Genetic bombardment
George Church's team set a record for CRISPR modifications in one cell
Yulia Krasilnikova, Hi-tech+
The Harvard University laboratory, led by geneticist George Church, has set a record in genome editing. Using advanced CRISPR technology, a human cell was subjected to genetic "bombardment". And she managed to survive.
A group of geneticists led by George Church has developed a new technology for genome modification on a large scale. Using advanced CRISPR technology, the scientists performed 13,200 genetic "operations" on the HEK 293 cell line.
The previous record also belongs to Church's team. In 2015, they "disabled" 62 copies of the retrovirus in the pig genome.
Thus, scientists have improved the indicator by more than 200 times. The results of the study were published in the bioRxiv database (Smith et al., Enabling large-scale genome editing by reducing DNA nicking).
During the experiment, geneticists had to eliminate LINE-1 – jumping genes that make up 17% of the human genome, but are not useful. Experts used CRISPR "molecular scissors", but they did not cut out DNA elements, but replaced one "letter" with another.
The technology of mass genome editing does not yet exist. Most experiments are carried out point-by-point, making one "edit" at a time.
American geneticists hope to develop a technique for large-scale "stripping" of DNA. The discovery will allow not only to quickly correct the human genome, but also to "clean out" retroviruses and excess genes.
In the MIT Technology Review commentary, George Church explained that his ultimate goal is the production of donor organs adapted for transplantation. In the process of recoding, organs and tissues will receive immunity against viruses. To do this, they will have to undergo 9811 modifications.
The geneticist has already provided his cells for the first transcoding experiments.
Church suggests that the technology will allow the modernization of the human body, as well as to obtain new unique species of creatures.
Previously, an American geneticist called CRISPR vandalism against the genome. In an interview, he noted that the correction procedure introduces a share of chaos into the genome, and it cannot be called "editing" because of insufficient accuracy.
Church also advocates mass adoption of DNA testing and government regulation of the industry. At the same time, he believes that the Chinese geneticist He Jiankui, who subjected two twins to CRISPR modifications, was convicted too harshly, and there is nothing criminal in his experiment.
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