CRISPR: Biological Tool to Cut, Copy and Paste DNA

Made-To-Order Babies 

This is not fake news.  

Customized and genetically designed children will be available sooner than we think. The day is very near when we will be able to submit the human sperms and eggs to the genetic laboratory. The scientists will run the DNA analysis of these cells within few hours. All the defective or undesirable genes will be edited out and replaced with healthy and “desirable” genes and the fertilized egg will be placed in the body of the host. Initially the host will be a human female, but in the future, perhaps an artificial womb or a robot will carry the fertilized egg through gestation and then deliver a “custom designed” health baby.  

This used to be in the realm of science fiction or sci-fi movies, but not anymore. 

This is now a reality.  

Let’s take a quick refresher about the DNA. In the past, it was believed that DNA was etched in stone and never changed. That is not true anymore. We now know that DNA changes with time based on various external influences, although the change is very slow. We should have known this, by knowing the “Theory of the Survival of the fittest”. If the DNA was unchangeable, then how could species have evolved and got better adept at survival?  

Now we have the technology to “edit” the DNA in the laboratory.  The biological editing tool is called CRISPR. 

CRISPR not as a crisp and crunchy apple but as an acronym for a long unpronounceable and hard to remember scientific sentence.  

Few decades ago, scientists discovered that E. Coli bacteria could edit its own DNA. They had discovered that E. Coli could remove corrupted segments of the DNA from their nuclei which had been inserted by certain viruses. This biological editing tool has not only been isolated but improved upon since its discovery. 

We know that a nucleus is needed for cell division and reproduction of future cells. It is also known that viruses do not have a nucleus. In order to divide and multiply, viruses use the nucleus of the host cell. The viruses enter the nuclei of the cells and insert their own DNA into the DNA of the host cells nuclei. As the host cells divide, they end up creating copies of the virus DNA which then become viruses. This process is repeated over and over again allowing the viruses to grow in number at the expense of the host cell which eventually dies.  

The scientists had discovered that by using CRISPR tool, the E. Coli bacteria was able to identify the segment of viral DNA that had been inserted in its nuclear DNA, cut and discard the viral DNA, and repair the gap in order to stay alive and survive. 

The scientists have learned this neat trick from the bad guys: The E-Coli bacteria. 

As we learnt in school, DNA is made up of many base pairs intertwined in two strands. Thousands of such building blocks of DNA make up what we call genes. Each gene then tells the body what to do. Genes decide what will be the color of the hair or the shape of the nose. Which enzyme will be produced or perhaps more importantly will not be produced if the gene is absent or defective, leading to various genetic birth defects. 

By using CRISPR, scientist have been able to biologically cut and remove the unhealthy and defective DNA (genes) and hence prevent a genetic disorder.  This biological editing tool has a huge potential of eliminating diseases like sickle cell anemia, Tay-Sacks disease, thalassemia and dozens of genetically inherited disorders. 

Not only can it cut out and discard bad DNA, CRISPR now allows us to insert new genetic material in the DNA strands.  This biological “word processor” allows us to copy, cut and paste just like the word processors we use in computers.   

The current clinical trials are focused on genetic disorders related to bad and defective genes. By removing the bad segments of the DNA and inserting healthy DNA or a whole normal gene, we are the cusp of curing many genetic diseases. 

The scientific community and the governmental agencies are however worried about malicious use of CRISPR. Will CRISPR and similar biological technologies be used to create custom made artificial DNA, cut, copy and paste them in the fertilized eggs and make beautiful healthy designer babies or possibly create monsters that will destroy the life as we know it. This a major societal concern that needs close attention.