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An article over at Science Daily is reporting that researchers at Duke University have developed a new method to activate genes by synthetically creating a key component of the epigenome that controls how our genes are expressed. The technique adapts CRISPR in order to deliver the enzyme acetyltransferase to promoters and enhancers rather than the well-known application of splicing DNA. Their research is detailed in a paper to be published in the April 2015 issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology.
From the Science Daily article:
Duke researchers have developed a new method to precisely control when genes are turned on and active.
The new technology allows researchers to turn on specific gene promoters and enhancers - pieces of the genome that control gene activity - by chemically manipulating proteins that package DNA. This web of biomolecules that supports and controls gene activity is known as the epigenome.
The researchers say having the ability to steer the epigenome will help them explore the roles that particular promoters and enhancers play in cell fate or the risk for genetic disease and it could provide a new avenue for gene therapies and guiding stem cell differentiation.
What (if any) are the medical and ethical issues surrounding therapies which might come from this sort of research? Should epigenetic therapies be considered "genetic engineering?"
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Wednesday April 08 2015, @02:16AM
What you have to consider is the possibility of infectious diseases perhaps a Typhoid Mary [wikipedia.org] or genetic epigenetic traits that enable oppressive regimes. Or just long term effects. In most cases new developments are good but there's also a possibility really bad scenarios in some cases.
(Score: 2) by morgauxo on Thursday April 09 2015, @01:53PM
WTF are you talking about?
Infectious diseases don't come out of the epigenome? They come from viri and parasitic microorganisms.
Opressive regimes? Do you think someone is going to turn on some embryo's dormant charisma and sociopath genes or something and create a dictator? There is a lot of debate over the roles of genes and enviornment in determining personality. I don't think anyone can say exactly how much of a person comes from which but that is because people are complicated. People are too complicated for your scenario to make any sense! Besides.. even if you could maximize someone's "dictator genes" I doubt you could get any thing worse than the politicians and CEOs our population already seems to be plagued with!
I think you need to put the SciFi down for a while. A long while! Try an actual science book instead.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday April 10 2015, @12:59AM
I meant that it may be possible to:
a) Create the genetic code to spread disease without being affected yourself (like Typhoid Mary)
b) Epigenetic can be (ab)used to create people that are more docile and compliant than the current population. Add peer pressure to complete the process.
I were probably a bit unclear.