- Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) used Crispr, a revolutionary high accuracy genome-editing technique that allows for smallest changes in the vast DNA to cure a genetic liver disease in mice by altering the gene LAH in about a third of their liver cells.
- This disease is caused due to single point mutation of the gene involved in liver metabolism. This is of immense hope since a similar mutation causes one such disease in humans and clinical trials on this could begin shortly.
- Crispr was earlier discovered as an ‘immune defence’ employed by bacteria against viruses, and later scientists demonstrated that it can be used to edit the human genome it defined points on the chromosomes in combination with a DNA cutting enzyme called Cas9.
- In addition to repairing the defect, this allows for correcting the DNA itself and opens avenues of curing genetic disorders in animals and humans.
- Read at: http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2014/04/23&PageLabel=21&EntityId=Ar02100&ViewMode=HTML
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