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www.us- tech.com


Tech-Op-ed May, 2020 SOUNDING OFF


By Michael Skinner Editor


Designer Babies? CRISPR Grows Up


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he basic idea of “clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic re- peats” (CRISPR) sounds simple: a method of locating a specific bit of DNA. The CRISPR family of genome sequences was first discovered in


bacteria, where they are used to “memorize” the sequences of invading virus- es. If the virus appears again, the newly built CRISPR array will locate its deadly twin, snip it out using a particular protein or enzyme, and disable it. CRISPR was first discovered by a team of Japanese researchers while


studying E. coli. They subsequently recognized the same mechanism at work in other types of bacteria. However, it wasn’t until 2007 when scientists study- ing Streptococcus realized that CRISPR was a vital part of a bacterial immune system. In 2011, Jennifer Doudna, of the University of California Berkeley, and


Emanuelle Charpentier of Umeå University in Sweden found that by feeding the Cas9 protein artificial RNA, they could make it search for anything they chose. In 2012, the team published a paper that demonstrated how they could use the CRISPR-Cas9 system to slice DNA in any place they wanted. The next breakthrough came in early 2013 from Feng Zheng at the Broad Institute in Boston, who showed the ability to use the system successfully to silence bits of DNA in cultured mouse and human cells. In the years since, scientists have further developed the system into an


amazingly versatile tool. Not only can it be used to remove particular DNA se- quences, but repair enzymes can be brought in to fill the hole, replacing the snipped sequence with any desired genes. The critical thing about CRISPR-Cas9 is that it is incredibly precise.


This has sparked a firestorm of papers from around the world. There were fewer than 100 papers on the subject published before 2011, but, in the decade that has followed, there are nearly 20,000. These cover every currently known facet of CRISPR, including refinements to precision and different methods of gene manipulation. In fact, the field is moving so rapidly that “I even have trouble keeping up now,” says Doudna. “We’re getting to the point where the efficiencies of gene editing are at levels that are clearly going to be useful ther- apeutically as well as a vast number of other applications.” At its most basic level, CRISPR can be used to find out exactly what spe-


PUBLISHER’S NOTE


By Jacob Fattal Publisher


Home is Where the Office is


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cific genes do. While we have had a map of the human genome since 2003, the vast majority of the genes’ functions are not well understood. CRISPR can be used to knock out a gene and see what traits are affected. At this point, the implications become compelling. This system could be


used to create food that is more nutritious, resists environmental influences like heat and stress, or even create new varieties of food that commonly cause allergic reactions, such as peanuts, and make them harmless. Essentially, it could be used as a more precise way of breeding new varieties of plants, swap- ping in new genes without requiring successive generations and the off-chance of genetic degradation or the wrong traits being expressed. The ethical dilemma comes with using the system to alter the genetic


makeup of human beings. While more benign uses, such as deleting the genes that cause hereditary diseases, seem like a no-brainer, it could also be used for cosmetic purposes. In the future, parents might choose the eye and hair color of their children. Further along, it may be possible to augment a child’s intelligence, or direct their body to grow to an optimal size and weight. More relevant, however, is that CRISPR can be used to create very tar-


geted antibiotics and antivirals. One scientist in China has claimed to have edited the genome of a pair of twin children, making them immune to HIV. This is currently unverified, and should be taken with a grain of salt. On the other hand, Doudna’s lab has converted 2,500 square feet of space


into a testing facility for COVID-19. Such a powerful tool, wielded in times of crisis, may change the course of history. r


his edition of U.S. Tech is very unique in character. We began compos- ing, editing and laying out this publication slated for several domestic and international conferences. But, the closer we moved toward our


press date, each of the five shows cancelled one after the other, due to the COVID-19 virus — starting with NEPCON China and SMTconnect in Nurem- berg, as well as EDS, EWPTE and BIOMEDevice. I founded U.S. Tech in 1985, and since then, our industry has weathered


several large-scale economic crises: Black Monday in 1987, the savings and loan crisis of 1989, the dot-com bubble in 1995, the 9/11 attacks in 2001, and the housing bubble in 2007. Our May edition includes all the editorial that we planned for several


months, omitting only the trade show booth numbers from both advertise- ments and press releases. In these tough times, U.S. Tech remains committed to providing you, our global readers, with information about the latest inno- vations in our high-tech industry, including articles and news items to keep you informed and up to date. It is a 21st Century phenomenon that in such a terrible crisis, many of


us are able to work from home, accomplishing almost all our usual tasks, keeping our economy — and sanity — intact. This is a direct result of the in- ternet revolution, which has enabled us to work, shop, connect with our friends and family, and stay informed about world events. In fact, it will be in- teresting to see how this current crisis affects the future of work, as many companies are realizing just how much can actually be done out of the office. I am confident that this rough period


will pass as the others did. This stems from the fact that we are resilient, hard- working and have an uncompromising fo- cus on better days ahead. r


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