Gene editing, also known as genome editing, has become very popular in the scientific world in recent years. It is possible to say that this technology, which is also described as ‘groundbreaking’, is a genetic engineering that enables certain changes to be made in the DNA of an organism.
A new study, now published, has once again revealed how gene editing technologies can produce results. Scientists at the University of Kent and the Francis Crick Institute in England have succeeded in producing single-sex mouse offspring thanks to gene editing technology.
Many animals are killed because they are not needed.
As can be expected, the use of animals for scientific research may be needed. The animals to be used in these experiments may also have to be unisex, either only male or only female. Likewise, such situations can occur in sectors such as livestock and food, and animals of unneeded sex can be culled. That’s why the scientists conducting the research think that the mice they produce can be an important step for scientific research and different sectors.
In the study published in Nature Communications, the researchers stated that a gene that plays a role in embryo development can be disabled at an early stage of development in mice, after which it is possible to create only female embryos. Although it was stated that this theory was 100% successful in the experiments, it was underlined by the experts that more research and pilot studies were needed.
According to the research, with this method, it may be possible to prevent the culling of millions of animals and to achieve scientific success in the long term. Peter Ellis, one of the authors of the study, said: “The results of this study can be an important step in improving animal welfare; however, the ethical aspect of the method should also be discussed. There should be a comprehensive public discussion for the application of such a method in agriculture.” He pointed out that the use of the method could be a kind of animal eugenics (allowing only certain creatures to live) and could raise ethical questions.
Gene editing system called Crispr-Cas9 was used
Details about how the gene was disabled were also shared in the study. The research team used a gene-editing molecule called Crispr-Cas9, which has the ability to turn off the gene, on mice. Half of this molecule is embedded in the father’s X or Y chromosome (determined by the required sex), and the other half in the mother’s DNA. After that, it was observed that the offspring born had a single sex, and this situation could continue in the same way in the next generations.
Finally, it should be noted that this is not the first time such experiments have been made. Previously, scientists have announced that they are trying to develop ways to choose the sex of chick embryos, as billions of male chicks are slaughtered every year because they cannot lay eggs.
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