Gene editing has the potential to benefit humanity in many areas, including curing diseases, producing high-value crops and livestock, and eradicating pests. However, there are also ethical issues and the risk of ecosystem change that need to be carefully discussed and regulated.
With the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, all the sequences of the human genome have been interpreted, creating a map of the human genome. Based on this genetic map, we are gradually understanding how specific genes are expressed and affect human traits. Since the creation of restriction enzymes that identify and cut specific sequences of bases in DNA, much research has been done to develop the first generation of gene scissors, ZFNs, and the second generation of gene scissors, TALENs. Recently, CRISPR, a third-generation gene scissors that is more innovative than the previous generation, has been developed, and gene editing technology is once again gaining attention in the academic community, as well as social discussion on various issues. As with any technology, it is not without its drawbacks. Gene editing technologies like CRISPR also raise ethical and genetic diversity concerns, but these shouldn’t stop or slow down technological progress. In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of gene editing technologies to humanity, the issues that are currently being debated, and the need for gene editing technologies that have endless possibilities.
One of the biggest benefits of gene editing is that it opens up new avenues for treating diseases. There have been tremendous advances in science and medicine since the past, and previously incurable diseases are now easily treatable. However, there are still diseases that are incurable, even if the cause is known. Genetic diseases such as AIDS and hemophilia are still incurable with current medical science. Gene editing is being studied as a treatment for these diseases, and the results are promising. How does gene editing work to treat these incurable diseases? Unlike traditional methods of treating diseases, gene editing can identify and correct the gene sequence that causes the disease, thus eliminating the cause before it occurs. For example, hemophilia, a disease that prevents normal blood clotting, is thought to be caused by an abnormality in the F8 gene, which encodes a blood clotting factor. Correcting the F8 gene with CRISPR could cure hemophilia. In fact, experiments have been conducted to correct the F8 gene in mice, and successful results have been published. AIDS is also being studied for gene editing. There are approximately 350 million people in the world suffering from a terminal illness. Every day, they are waiting for a cure. In order to fulfill their hopes, gene editing for disease treatment needs to be further developed.
In addition to treating diseases, gene editing technology can also help solve food shortages by producing high-value crops and livestock. Food has been a global problem since the industrial revolution, but some countries on the African continent still suffer from food shortages. Furthermore, some scientists believe that by 2030, food scarcity will become a global problem beyond Africa due to climate change. To solve the food problem, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are currently being proposed as an alternative. GMOs are the creation of new varieties by inserting foreign genes to withstand cold, pests, etc. Because of the process of inserting foreign genes, consumers have been reluctant to purchase GMO products due to concerns about their safety. Gene editing, on the other hand, involves modifying your own genes without inserting foreign genes, so it is not classified as a GMO and there is much less room for side effects. One study showed that the BIN2 gene, which can regulate the growth and development of lettuce, can be modified by editing, providing a successful example of a high-value crop. In this way, gene editing can be used to produce plants that are more resistant to climate and pests, and even livestock, to help solve food shortages.
Finally, gene editing can be used to eradicate pests such as mosquitoes. Insects that directly or indirectly harm life are called pests because they can be devastating to nature or to humans, causing loss of life in some cases. An example of this is the recent global spread of the Zika virus by mosquitoes, which has caused deaths. The problem with global disease transmission by pests is that it is very fast and difficult to prevent. Gene editing can be used to prevent this risk. By releasing mosquitoes with a gene that renders them sterile, we could eradicate not only the Zika virus, but also malaria and Japanese encephalitis. Further advances in technology could allow us to modify the genes of animals to prevent diseases that originated in domestic animals, such as MERS, which originated in camels, and Ebola, which originated in bats.
These are just some of the benefits that gene editing could bring to humanity. As we’ve said before, there are problems with any technology. Few people would deny that gene editing has the potential to cure diseases such as terminal illnesses. However, the question arises as to what level is the goal of curing a disease? As an extension of disease treatment, babies could be customized to reflect the preferences of their parents, such as modifications to enhance low intelligence, to favor disadvantaged physical conditions, or to make them genetically immune to disease. This could lead to the controversial practice of eugenics, which is the practice of selecting for genetic superiority over others. In addition, genetically producing plants and animals that are resistant to their environment or eradicating mosquitoes to prevent pests could lead to irreversible changes in ecosystems. Ecosystems are based on survival of the fittest, meaning that the most adapted organisms survive, while the less adapted groups are naturally culled and disappear. It is not possible to predict the consequences of artificially altering an ecosystem by genetically modifying the population of a particular species rather than controlling it naturally. It is undeniable that there are still ethical and biological issues that need to be addressed.
So what does the future hold for gene editing technology? Although there are challenges to overcome, this shouldn’t stop us from developing the technology. Innovative and new technologies are always accompanied by concerns and criticisms because they are unpredictable. In fact, it’s only a matter of time before negative phenomena arise from the advancement of science and technology. “Changing a few misspelled words in a 500-page book is called proofreading, not editing,” says Professor Jinsoo Kim of Seoul National University. Similarly, changing only a few of the 3.2 billion bases in the human genome is gene correction, not gene editing,” he said, adding that the term gene editing itself exaggerates the risks. If we block the development of beneficial technologies based on what may be nothing more than a whim, we will not advance humanity. The best we can do is to continue to develop gene editing technologies, anticipate the problems that may arise, and prepare for them. To this end, experts from various fields, including academia, religion, policy makers, lawyers, and bioethicists, should come together to discuss the development of gene editing technology and clarify its limits without violating human dignity and ethical issues. This will ensure that gene editing technology, with its limitless possibilities, can bring another revolution to humanity.
