A potentially monumental breakthrough in science..
Researchers from South Korea and the U.S.
say they've figured out a way to edit DNA
in human embryos to remove an inherited heart
disorder -- and did so without introducing
harmful mutations.
With more on this and other news around the
world….we turn to Ro Aram…
Aram… we still have to see,... but this
could pave the way to prevent about ten thousand
disorders being passed onto future generations.
How did the scientists do it?
Well Mark…
Researchers at Korea's Institute for Basic
Science, America's Oregon Health and Science
University and the Salk Institute used a technique
known as CRISPR-Cas9 to correct a genetic
mutation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
The heart disorder affects one in every 500
people and leads to the heart suddenly stopping
and those who have the mutation have a 50:50
chance of passing it on their children.
CRISPR-Cas9 works as a pair of molecular scissors
that can selectively trim away unwanted parts
of the genome, and replace it with new stretches
of DNA.
The study was published in the journal Nature,
which said the genetic repair happened at
the moment of conception.
Defective sperm was injected into eggs from
a healthy woman and CRISPR-Cas9 was used to
correct the flaw.
Although it didn't work all the time, the
results showed that nearly two-thirds of embryos
did not carry the disease after being allowed
to develop for a few days in a laboratory.
There have been previous attempts to use the
technology in China, but results were mixed
and there were a number of safety concerns,
such as other parts of the genetic code becoming
mutated.
But safety is also a worry for the latest
study and further research is needed before
the experiment becomes routine practice.
