Introduction Many names, gene therapy, gene editing, genetic spell checking, chromosomal correction, targeted gene repair, and chromosomal engineering have been given to a process that could be the cure for certain genetic disorders where only one gene is affected, such as sickle cell anemia or parkinson’s disease. Germline editing would be a more permanent procedure as it would change the certain genetic sequences which would be inherited by future offspring. Scientists are moving closer towards the former, as the latter is much more complicated and implies numerous grave consequences and ethical issues. When a person has a genetic disorder, such as sickle cell anemia, a condition by which there is an abnormal gene that causes red blood
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Recently, a child in the United Kingdom was treated and cured of refractory relapsed acute B lymphoblastic leukemia. The procedure was made possible by careful use of genetically engineered T cells. The T cells were used in combination with enzymes known as transcription activator- like effector nucleases, or TALENs, to stop genes from the donor T cells from attacking the receiving patient’s healthy cells. Furthermore, the team of researchers were able to protect the donor cells from the antileukemia drugs and treatment (Hampton,PhD, 2016). The few successes that have been achieved by the scientific community is enough to justify the need for further research in the case of gene editing. Once the process is perfected and made efficient and affordable, many lives will be saved and diseases potentially …show more content…
ZFNs work to target the specific site in need of editing and or repair, which results in getting rid of the gene all together, integrating it with another gene or simply modifying it. ZFNs act like scissors. They are proteins or enzymes that break double strand bonds in DNA. According to Sigma-Aldrich, a leading supplier of chemistry lab equipment, ZFNs have many benefits including that they can quickly locate and disrupt or integrate any genetic target site, the mutations they cause are permanent and inheritable, they work well with various body cells in mammals, and they work in as little as 2 months, among other benefits
Recently, a child in the United Kingdom was treated and cured of refractory relapsed acute B lymphoblastic leukemia. The procedure was made possible by careful use of genetically engineered T cells. The T cells were used in combination with enzymes known as transcription activator- like effector nucleases, or TALENs, to stop genes from the donor T cells from attacking the receiving patient’s healthy cells. Furthermore, the team of researchers were able to protect the donor cells from the antileukemia drugs and treatment (Hampton,PhD, 2016). The few successes that have been achieved by the scientific community is enough to justify the need for further research in the case of gene editing. Once the process is perfected and made efficient and affordable, many lives will be saved and diseases potentially …show more content…
ZFNs work to target the specific site in need of editing and or repair, which results in getting rid of the gene all together, integrating it with another gene or simply modifying it. ZFNs act like scissors. They are proteins or enzymes that break double strand bonds in DNA. According to Sigma-Aldrich, a leading supplier of chemistry lab equipment, ZFNs have many benefits including that they can quickly locate and disrupt or integrate any genetic target site, the mutations they cause are permanent and inheritable, they work well with various body cells in mammals, and they work in as little as 2 months, among other benefits