It is pointed out that the possibility of occurrence of change in the region of the algorithm's unexpected region is indicated by the gene editing technique "CRISPR-Cas 9"

ByKarl-Ludwig Poggemann

CRISPR-Cas9 (genome) editing technology has attracted attention for several years as a technology with a power to greatly change biology, and by using it wellSafe treatment of hereditary diseasesAlthough it is expected, the existence of "off-target effect" which exerts an effect to a position deviating from the target part is known. As one of countermeasures, the algorithm predicts the area where the off-target effect works depending on the algorithm, but it is pointed out that a change occurs outside the predicted area of ​​the algorithm.

Unexpected mutations after CRISPR-Cas 9 editing in vivo: Nature Methods: Nature Research
https://www.nature.com/nmeth/journal/v14/n6/full/nmeth.4293.html


CRISPR Gene Editing Can Cause Hundreds of Unintended Mutations - Columbia University Medical Center
http://newsroom.cumc.columbia.edu/blog/2017/05/30/crispr-gene-editing-can-cause-hundreds-of-unintended-mutations/

This study was conducted by Wen-Hsuan Wu of Columbia University Medical Center and Kellie A Schaefer of Stanford University. "CRISPR" is one of the genome editing techniques aligned with "ZFN" "TALEN" etc.,Easily change target gene or target multiple genesIt is widely used because it has high precision such as high accuracy and requires much shorter time required than before.

What is the genetic editing technology "CRISPR" and what is the future of humanity and humanity? - GIGAZINE


But,Unintended mutations are introduced into the genomic region other than the targeting sequence"Off target effect"Is an important issue. As a countermeasure,Cas9 enzyme with the least off-target effect, And algorithms have been created to predict areas where off-target effects occur.

CRISPR is currently undergoing clinical trials in China and from 2018 clinical trials are to be conducted in the United States. However, even though prediction of the off-target effect is successful in "on the petri dish", it is difficult to predict the off-target effect in the whole genomeSequencingIt is pointed out by the research team whether or not it is not used.

According to the research team, in the case where the blindness of Mus musculus cured at CRISPR cured, more than 1,500nucleotideAnd the deletion / insertion exceeding 100 places occurred where the prediction algorithm of the off target effect did not predict.

However, co-authors of theses and associate professor of ophthalmology Vinit Mahajan showed an understanding that these new treatments have potential side effects, "We need to know that It is recommended. " As a research team, this paper does not warn that CRISPR is dangerous, but whole genome sequencing is used in predicting off-target effects, and further safe and accurate different genome editing methods It is a thing that I hoped for helping to be studied.