Scientists have devised a new technique allowing them to modify DNA and place it inside living cells, according to Business Insider.
Here are eight notes:
1. The technique could potentially allow researchers to test new drugs or cure genetic diseases.
2. The process is relatively cheap, costing less than $100, and allows researchers to make the necessary materials to modify an organism's entire genome.
3. The technique enables researchers to narrow in on a specific gene and then cut and paste bits of the DNA to ultimately change its function. Essentially, scientists can rewrite specific chunks of an organism's genetic codes.
4. Researchers named the process, CRISP-EATING, which stands for "Everything Available Turned Into New Guides."
5. Researchers plan to track chromosome in living cells as the cells are dividing and discover what controls the size of the nucleus. This discovery could enable researchers to find changes leading to disease.
6. Scientists in China used the gene editing technique to change the genomes of the human embryo. This was highly controversial even though the embryos used were not able to survive.
7. The research conducted by Chinese researches resulted in a lot of accidental mutations in other parts of the genome.
8. Researchers have reduced unwanted mutation by 40 percent, making this technique safer for human use. However, ethics still remain a primary concern.
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