What Can CRISPR Do?

CRISPR is a revolutionary gene-editing tool that has taken the scientific community by storm. Here is a list of 5 interesting ways CRISPR has been used, outside of the medical field.

1. Hercules the Super-dog

The world's first genetically engineered dog Hercules, was created by Chinese scientists to have the gene myostatin turned off. Myostatin regulates the amount of muscle fibers produces, and without this break, the body doesn't know when to stop. How do you feel about designer pets?

2. Gender Reassignment of Mosquitos

Researches from a lab in Blacksburg, Virginia, have identified the gene responsible for gender determination. Using CRISPR they then played around with gender within mosquito populations.

This work actually has a very serious motivation. Only female mosquitos can bite and transmit diseases, therefore the researchers in the lab are trying to build up large populations of sterile male mosquitos to release into the wild. This has the potential to dramatically reduce transmission of many diseases such as Malaria, Dengue or Zika virus.

3. De-extinction

An organization called Revive and Restore, that supports various de-extinction projects. One of these projects plans to tweak the genome of modern pigeons to make them similar to the passenger pigeon, a species of pigeon that became extinct in the late 19th century due to excessive hunting.

4. Fluorescent Beetles

Fluorescence is not unnatural in some animals, however in flour beetles it is. Scientists have created glowing beetles by adding a green fluorescent protein to its genome. This allows for specific, live labelling of of certain cells that allow for more accurate scientific observation, or even pet night lights.

5. Pig Farm Transplants

What if there was no longer long waiting lists for kidneys? Growing organs in pigs would sound like an insane idea, until the arrival of CRISPR. Researchers have managed to modify over 60 genes at once, removing all of pig retrovirus, the main culprit for rejection after transplant. Potentially making pigs' organs suitable for transplanting into humans.

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