CRISPR / Cas9 genetically edited vegetables were first fried and eaten

The scientific community continues to argue whether the method of directed genetic editing of CRISPR / Cas9 genomes is included in the classification of GMOs. Under the conditions of mass public hysteria around the term “GMO”, this is an important nuance.

CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) is a relatively new method for editing the genomes of higher organisms. In 1987, genetics discovered that there are short, palindromic identical repeats in the DNA of bacteria, between which there are different sections of DNA (spacers). This did not attach much importance.

In 2005, it turned out that CRISPR is part of the mechanism of the immune system, which works as a computer antivirus program. Some spacers correspond to the genomes of harmful viruses (virus signatures). When an organism is infected with a virus, the immune system calculates it using the CRISPR RNA signature and cuts viral DNA using the specialized Cas protein (CRISPR-associated sequence).
')
Later it became clear that the CRISPR genome “natural” editing method works not only in bacteria cells, but also in cells of higher organisms, including humans . In theory, this is a very convenient and “natural” way to correct living organisms by cutting out unwanted parts from a CRISPR cassette or adding new ones. For example, in order for a bacterium to become resistant to a virus, simply insert the spacer with the DNA sequence of the virus into the bacterium's CRISPR cassette. Painless perfect upgrade of the body's immune system.

In 2012, scientists from the University of Berkeley brought theory to life. Professor of Genetics Jennifer Dudna and colleague Emmanuel Charpentier invented a new technology for editing genomes CRISPR-Cas9 . Scientists have found a way to get non-natural CRISPR RNA and, thus, forcing the body's immune system to cut DNA at sites targeted by the researcher ! It was a phenomenal discovery. Scientists around the world realized that genetics is on the verge of a new revolution.

Interestingly, scientists from Berkeley filed a patent application 1 day later from colleagues from the Broad Institute at MIT , which is why patent wars still continue between them.

TED Lecture by Jennifer Dudny on CRISPR / Cas9 genetic editing (Russian translation)


With the help of an exceptionally accurate “genetic scalpel”, it became possible to treat genetic diseases in humans, display new, corrected plant varieties and animal species for the national economy, and also easily edit the genomes of human embryos . Such experiments genetics intensively engaged in the past few years.

As can be seen from the description of the mechanism of CRISPR / Cas9, in this case, the body itself, using the natural mechanisms of the immune system, cuts out the wrong piece of DNA according to a tip from geneticists. Such changes in the genome of an organism can occur (and occur) as a result of natural evolution. Here, genetics cannot do anything “unnatural” that could not happen by itself in nature.

Nevertheless, public obscurantism about GMOs for some reason extends to any genome editing methods, including CRISPR / Cas9. But this does not mean that such a position should be taken by regulators.

For example, Swedish geneticists managed to convince regulators that plants are not officially recognized as genetically modified organisms in accordance with the requirements of the European Union, if they do not contain "foreign DNA."

In fact, the CRISPR / Cas9 technique is inherently such that it is impossible to determine from the result of gene editing whether it was made as a result of human intervention or natural mutation .

Swedish geneticist Stephen Jansson (Stefan Jansson) in his blog published a reference instruction for colleagues from the European Union, in which he explains that the genetic experiments CRISPR / Cas9 and the cultivation of genetically modified plants by the method CRISPR / Cas9 is no longer prohibited in all EU countries.

In May 2016, Jansson publicly promised to demonstrate this in practice: to grow vegetables in his garden with altered DNA using the CRISPR / Cas9 method - and he kept his promise .

On May 31, Stefan planted cabbage seeds in pots with fertilizers , on June 11 they sprouted , and on June 20, a geneticist transplanted sprouts to a vegetable garden .

For a month, the scientist fought with cabbage moths and, finally, defeated the pests. Perhaps helped flowers marigold, which he planted on the advice of his wife .

August 16 is the day of the first harvest. Stefan Jarsson cut some leaves for the dinner table . To the leaves of cabbage, he added a little Swiss chard, peas and onions, which brought his friend Gustaf.



Warming up the olive oil, the scientist began to fry vegetables.



He mixed the cooked pasta with fried vegetables, added local Swedish cheese Västerbotten, herbs and seasonings. And on this beautiful sunny day on August 16, 2016, the scientist gave a cooked dish to his friend Gustaf.



Thus, a colleague Gustaf Klarin (Gustaf Klarin) became the first person in the world to eat a dish of genetically edited CRISPR / Cas9 vegetables.



The happy cook at this time fried some bread on the street barbecue, so that the dish with genetically modified cabbage became even tastier.



Recipe from Stephen Jansson
300 g of genetically modified cabbage (flowers and young leaves) - can be replaced with broccoli or something like that
200 g Swiss cheese
20 grams of peas
10 onion feathers - can be replaced by a third of the onion
Quality olive oil
½ teaspoon chips of chilli pepper
400 g fresh pasta
100 ml of freshly ground Västerbotten cheese - can be replaced with parmesan
50-100 ml of chopped fresh herbs, specifically oregano, thyme, oregano, tarragon and parsley, 2 leaves of coriander, 2 leaves of mint
The cooking method is briefly described and depicted in the photographs above.

Swedish genetics haven't finished their kilogram dish. To the horror of the “GMO obscurantism”, scientists treated the child's genetically modified cabbage .