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CRISPR
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humans
With CRISPR technology, new tools can be made to cure and stop genetic diseases. Scientists are using CRISPR/Cas9 to edit the human genome and fix any mutations, which will permanently remove hereditary diseases and disorders. Some of which are hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Huntington's disease, hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, AIDS, blindness, and cancer. All types of diseases, disabilities, and disorders can be cured by CRISPR; whether it is a peanut allergy or leukemia, scientists are only a few steps closer to giving those who are suffering a chance to live a better and healthy life.
Layla, a one year old who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, was saved from dying by genetically edited immune cells that destroyed all the cancerous cells in her bone marrow. Layla's doctors concluded that there is not a single sign of the cancer returning.
Twin girls are resistant to HIV/AIDS all because of the works of He Jiankui, an associate professor in Shenzhen, China. He claimed to have genetically edited the DNA of human embryos during in vitro fertilization with the use of CRISPR technology, which is something that has never been done before. He reported: “Two beautiful little Chinese girls, named Lulu and Nana, came crying into this world as healthy as any other babies a few weeks ago. The girls are home now.”
Shaorong Denghas advanced cancer of the esophagus, esophageal cancer, that is being treated with T cells that were genetically modified to attack the tumor with the use of CRISPR technology. "I feel very stable," Deng says. "I was weak in the limbs before and now I am not weak anymore."
CRISPR
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animals
CRISPR technology has been successfully used on rabbits, swine, goats, sheep, and cattle, which can ultimately revolutionize the animal kingdom with all the information gathered. Genome editing can be used on farm animals to improve productive genetic traits, ameliorate animal products, and confer resistance to diseases. Not only can CRISPR allow the entire populations of malaria-spreading mosquitoes to banish, it can also resurrect once-extinct species like the passenger pigeon and woolly mammoth that are extremely beneficial to our environment.
Malaria-spreading
mosquitoes can be made extinct by using CRISPR to genetically modify the mosquitoes to only produce male offspring, which will cause the entire population of mosquitoes to eventually go extinct; hence, preventing malaria from transmitting into humans.
Pigs can be organ donors for humans due to their organs, the heart and the lungs, being very similar in size to human ones. The eGenesis Company have successfully used CRISPR to delete viruses in pigs' DNA that could be passed to the patient during transplantation. In addition, they are also using CRISPR technology to stop the human body from rejecting the organs.
Beagles, the dog breed that was used by scientists in China, were genetically engineered to have double the amount of muscle mass. With this successful experiment, scientists are only a few steps away from fully understanding human diseases such as Muscular Dystrophy or Parkinson's, due to dogs having similar anatomy and traits as humans.
Woolly Mammoth, can be resurrected from extinction. This can be made possible by using CRISPR to swap the genes from the extinct animal into the closest living relative of the species and implant the hybrid genome into a surrogate.
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CRISPR
agriculture
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In agriculture, CRISPR technology can edit the genes of crops and create plants that are more nutritious, more resistant to drought, extreme weather patterns, and pests. In addition, the technology can solve food-related problems for both consumers and farmers such as mushrooms that do not brown easily, reduced unhealthy fats in soybeans, plants that produce in higher yields, cut out the allergens in peanuts, and eventually create powerful new antibiotics. The possibilities are endless.
Tomatoes were genetically edited to produce double the amount of branches, and thus, twice the number of tomatoes. This technology can additionally create plants that are more nutritious, impermeable to drought and pests, and can undergo harsh weather conditions.
Morning glory, traditional Japanese garden flowers, were successfully edited with the use of CRISPR/Cas9. Japanese scientists altered the flower color from violet to white, just by interrupting one gene. With this research, it portrays the huge potential of CRISPR technology in horticultural plants.
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Mushrooms, specifically white button (Agaricus bisporus) mushrooms, have been engineered to withstand browning. This was made possible by targeting the enzymes that encode for polyphenol oxidase (PPO), which is responsible for browning.