ADVANCES IN GENE KNOCKOUT TECHNOLOGY
Applications
Discover the various possible ways in which Gene Knockouts can be put into use.
Since Gene Knockout techniques have not been perfected, they are mainly used to conduct different studies on the function and make up of genes in different organisms. These various studies may eventually open doors to new methods of achieving benefits from altering human genes. Listed below are a few of these studies:
Disease and Drug Studies
Because each individual has their own unique set of genes, their bodies will react differently when exposed to certain diseases and drugs. Provided below are a few articles of studies that are being conducted to study the impact of gene knockouts on human diseases and drugs.
"Human 'knockouts' may reveal why some drugs fail..." (6.2)
"Genetics of first-cousin marriage families show how some are protected from heart disease..." (6.3)
"Gene knockouts in people provide drug safety and effectiveness clues..." (6.4)
"How 1,800 Pakistanis are helping Penn scientists fight disease..." (6.5)
Xenotransplantation
Xenotransplantation is the process of transplanting cells, tissues, or organs from one species to another species. Pigs are currently the major animal form of xenotransplantation donors to humans. The transplanted cells, tissues, or organs are called xenografts. But since pigs possess molecules on their cell surfaces that humans do no possess, the human body usually rejects this xenograft transplantation. With the removal of the pigs' unwanted molecule, conducted research and experiments demonstrate that knocking out the GGTA1 and CMAH genes in pigs can significantly reduce the xenogeneic consumption of human platelets. With this reduction, xenotransplantation between pigs and humans can become successful, saving thousands of human lives. (6.6), (6.9)
Male Infertility
Infertility is a major problem in various countries across the globe. About 25 million couples of reproductive age are infertile due to the male counterpart. Male infertility may be caused by genetic factors that effect the development of sperm. An enzyme called glyceraldehydes 3- phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPD) GAPD-S is used in the glycolysis step of respiration in sperm tail. Scientists have examined that knocking out the gene responsible for the synthesis of GAPD-S make a sperm less or nonmotile, which causes infertility in male. By enhancing the proper treatment of gene coding for GAPD-S, the infertility in male may be resolved. (6.7)
Discovery of Male Contraceptive
Gene knockouts can possibly be used to discover a new method of birth control for males. An industrial solvent called epicholorohydrin typically breaks down into 3-chlorolactaldehyde, which disrupts reproductive processes in male by blocking the function of GAPD-S. Since the structure of GAPD-S in sperm differs from the GAPD of other cells, a special chemical can be potentially made to disrupt only GAPD-S while having no affect on the GAPD of other cells. Theoretically, the GAPD-S enzyme in sperm could be targeted for a male contraceptive. Perhaps a chemical could be designed using gene knockout studies and technologies to inhibit GAPD-S alone in order to make male temporarily infertile. This chemical will stop the ATP production in sperm, allowing males' sperm to lose its mobility, and thus, making male infertile. (6.8)
Causes of Death in Modified and Cloned Sheeps
From observing the deaths of modified and cloned sheep, like Dolly the sheep, researchers have found serious abnormalities in these animals, suggesting that the techniques used for these procedures should not be used on human beings. Although these failures could have resulted from abnormal tissues and organs, studies of different genes through gene knockout have allowed researchers to come to a possible conclusion that some of the genes were not functioning properly during the sheep's embryonic and fetal development, which led to the development of disorders. (6.8)
