CRISPR

Larger, deeper root systems can help store more carbon in the soil, because if a plant dies and parts of it are deep underground, the carbon in those pieces is less likely to make its way back into the air quickly. Roots aren’t the only possible storage option, Ringeisen says. Modified plants could also be used to make bio-oil or biochar, which can be pumped deep underground for storage. Optimizing plants for carbon removal will be challenging, says Daniel Voytas, a genetic engineer at the University of Minnesota and a…

“We didn't see any indication of their drinking coming back to baseline, so we think that maybe this epigenetic editing will produce a long-lasting effect,” Pandey says. “I think a lot more work needs to be done in terms of how this can be translated into humans for a therapy, but I have high hopes.”To test that the Arc gene was truly responsible for this outcome, the researchers also designed a Crispr injection meant to decrease its expression. They tested it in rats that weren’t exposed to alcohol in adolescence.…

Tools such as CRISPR that snip DNA to alter its sequence are moving tantalizingly close to the clinic as treatment for some genetic diseases. But away from the limelight, researchers are increasingly excited about an alternative that leaves a DNA sequence unchanged. These molecular tools target the epigenome, the chemical tags adorning DNA and its surrounding proteins that govern a gene’s expression and how it ultimately behaves. A flurry of studies in the past few years in mice…

By making a few genetic tweaks using CRISPR technology, scientists have designed a special sun-dried tomato packed to the leaves with vitamin D.The flesh and peel of the fruit were genetically engineered to contain the same vitamin D levels as two eggs or 28 grams of tuna, both of which are currently recommended sources of the vital nutrient.  When exposed to ultraviolet light for an hour, these provitamins were readily converted to vitamin D3.Both the provitamin and the vitamin come with potential health-related…

Vitamin D deficiency is a growing health issue, but very few foods are rich in the nutrient. To help combat the problem, scientists have now used CRISPR gene editing to fortify tomatoes with vitamin D.By helping the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, vitamin D is especially crucial for good bone health and strengthening the immune system. However, it’s tricky to get enough of it through food alone, with the majority of it produced in the skin in response to UV light from the Sun.Unfortunately, many people…

Cartoon of CRISPR in cockroaches. Credit: Shirai et al./Cell Reports MethodsAccording to a paper published in the journal Cell Reports Methods by Cell Press on May 16th, 2022, researchers devised a CRISPR-Cas9 technique to enable gene editing in cockroaches. The straightforward and effective “direct parental” CRISPR (DIPA-CRISPR) procedure involves injecting materials into female adults where eggs are developing rather than into the embryos themselves.“In a sense, insect researchers have been freed from the annoyance of…