Genetic engineering will ensure world food security?
Technological advancements are currently unfolding at an unprecedented pace. It’s reasonable to hypothesize that these new technologies will shape humanity’s trajectory by the end of this century. One particularly promising innovation is the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing method, which earned the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020. This groundbreaking technique was developed by French microbiologist and geneticist Emmanuelle Marie Charpentier and American biochemist and molecular biologist Jennifer Anne Doudna.
CRISPR/Cas9 as a genetic engineering technique has allowed researchers from around the world to manipulate the genes of animals, humans, but also plants.
Modern agriculture operates in response to a range of challenges posed by natural conditions. These challenges drive legislative changes, often impacting production capacity and business costs. With a growing global population and increasing nutritional demands, the food sector must adopt new mechanisms. These approaches should consider the economic well-being of food producers, environmental sustainability, and the diverse interests of stakeholders.
Application of CRISPR/Cas9 in crop production
Conventional genetic modification methods rely on introducing foreign genetic material, often involving foreign DNA. In contrast, the CRISPR/Cas9 method leverages natural genetic diversity. Researchers use this approach to introduce genetic material that naturally functions within a specific biological system, such as crops.
Research has sparked innovative solutions
The CRISPR/Cas9 technology is a groundbreaking method that enables precise genome editing by removing, adding, or altering specific DNA sequences. In this case, Japanese startup Sanatech Seed collaborated with researchers at the University of Tsukuba to develop a new variety of tomatoes native to Sicily. The unconventionality of their solution lies in using gene modifications to precisely “cut” or replace selected genes, resulting in a successful practical application of the CRISPR/Cas9 mechanism. This innovation opens up exciting possibilities for crop improvement and agricultural advancements. 😊🍅🧬
Health-promoting properties of the CRISPR method. Food that heals?
Firstly, the concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid in cultured tomato seedlings is almost 500% of the naturally observed level. This provides the opportunity to exploit and simultaneously intensify the properties of anabolic and regenerative action. Furthermore, considering the above, several health benefits for consumers become apparent. For instance, consumption of tomatoes created using the CRISPR/Cas9 method can help reduce blood pressure and cortisol levels, which play a role in stress susceptibility. Moreover, it significantly impacts the process of building muscle mass, increases the secretion of growth hormone, and effectively conditions the mechanisms associated with the body’s regenerative processes. 🍅🧬💪
CRISPR technology will solve global problems?
Undoubtedly, the wide spectrum of positive properties in food created using the CRISPR/Cas9 method provides substantial evidence for the future of genetic engineering. Emphasizing the expediency and legitimacy of research related to CRISPR/Cas9’s potential is crucial. Parallel studies have yielded promising results, as seen in the development of a new variety of corn, highlighting the salutary impact of CRISPR/Cas9 in the fight against climate change.
CRISPR will save corn yields from drought?
In the case of corn, researchers are working on a variety that is immune to water deficits, which, given the shifting climate zones and thus the desertification of previously green areas, is very important. The isolation and dissemination of a new drought-tolerant corn variety would be a process to reduce the level of hunger in the world. In view of the above, it can be concluded in each case that the use of CRISPR technology positively affects the functioning of society on a global scale. To put it more bluntly, humanity cannot afford to miss such mechanisms.
Necessary changes in the law…
Its further development is necessary, as well as the constitution of a legislative space to regulate the presence of genetically modified foods by the innovative CRISPR-Cas9 method. The EU institutions owe it to revise the existing policy and adapt regulations at the EU level as soon as possible commensurate with the results of scientific research. According to Antonio Villaroel – president of the Spanish National Association of Plant Breeders (ANOVE), it is necessary to implement mechanisms on a large scale to adapt current crop varieties to new conditions, because the varieties currently used in crop production will not be too useful in 10 years. Thus, the prospect is inevitable and very imminent, it is necessary to act here and now!
Other application areas of CRISPR/Cas9
An important area of application of CRISPR/Cas9 is research in the field of medicine. The innovative CRISPR/Cas9 method is used in personalized medicine, i.e. in gene therapy. Thanks to its properties, it allows the introduction of foreign DNA into the genome, resulting in the alteration of a gene mutation giving the chance to obtain the correct version of the gene.
The system has found application in the treatment of single-gene diseases min. beta-thalassemia, cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In addition, in studies related to the treatment of myeloid leukemia, the researchers succeeded in breeding a mouse that is the desired disease model. Such an achievement was the ground for further research related to large-scale analysis of the effects of drugs used in the fight against the aforementioned cancer in real time in an in vivo model.
Gene drive will annihilate the diseases of civilization?
Moreover, solutions built on CRISPR/Cas9 have been applied to the gene drive genetic engineering mechanism. The primary objective of this research is to enable the edited gene to spread through the population, potentially eradicating diseases. This system is planned for use in an attempt to combat diseases transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes, among others.
The versatility arising from the possibility of implementing the CRISPR/Cas9 method across various domains simultaneously underscores its tremendous potential, which humanity should not overlook!
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M. Jinek, A Programmable Dual-DNA-Guided DNA Endonuclease in Adaptive Bacterial Immunity, „Science”, t. 337 nr 6096 (2012).
M. Qaim, Genetically modified crops and agricultural development (2016).
“Illumina” – Gene Editing Research Review; https://www.illumina.com/content/dam/illumina-marketing/documents/products/research_reviews/publication-review-gene-editing-research.pdf
A. Mayer, S. Dastgheib-Vinarov, The Future of Food? CRISPR-Edited Agriculture, The Future of Food? CRISPR-Edited Agriculture
NOWOSAD K., STĘPIEŃ P., MUSIAŁ P., 2016. CRISPR-Cas9 nowe narzędzie inżynierii genetycznej. Wydawnictwo naukowe TYGIEL sp. z o.o, 1 (6), 76-87.
Li, J., Scarano, A., Gonzalez, N.M. et al. Biofortified tomatoes provide a new route to vitamin D sufficiency. Nat. Plants 8, 611–616 (2022). Biofortified tomatoes provide a new route to vitamin D sufficiency
Los mejoradores de variedades vegetales ven irrenunciable la edición genómica para asegurar la alimentación; https://efeagro.com/mejoradores-vegetales-obtentor
First Genome Edited Tomato with Increased GABA In the World https://sanatech-seed.com/en/20201211-1-2/
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry: „The Nobel Prize”, Nobel Prize / Chemistry / 2020
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