‘Incredible’ editing of life’s building blocks

 

One is the alteration of atoms in DNA that rewrites the human genetic code and the instructions for life.  The other one is editing RNA, which is a chemical part of DNA, unlocks the information in the genetic code.

 

These are very important and exciting studies, which could eventually treat diseases. With this approaches diseases caused by a single typo in the genetic code such as Cystic fibrosis, inherited blindness and others could ultimately be prevented or treated.

 

 

 

Base Editing

The developed tools called base editors that Published in the journal Nature.

 DNA has four bases: 1- adenine (A), 2- Cytosine (C), 3- Guanine (G), and 4- thymine (T).

 

If anyone of these bases sits in the wrong place, it can cause disease. 

Now researchers by using editor tools can layer the atomic structure of one base to convert it into another, and the team used base editing to correct an inherited disease that leads to dangerously high levels of iron in the blood.

 

Report: According to Prof David Liu of the Broad Institute: “ We are hard at work trying to translate base editing technology into human therapeutics.” He also admits that there are still issues around safety and implementation:

 

“Having a machine that can make the change you want to make is only the start but you still need to do all the other work, he also added that having a machine really helps.”

 

RNA

The DNA study followed by RNA study and published in the journal Science as the second study, focused on another of the molecules essential for life.

 

The researchers used RNA approach to correct an inherited form of anaemia in human cells.  

Another member of the Broad Institute Feng Zhang said: The ability to correct disease –causing mutations is one of the primary goals of genome editing.

 

 

 

All the experiments were on human cell growing took place in the laboratory, Said Feng Zhang. BBC

–  DNA surgery on embryos removes disease

–  Human embryos edited to stop disease

–  UK scientists edit DNA of human embryos

 

The scientific advances in genetic engineering are taking place at a fast pace.  One day this genome editing will be brought to clinics, where we will see the same technologies that work on animals and microorganisms too which we had been some in areas like agriculture and plants genetically modified fruits and vegetables.    

 

 

Below are the 3 common Foods Before and After Humans Domesticated them.