The recent announcements of the Nobel Prizes have created a buzz in the scientific community. Two female scientists, Emmanuelle Charpentier from France and Jennifer A Doudna from the USA, have been awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors, which is considered a breakthrough in gene technology. Interestingly, this is the first time a Nobel science prize has gone to a women-only team.
Nobel Prizes 2020: Winners in Various Fields
The 2020 Nobel Prizes have been bestowed upon eminent figures in various fields. The Nobel Prize for Medicine/Physiology was awarded to Harvey J Alter and Charles M Rice from the USA and Michael Houghton from the UK for discovering the Hepatitis C Virus. Meanwhile, the Nobel Prize in Physics was given to three astrophysicists: Roger Penrose from the UK, Reinhard Genzel from Germany, and Andrea Ghez from the USA, for their pioneering work on black holes.
CRISPR/Cas9 Genetic Scissors: A Game Changer in Gene Technology
The CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors, invented by Charpentier and Doudna, allow scientists to change the DNA of animals, plants, and microorganisms with extraordinary precision. This revolutionary tool has already had a significant impact on crop resilience by changing their genetic code to resist drought and pests. Moreover, it opens possibilities for new cancer therapies and potentially curing inherited diseases.
The Discovery Process
In the process of exploring Streptococcus pyogenes, a harmful bacterium, Charpentier discovered a previously unknown molecule, tracrRNA. This molecule was part of bacteria’s ancient immune system, CRISPR/Cas, which disarmed viruses by cleaving their DNA. Together with Doudna, they recreated these genetic scissors in a test tube, simplifying their molecular components for easier usage. They also reprogrammed the tool to cut any DNA molecule at a predetermined site, greatly advancing its applications.
Understanding CRISPR Technology
CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) technology was first developed in 2012. It simplified and optimized gene sequencing, providing near-endless possibilities. This technology mimics a natural defense mechanism in Streptococcus pyogenes to protect against virus attacks. One of the main features is the ability to intervene in the auto-repair process of broken DNA strands, enabling scientists to replace problematic sequences with desired ones.
Controversies Surrounding CRISPR
Despite its promising benefits, CRISPR raises several ethical concerns. Critics argue that the ease of altering DNA could lead to people choosing their offspring’s characteristics, disrupting natural processes. Additionally, it was alleged in November 2018 that a Chinese researcher used gene-editing tools like CRISPR to create ‘designer babies,’ reportedly without regulatory permission or oversight.
Moreover, some scientists have pointed out that CRISPR technology is not 100% accurate, and other genes could potentially be mistakenly altered. To address these concerns, Doudna has been calling for the development of international rules and guidelines governing CRISPR technology and advocating for a pause on such applications until those are in place.
