Bacteria is an ancient prokaryotic organism who has been part of our life, our system, and our world not for some decades or Centuries but for billion of years.Bacteria was the first form of life to appear on Earth about 4 billion years ago.Today bacteria number almost 5×1030,having greater biomass than all the plants and animals on earth combined.Bacteria exists in various shapes, although bacteria ranges only few micrometers in size yet their are things smaller than the bacteria and those are the Viruses.Viruses are much smaller than the bacteria and these tiny things are also their biggest enemy.Viruses attacking bacteria are specifically called "Bacteriophages or Phage viruses".Like Humans viruses are a serious concern for Bacteria as well. But despite of being very older and smaller than humans and lacking all the hi-tech technology, bacteria have evolved themselves beautifully and have developed a special Immune system for fighting against the viruses called "The CRISPR"(Cluster Regularly Inter-spaced Short Palindromic Repeats).CRISPR is part of prokaryotic genome and consists of three main components CAS gene which encodes for CAS protein(an endonuleases), Palindromic repeats which codes for TracrRNA and the Spacer DNA which codes for CrRNA, the spacer DNA its self is the copy of viral genome which attacks the bacteria, bacteria forms a copy of that viral genome and stores it so whenever that virus or a closely related virus attacks again the bacteria produces CrRNA using the viral genome copy load it inside the CAS protein and match it with genome of invading virus if there is a match the bacterial encoded CAS protein immediately cuts and denatures the viral genome.
CRISPR systems were first discovered in 1987 at Osaka University, with the passage of time more elaborating research has been done on CRISPR and today various type of CRISPR systems have been discovered including "The CAS-9".At first it was believed that this CAS-9 system can not be used for human betterment because of its complexity but two scientists proved it wrong, Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuel Charpentier, in 2009 these two dealt with the complexity of CAS-9, First combining the TracrRNA and CrRNA to form a single Guide RNA and secondly showing that The Guide RNA can be altered according to our own will, So ultimately it can be used for betterment of mankind in many ways. The two most important fields are the Medical Sciences and Agriculture, Both fields directly benefits the mankind.
MEDICAL SCIENCES:
Scientist have been working to use the CAS-9 technology in order to cure various mutations and genetic diseases.It was reported that the CRISPR/CAS-9 was able to eradicate the DNA of epstien-barr virus or human herpes virus-4.In 2016 it was reported that CAS-9 has been used to prevent eye infection by blocking HSV-1 reactivation.In 2015 Chinese Scientists reported that they have attempted to alter human embryo genome in order to correct a mutation that cause Beta Thalassemia. In 2016 Chinese again reported that they have operated on human embryo genome again and this time to alter the CCR5 gene to make embryo HIV resistant, however success percentage in both experiments was very low but this is a major step forward to deal with these problems.The CRISPR/CAS-9 may also revive the concept of transplanting animal organs in human. The main issue was that retroviruses in animals could harm the recipient, but in 2015 a group of scientists successfully eliminated 62 copies of retroviruses DNA from pig genome using the CRISPR/CAS-9.Recently in 2017 scientist at The Institute for basic science reported use of CAS-9 for curing Age-related macular degeneration (AMD),they reported use of CAS-9 in performing gene surgery in the layer of tissue that supports retina of living mice.
AGRICULTURE:
When it comes to agriculture CAS-9 is of extreme importance, as concerns about the GMO's are growing day-by-day and demand for food is continuously increasing. Due to increasing food demand we do need genetically enhanced crops but this enhancement on the other end is creating problems for us in form of super weeds, super bugs and antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Due to these and many other reasons European Union have banned GMO's in Europe. So. in this time where food demand is constantly increasing and GMO's are creating problems we need a solution in which we don't need to add a foreign gene in a crop and still we can enhanced its genetics for better production, and the possible answer might be "THE CAS-9". It is not finalized yet that the CAS-9 modified crops will come under GMO's or not but there is a hint that it may not, and that hint came from a statement of Swedish Board of Agriculture which after thorough research has said that "as no foreign DNA has been added in plant genome it does not come under the European GMO law", which also means it can be cultivated without further permissions. But still their is need of further studies.
CONCLUSION:
In the end it's a simple conclusion that CRISPR/CAS-9 is a gift of nature for humans to deal with many of their problems.
MEDICAL SCIENCES:
Scientist have been working to use the CAS-9 technology in order to cure various mutations and genetic diseases.It was reported that the CRISPR/CAS-9 was able to eradicate the DNA of epstien-barr virus or human herpes virus-4.In 2016 it was reported that CAS-9 has been used to prevent eye infection by blocking HSV-1 reactivation.In 2015 Chinese Scientists reported that they have attempted to alter human embryo genome in order to correct a mutation that cause Beta Thalassemia. In 2016 Chinese again reported that they have operated on human embryo genome again and this time to alter the CCR5 gene to make embryo HIV resistant, however success percentage in both experiments was very low but this is a major step forward to deal with these problems.The CRISPR/CAS-9 may also revive the concept of transplanting animal organs in human. The main issue was that retroviruses in animals could harm the recipient, but in 2015 a group of scientists successfully eliminated 62 copies of retroviruses DNA from pig genome using the CRISPR/CAS-9.Recently in 2017 scientist at The Institute for basic science reported use of CAS-9 for curing Age-related macular degeneration (AMD),they reported use of CAS-9 in performing gene surgery in the layer of tissue that supports retina of living mice.
AGRICULTURE:
When it comes to agriculture CAS-9 is of extreme importance, as concerns about the GMO's are growing day-by-day and demand for food is continuously increasing. Due to increasing food demand we do need genetically enhanced crops but this enhancement on the other end is creating problems for us in form of super weeds, super bugs and antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Due to these and many other reasons European Union have banned GMO's in Europe. So. in this time where food demand is constantly increasing and GMO's are creating problems we need a solution in which we don't need to add a foreign gene in a crop and still we can enhanced its genetics for better production, and the possible answer might be "THE CAS-9". It is not finalized yet that the CAS-9 modified crops will come under GMO's or not but there is a hint that it may not, and that hint came from a statement of Swedish Board of Agriculture which after thorough research has said that "as no foreign DNA has been added in plant genome it does not come under the European GMO law", which also means it can be cultivated without further permissions. But still their is need of further studies.
In the end it's a simple conclusion that CRISPR/CAS-9 is a gift of nature for humans to deal with many of their problems.
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