Genetic engineering without unwanted side effects helps fight parasites:
Around a third of the world's population carries Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that puts people with a weakened immune system at risk and can trigger malformations in the womb. The single-celled pathogen also leads to economic losses in agriculture, with toxoplasmosis increasing the risk of abortion among sheep, for example.
The parasite has a complex life cycle and infests virtually all warm-blooded creatures, including wild rodents and birds. It is introduced into livestock, and thus into humans, exclusively via cats. Only in this main host infectious stages form that are shed with the feces into the environment as encapsulated oocysts and from there enter the food chain.
"If we succeed in preventing the production of these oocysts, we can reduce the occurrence of toxoplasmosis among humans and animals," says Adrian Hehl, professor of parasitology and Vice Dean of Research and Academic Career Development at the University of Zurich's Vetsuisse Faculty. He and his research group have developed methods making an intervention of this sort possible.
[...] To make the sterile parasites, the researchers used the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing scissors. While this enables precise modifications to the genetic material, depending on the protocol the method generally used can also have disadvantages. Errors and unintended genetic alterations can creep in. Now the research group around Hehl reports that in Toxoplasma, such unwanted side-effects can be avoided using a modified technique.
Journal Reference:
Rahel R. Winiger and Adrian B. Hehl. A streamlined CRISPR/Cas9 approach for fast genome editing in Toxoplasma gondii and Besnoitia besnoiti. Journal of Biological Methods, 2020 DOI: 10.14440/jbm.2020.343
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 07 2021, @03:28PM
"Now the research group around Hehl reports that in Toxoplasma, such unwanted side-effects can be avoided using a modified technique."
So wait, we don't want the parasites to have unwanted side effects? Side effects that are unwanted to the parasite? We want to prevent the parasite from reproducing but we don't want to give the parasite a headache while we're at it, am I right?
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Thursday January 07 2021, @05:02PM
So how exactly is this supposed to work? If you're genetically engineering the parasite itself to be unable to spread - then your modified gene-line ends in the original host. Even using (shudder) gene-drives wouldn't help it spread further.
So what do they plan to do, inoculate all the cats so that they *all* carry modified non-infectious toxoplasmosis, and either become immune, or any subsequent infection would interbreed with the non-infectious variety already in residence and become harmless?
Hmm... okay, I guess that could actually be effective, it sounds like a TP vaccine doesn't exist yet, and a live infection with a relatively harmless strain of a disease is where vaccines began, and still sometimes resorts to.
(Score: 0, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 07 2021, @06:44PM
By parasites I'm sure you whites mean us minorites right? It seems your communicable diseases, vaccines, and the likes continue to kill us in exponential numbers while whites are wholly unaffected.
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Thursday January 07 2021, @09:53PM
it only takes one unwanted side-effect to ruin your whole day.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 2) by Username on Friday January 08 2021, @01:59AM (1 child)
Just GE the cats.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 08 2021, @04:55AM
Runaway hates his wife's cats, but that is only because they have already infected him. No hope for the Trump-loving cracker! Stands right there in the window, waiting to be shot in the neck, much like a rat freezes in the gaze of a cat, and, the parasite is passed on. I am so sorry about Runaway's infection, and I wish there was something we could do for him, but at this point, like with Right-Wing Rabies, better for all if he were just put down. Maybe later we can develop a cure, like a community college education.