Scientists, vets and farmers say the UK government should 'free livestock science from gene editing restictions' (
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/sep/26/gene-editing-would-allow-us-to-create-hardier-farm-breeds). Gene editing or CRISPR, is a cheap and powerful way of modifying the DNA of organisms by adding or deleting bases. Enthusiasts claim it is comparable to traditional breeding methods. Certainly genes are changed in both. Gene editing is, however, light year's faster and more precise. The proponents point out that gene editing seems to be currently accepted, in the UK, as a means of altering crops. Regulatory bodies are, however, more reticient about gene editing and animals. The enthusiasts maintain that gene editing is inappropriately subjected, by the EU, to the same restrictions as Genetic Modification (GM) technologies. In GM, whole genes from another organism are inserted into the DNA. Although there is still some antipathy to GM in farming, most people approve its use in medical developments (like the production of insulin). Enthusiasts for gene editing in farm animals, maintain it is 'vital to create livestock resistant to disease, droughts and heatwaves'. Brexit, they say, gives the UK the opportunity to deviate from the EU (although it's uncertain how the latter will respond to UK meat products). Studies, carried out at Edinburgh's Roslin Institute and Imperial College London, appear to point the way. For example, it seems likely that gene editing will enable scientists to create animals resistant to avian and swine 'flu. This, would not only reduce farming losses, animal suffering and the need for drugs, it would lower the chances of humans being subjected to these same diseases. There appears to be a good rationale for using gene editing, to to make farm animals more resistant to disease. One could argue, however, that making farm animals more resistant to droughts and heatwaves might actually detract from attempts to control climate change. Animals, unlike crops, can be moved. Also, if the DNA of farm animals can be changed to make them more heat resistant, will scientists be tempted to do the same for humans?
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3 comments:
The worrying things about genetic technology are two fold. Firstly if crop plants can be changed at will to grow anywhere then no habitat on earth is safe from human greed.
The other scary issue is that as we proceed forward and the technology becomes well known and cheaper there is a risk from crazy people. When I was in school we had a disturbed boy who would bring home made explosives to school! you could find out how to make nitroglycerine etc from the Encyclopedia Britanica. Now we have the internet.
It is today perfectly possible for some one to look up the original sars virus and make a hybrid with the Best parts of the Sars2 virus that causes covid. This is the same essential process used to make the Astrazenica vaccine which is a hybrid of a chimp cold virus with the spike covid spike protein. Fortunately the equipement is too expensive for my crazy schoolmate who spent time in Cefn Coed Hospital (Like you I'm from Swansea.) as an adult to afford. What happens when this becomes cheaper?
It's not the same as the Astra/Zeneca vaccine derivation. As I understand it, the chimp cold virus is just the carrier to get the spike protein of Sars into the body (to raise antibodies). In some senses it's more traditional than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Gene editing kits only cost around $100-200. It is like having evolution on fast-forward!
I take your point about nowhere being safe from gene edited plants. You could, however, say that nowhere has been safe for some time. Well before, GM and gene editing, humans were introducing alien species into environments all over the world. The trouble is that, with climate change, reducing the amount of human land for food production, gene editing is going to bee seen as a solution.
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