Question

Propose two specific measures to help policy keep pace with CRISPR technology. For full credit in explaining these measures, include necessary details of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology, its applications, and implications for ethical use.

Answer 1

Measures to regulate gene editing:

1. Formulate conditions under which the techniques may be implemented. Sets of rules may be designated to be followed before applying CRISPT technique and also stating conditions under which the rules may be altered or modified. Like life threatening diseases. Thus, licensing the use of technology or using under regulatory guidelines may check misuse.
2. The technology may be applied such that the product generated is “nature identical”. If the edited products are very different from their natural counter-parts, they may pose a threat to society and environment.

• CRISPR is Clustered Regulatory Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats.
• CRISPR associated –Protein 9 nuclease (Cas-9) is used as a molecular tool for editing of genomes.
• It acts in a similar manner as genetic engineering or construction of GMO (genetically modified organism).
• CRISPR/ Cas9 system has components that help in their gene editing:

1. crRNA- guide RNA (g RNA) and sequence recognizing tracrRNA
2. tracrRNA- in stem-loop structure, bind (to be activated) to cRNA
3. Cas9-active form have nuclease, nick formation, single strand/double strand breaks, editing.
4. sgRNA-single guide RNA-with combination of other components

• The components may be introduced within the organism through plasmid.
• The plasmid may be introduced by transfection or by direct injections into the target cells.
• Also some virus mediated vectors may be used or liposomes.
• The target genes are eliminated or inactivated.
• Thus, CRISPR causes a permanent effect as gene “Knock out” is used

Application:

• For transgenic organism creation for mutational related studies like cancer mutations, knockout of the wild type genes is used.
• The alteration of genome is caused by gene knockout resulting in loss of function of genes. Thus, diseases may be cured.
• May be used in agriculture and industries, to create modified and superior species like genetic engineering.

Ethics:

Since permanent change is resulted by CRISPR, there are apprehensions regarding the resulted product.

Also, there may be question in its practical aspect, regarding the real prospect in future.

There also may be stress related to social acceptance of the new product as the effect is unknown.