GLP Podcast: CRISPR biosensors; Engineered gut microbes; Anti-GMO groups love the lab-leak theory

Researchers have developed a biosensor they say can monitor the activity of CRISPR gene editing in real-time. Synthetic biology is yielding drugs that modify the gut microbiome, offering potential treatments for a variety of diseases. Hoping to revive their campaign against agricultural biotechnology, anti-GMO groups have latched on to the SARS-CoV-2 lab-leak theory. Can scientists prevent their cynical campaign from gaining traction among the general public?

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 149 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

Researchers have engineered a biosensor that can be used to verify that CRISPR has properly edited the DNA plants and other organisms. The developers, scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, compare their new approach to an “alarm system” encoded into an organism’s DNA, allowing researchers to monitor changes to its genome in real-time.

The biosensor works by intercepting CRISPR and redirecting it “to a specific DNA sequence that encodes for a nonfunctioning green fluorescent protein, or GFP,” Oak Ride notes. When the gene-editing machinery edits this sequence, it activates the protein— quite literally a glowing confirmation that CRISPR is where it’s supposed to be in the cell. The developers say their new tool could have important applications in biosecurity, bioenergy and even agriculture.

A variety of medical conditions are influenced by the microbes that live in the human gut, ranging from minor annoyances like acne to more serious disorders like phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare condition that causes the amino acid phenylalanine to build up in the body. People afflicted by PKU have to follow strict diets that minimize their phenylalanine  intake to avoid a host of harmful symptoms.

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Using synthetic biology, researchers have developed microbiome-modifying drugs that effectively treat these conditions. Preliminary evidence indicates that these treatments could re-code the genomes of certain gut bacteria so they could metabolize phenylalanine, which prevents harmful accumulation of the amino acid. The research to a promising conclusion: synthetic biology is accelerating drug development and leading to treatments that would have been unheard of in years past.

Anti-GMO groups have capitalized on the controversy surrounding the origins of SARS-CoV-2 to bolster their flagging campaign against agricultural biotechnology. The problem? Gain-of-function research, which has attracted so much criticism during the pandemic, has little in common with GM crops, diease-fighting insects and other biotechnologies that have life-saving potential. The science community has to make it clear to the public that the lab-leak theory, whether it proves correct or not, is no reason to put the brakes on unrelated genetic engineering research.

Kevin M. Folta is a professor, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Professor Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta

Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his website and follow ACSH on Twitter @ACSHorg

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