About risks and consequences
Gene editing control goes to the international level
Yulia Vorobyova, Vesti
The technology of the so-called "gene drive", which is capable of eradicating many diseases in the future (including malaria and the Zika virus), should not spread into the wild. This was categorically stated by representatives of the American National Academy of Sciences, Technology and Medicine (Gene-Drive Modified Organizations Are Not Ready to Be Released Into the Environment; New Report Calls for More Research and Robust Assessment).
In their report, the scientists noted that, despite the huge potential of the technology, modified organisms should not get into the environment. This can create environmental risks that have not yet been fully studied, which means that the consequences can be disastrous.
Many more laboratory studies and strictly controlled field tests are required, said Elizabeth Heitman, co-chair of the committee and lecturer at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
The technology of "gene drive" has been studied for more than half a century, but it was only with the advent of the CRISPR genetic editing method that it became possible to change the traditional principles of heredity and "edit" the genetics of entire populations.
Recall that the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology, which allows making changes to the genome of living organisms with high accuracy, has become one of the most high-profile scientific breakthroughs of recent years. With its help, scientists have already managed, for example, to "switch" the sex of mosquitoes and turn females into harmless males who are unable to carry viruses, as well as to breed genetically modified mosquitoes that resist malaria by introducing a new resistant gene into their DNA.
The prospects of the technology, by the way, extend to agriculture: for example, it can be used to control organisms that damage crops or carry diseases of crops, the report notes.
Nevertheless, scientists are extremely confused by the possibility of the "genetic drive" going beyond the laboratories. According to Elizabeth Heitman, even a small, accidental "release" will not stop future modifications. Experts have no doubt that this can lead to the death of entire populations of living organisms and the disruption of many ecosystems.
While geneticists will study the possibilities of the so-called "molecular scissors" (the CRISPR system allows you to "cut" and insert the necessary code fragments into DNA and RNA), the US Academy of Sciences offers to oversee all projects in this area. Experts also strongly recommend that different scientific groups coordinate experiments at the international level, as well as, alternatively, distribute practice between laboratories in different countries.
In addition, the committee has developed a system for testing and evaluating the results of such experiments, and also proposed, even at the stage of technology development and approval, to involve national research institutes and the public in making decisions that can change the future.
The report separately emphasizes the point about the so-called "deterrence measures". Conditions should be equal for scientists from all countries, and, most likely, the creation of many regulations will be required to ensure safety.
At the same time, according to experts, this strategy does not raise the issue of safety measures that need to be developed for field testing, as well as funding issues. After all, if all countries will conduct research, then the payment for the work of scientists should be carried out from the "common pocket".
In general, the report of the American National Academy of Sciences was received favorably by colleagues and has already received positive feedback. The same issues are now being discussed by the governments of many countries, and the scientists themselves note that they really need a single vector guiding in this, of course, revolutionary, but at the same time very controversial research topic.
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09.06.2016