Using Gene Editing to Reduce the Risks of Climate Change

Jennifer Doudna, who won the Nobel Prize for co-inventing CRISPR gene-editing technology, recently discussed how this tool can help address climate change challenges. Speaking at a summit in UC Berkely in October 2024, she explained that CRISPR is being used to develop crops and animals better adapted to extreme weather conditions caused by climate change. Examples include plants engineered to withstand droughts and cattle bred with shorter coats to tolerate excessive heat. The USDA's chief scienist also emphasized the necessity of these advanced technologies to maintain food production without requiring significantly more land and resources. 

CRISPR offers major advantages over traditional breeding methods because it can precisely target and edit specific DNA sequences in existing plants and animals. Older techniques relied on radiation or chemicals to randomly induce mutations, which was time consuming and unpredictable. While plant genomes are actually more complex than human genomes, making it challenging to identify which genes control traits like drought resistance, researchers are making progress. As scientists begin to map out plant genetics more thoroughly, Doudna believes CRISPR will become an increasingly practical tool for developing the climate resistant crops needed for future food security. 

This article directly relates to genetic modification and gene expression. CRISPR functions by targeting specific genes within an organism's genome by targeting specific genes within an organism''s genome and either removing or editing them, which alters the proteins produced and the resulting physical traits. Rather than relying on natural selection or traditional breeding methods that take many generations, scientists can now directly modify the genetic code to produce desired characteristics like heat or drought resistance. This demonstrates how understanding the relationship between genes and traits can be applied to solve real world agricultural and environmental challenges. 

Sources: 

Chaparro, Tonio. “CRISPR in Agriculture: 2024 in Review - Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI).” Innovative Genomics Institute, 10 Dec. 2024, innovativegenomics.org/news/crispr-in-agriculture-2024/.

Temple, James. “How a Breakthrough Gene-Editing Tool Will Help the World Cope With Climate Change.” MIT Technology Review, MIT Technology Review, 2 Nov. 2024, www.technologyreview.com/2024/11/02/1106579/how-a-breakthrough-gene-editing-tool-will-help-the-world-cope-with-climate-change/.

Sweet & Smart: How Crispr Is Making Food Tastier

    Crispr is this powerful gene-editing tool that's helped treat sickle cell disease, and now it's being used to level up our fruits and veggies. Scientists in China have recently used Crispr to make tomatoes that taste 30% sweeter than usual and honestly, I think that's pretty fascinating. Jinzhe Zhang and his colleagues  identified two genes in tomatoes that are responsible for lowering sugar levels as the fruit ripens. By using Crispr to remove parts of those genes, it resulted in tomatoes that were noticeably sweeter - without sacrificing their size. This is very significant considering when tomatoes get to be large they tend to lose their flavor, so accomplishing both size and flavor is impressive. Crispr isn't just being used to sweeten tomatoes- researchers are also exploring ways to make apples and pears sweeter as well.  They've even started conducting experiments to create seedless blackberries and less-bitter mustard greens, which really shows how versatile this tool is. 

    The only downside to genetically edited foods is that none of these foods can't hit the grocery stores until they're approved by the government. It might be a while before we get to try these upgraded fruits and veggies, but it's so interesting and exciting to see the advancements being made in genetically edited foods. I think this kind of innovation could have a huge impact on the agriculture industry by helping farmers grow tastier crops that appeal more to consumers, and possibly even helping crops last longer in the face of extreme climate change. 

First Gene-Edited Soybean Oil Sold

An article recently published by The Scientist discusses the first sale of gene-edited soybean oil for commercial use. Calyxt, an agriculture-focused company based in Minnesota, has developed a product called Calyno oil and sold it to a Midwestern restaurant with multiple locations. The company has modified their soybeans to produce a “high oleic” oil with no trans fats and less saturated fat. Calyxt stated that transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) was used to alter the soybeans.  The company used precision technologies to edit the soybean crop and does not consider their new product a GMO. Calyno oil is being marketed as a non-GMO oil similar to olive, sunflower, and safflower oils. Calyxt hopes to sell to consumers in the near future. 

I was a little concerned by this article. Nowhere in the article is the FDA or regulations mentioned. GMO foods face large scrutiny before becoming available for consumers and commercial businesses. What standards are being used to evaluate gene-edited products? Has there been enough research on gene-edited products to ensure they are safe for consumption? Further research is needed on gene-edited crops to ensure they are safe for human consumption.