A kit that anyone can order online, CRISPR (made up of a cas9 protein, and some RNA), is being questioned. CRISPR stands for clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats. Basically, it is a tool used to change the genome of an organism. The author, Annie Sneed, went on a journey-of-sorts to learn of the capabilities of this program and see if it was true that anyone can make great, or catastrophic, contributions to science. The first thing that she did was purchase one of these inexpensive sets online and attempt to conduct an experiment with just her own knowledge and the instructions given. The goal was to make E-Coli bacteria able to reside in a solution that contained the antibiotic streptomycin. After following what seemed to be simple instructions, she was able to conduct the experiment and get positive results. This means that someone with no training can change the DNA of an organism. But what does this really tell us? Sneed, and many other amateurs who have conducted this same experiment, were in fact able to alter the E-Coli bacteria, but this was with hand-holding directions that seemingly anyone could follow. It was not enough to say if this would work just from completing this experiment so more research had to be conducted.
The next step taken by Sneed was to go to a next-level scientist of sorts. Though still considered an amateur, Johan Sosa had thousands of dollars of equipment, and an entire lab to work with. Sosa also considered this activity to be his "main hobby". Sosa also spent many hours in his spare time researching the topic online, mainly youtube videos. Together, Sneed and Sosa attempted to manipulate DNA by slicing and pasting it together. They were not successful in their endeavor. If someone who, though still considered an amateur, but spends countless hours researching, and even preforming experiments on their own, has trouble doing a simple experiment with CRISPR, then I find it hard to believe that an amateur can make a weaponized pathogen.
Finally, Sneed visited a small university in California to see if she could find out how professionals dealt with the system. She found that several PhD students and professors working together proved much more efficient. They were able to manipulate a visible organism, the Paryhale. This is a very small, shrimp-like aquatic organism. Through the equipment provided by the university, and the expertise of the staff on hand, these experts were able to successfully manipulate the organism. It takes much more than amateurism and research to be proficient at this exercise. It has to be one's lifestyle.
In short, I think that Sneed was ambitious is saying that it could be a problem that people could make dangerous pathogens, or helpful contributions to society. In order to actually make an impact, a lot of hard work and dedication need to be put forth into becoming a student, or even professor, of the program and the knowledge associated with it. In other words, its not something that can just be done on the side. Society has nothing to worry about... unless one of the professionals wants to manipulate viruses to destroy the Earth. Then we might have a problem.
Taylor Olsen
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mail-order-crispr-kits-allow-absolutely-anyone-to-hack-dna/
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