISPR. CRISPR is associated with Cas9, and it is a popular genome editing technique which can be programmed to target specific areas of DNA and

CRISPR/Cas9 DNA editing system is a prokaryotic immune system that becomes resistant to foreign genetics such as plasmids. CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly-Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, which are prokaryotic DNA strands that have a short repetition base sequence. Cas9 is a nuclease enzyme that is used to cut into DNA strands that are associated with CRISPR type II. CRISPR/Cas9 system has several advantages when using this technology in the biological and biomedical sciences. It also has a few disadvantages that cause concerns when using this system in the medicine field. However, before all of this can be discussed, a depth of what CRISPR/Cas9 is and where it comes from and why is it important to the biology field.

Decades ago, if an individual was diagnosed with conditions such as Huntington’s Disease, cancer, or MRSA it usually resulted in a life filled with doctor visits, multiple treatment plans, and rigorous prescription regimens. However, these conditions and the way they are treat could drastically change thanks to a scientific breakthrough known as clustered regularly interspaced shorts palindromic repeats or CRISPR for short. CRISPR technologies has the capability to be used in a wide array of clinical applications including personalized medicine, cancer treatment, and the prevention of heritable diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa. With the ability to treat serious conditions and disorders such as these, CRISPR will revolutionize the

Author Chuck Klosterman said, “The simple truth is that we’re all already cyborgs more or less. Our mouths are filled with silver. Our nearsighted pupils are repaired with surgical lasers. We jam diabetics full of delicious insulin. Almost 40 percent of Americans now have prosthetic limbs. We see to have no qualms about making post-birth improvements to our feeble selves. Why are we so uncomfortable with pre-birth improvement?” Despite Klosterman’s accurate observation, there are reasons people are wearisome toward pre-birth enhancement. Iniquitous practices such as genetic engineering could lead to a degraded feeling in a child and conceivably end in a dystopian society, almost like the society Adolf Hitler had in mind. In the minds of