Leadership CRISPR research Zhang Feng into Nobel favourites

Source: leadership CRISPR research Zhang Feng into Nobel favourites

genetic disease, as the name suggests, is composed of an abnormal gene causing the disease, while cancer is the essence of genetic disease. For this type of disease research, many scientists from its source──genes to proceed. The human genome-or gene-body has 23 pairs of chromosomes, the chromosome by the double-stranded structure of DNA, one section with protein-coding DNA segments called genes that contain specific genetic information. DNA the double-stranded structure consists of 4 bases（abbreviated A, T, C, G according to a certain order. The human body has 30 billion set of DNA base pairs, slightly one-base error that may be sick.

i.e. you can put the gene body is thought of as a book, there are about 30 million of an English word, if one letter is broken, if you can open Word files directly with the search function, the cursor to want to change and replace the location would be great. While gene editing is able to play the search function, find the need to edit the location, and then let the nucleic acid enzyme is responsible for the”cut”function. In other words, if say Photoshop is a photo editing guru, then the CRISPR – Cas system called DNA editing master.

biotechnology artifact from the root cause treatment

gene disease to from the roots to give the cure, you need to the abnormal gene to edit it. In recent years, the CRISPR-Cas9 this gene editing technology has obvious advantages and quickly become the life Sciences in the top technology. The CRISPR system is like a pair of scissors, may be the target gene excision. Due to the cells having the recognition and repair of damaged DNA the ability, If can through the CRISPR-Cas9 technology to precisely cause a certain position of the DNA break, you can start the cell repair these breaks.

every 10 years or so there is a disruptive new genetic technology is introduced. The 1990s is gene sequencing, and now the emergence of the CRISPR. 2017 2 on 5 December, mit announced the promotion of 5 associate professors as a tenured Professor, including the year only 35-year-old Chinese-American scientist Zhang Feng。 His most acclaimed achievements is the CRISPR-Cas9 development and application, the 32-year-old on the success of this technique for editing the human and mammalian cells, and made the first CRISPR-Cas9 in this regard the application of the U.S. Patent, is considered the Nobel Prize of the top candidates of 2016 the second session of the Tang prize in bio-medical award winner.

however, the CRISPR presence of severe off-target effects, that is mistaken the target and the cut in the wrong position, and causing genetic mutations. Furthermore, gene editing, once started, it can only wait for the entire process to a natural end, just like a car only with the throttle, not Brake the car. So CRISPR in to fix the wrong gene, gene-editing tools will likely continue to modify the original normal gene, also cause mutations. Therefore, scientists have always wanted to the gene editing Toolbox Riga on the set of”braking means.”

to install brake technology is more secure

In addition, the CRISPR directly edit the DNA in ethics and safety has been controversial, to this end, Zhang Feng led the team to branch out and make this technology more secure and reliable.

CRISPR like scissors, the DNA double-stranded structure is cut, rely on the cell self-repair ability of the repair genes. Now CRISPR next level into REPAIR it. The new CRISPR system can be effective against RNA of adenine single-base editing. It is worth noting that the editing process is Cas13, only targeting RNA, does not affect the genome of the genetic message, so do not lead the human genome to a permanent change, thereby increasing gene editing security.

correction of the RNA to open more and more likely.

RNA editing is the principle of the correction of RNA from the DNA received an error message after a manual interception after reverse transcription, RNA conveys the correct information to proteins, i.e. in the RNA levels of repair disease-causing mutations, and thus achieve a therapeutic effect. Zhang Feng said that the edited RNA of this new skill opens up more possible, in almost all cells repair protein function, contribute to a variety of diseases treatment.

in 2013 the first time scientists used the CRISPR-Cas9 editing of human living cells since the United States CRISPR Therapeutics the company is the first manufacturer to obtain European regulatory��Permission to conduct clinical trials of the company, the use of CRISPR technology to the treatment of Mediterranean anemia patients with the genetic defect. The company also plans to apply sickle knife type of anemia clinical trials. Treatment is the first from the patient’s bone marrow extraction separation of blood stem cells, and then used CRISPR to edit repair the mutant gene, then after the repair of the blood back to the patient.

Zhang Feng founded Editas Medicine LINK the company announced the first use of CRISPR in the treatment of hereditary blindness, but its clinical trial plan for any reason postponed. Continental also make some test for different types of cancer, but has yet to publish any early results.

(China times)

Published at Mon, 25 Mar 2018 09:47:35 +0000