Transferring A Naked Mole Rat Gene To A Bacteria To Create a Treatment For Cancer
Host Organism: Bacteria (V ibrio natriegens)
Name of Gene: Naked Mole Rat INK4 locus
Name of Protein: pALT(INK4a/b)
Name/Description of Trait: The trait is the ability to prevent oncogenesis (the formation of a cancer, whereby normal cells are transformed into cancer cells)
World Problem: Cancer of all types.
Rationale/Ethics: V ibrio natriegens is the world’s fastest growing bacteria, doubling every 10 minutes. This trait makes it optimal for the mass-production of the gene that codes for the pALT(INK4a/b) protein, which could be used for cancer treatments. It is inexpensive and creates a lot of the necessary protein. The pALT(INK4a/b) protein found in naked mole rats that would be inserted into this bacteria is able to prevent tumors from developing. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US and is responsible for 1 of every 4 deaths. If a lot of this gene (and consequently the protein) is created by these transgenic bacteria, researchers could find new ways to incorporate this protein into cancer treatments. It is ethical as
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While the majority of the world does not suffer from cancer, many humans face the risk of acquiring it. The naked mole rat has an immunity to cancer. This is due to many factors, one of which is the naked mole rat’s production of the pALT(INK4a/b) protein. By taking this protein and placing it in a fast-replicating bacteria, the protein would be in abundant supply and can be used to help develop a myriad of treatments for cancer. A cancer vaccine is one possibility, as the protein prevents oncogenesis from occurring. There would be no shortage of the protein, since the transgenic organism would just keep multiplying and copying the protein, making acquiring it inexpensive and ensuring that everyone would have access to the
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are able to fix the mistakes in the DNA that could potentially cause cancer. Unfortunately,
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