Can CRISPR curb COVID ?
We have written before about the use and great potential of CRISPR, the gene editing tool that can be used to alter genes in beneficial ways. The technology can enable the editing of DNA sequences in human genes, aiming to improve the human condition, such as eliminating difficult diseases like cystic fibrosis and cancer.
CRISPR stands for “Clusters of Regularly Interspaced Short Palendromic Repeats” and acts like a pair of scissors to efficiently and accurately edit a gene sequence. The technology has been with us since 2017 and has sparked debate about the ethics of altering DNA, as there is ongoing resistance to genetically modified foods (GMO’s) believing that DNA modification is unnatural and therefore unhealthy. When it comes to disease eradication and control, CRISPR has the potential to deliver major victories, and may succeed in winning the ethics debates.
One of the latest CRISPR developments is the blocking of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in infected human cells. This has been accomplished by Australian researchers in a lab setting and they may soon be starting animal trials. The researchers have published a detailed article in the journal “Nature Communications”
The Australian team has used the CRISPR-Cas13b enzyme, binding it to the relevant RNA sequences on the novel coronavirus, which degrades the genome it needs to replicate inside human cells. The team had designed their CRISPR tool to recognize SARS-C0v-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19 disease. They say that once the virus is recognized, the CRISPR enzyme is activated and chops up the virus. The team targeted several parts of the virus, some that are stable and some that are highly changeable. This technique also succeeded in stopping viral replication in samples of variants of concern. This development holds the promise of an effective treatment for Covid-19, as well as curbing the spread of the virus and its mutations.
As we work our way through the Covid-19 pandemic, scientists discover more and more ways to fight the disease and prevent it. Effective treatments are still relatively scarce, but effective vaccines are a current reality and are not scarce in many countries. Our trust in science and technology is being challenged and eroded by misinformation every day, however, the promise and reality of human lives being saved and diseases being eradicated may serve to restore trust. CRISPR technology may have what it takes to deliver solid benefits and contribute to the betterment of the human condition worldwide.
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