A Chinese military research team carries out a genetic experiment to insert the gene of the strongest organism ``tardigrade'' into human stem cells, to develop a ``super soldier'' resistant to nuclear attack radiation
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Water bears , which have been reported to withstand extreme heat and cold and survive being ejected at 825 meters per second , are said to be able to survive exposure to high doses of radiation. A team of military medical researchers in China has reportedly inserted tardigrade genes into human stem cells , greatly increasing their resistance to radiation. The research team suggests that the success of this experiment may lead to the development of a 'super soldier' that can withstand radiation from nuclear weapons.
Chinese team behind extreme animal gene experiment says it may lead to super soldiers who survive nuclear fallout | South China Morning Post
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3215286/chinese-team-behind-extreme-animal-gene-experiment-says-it-may-lead-super-soldiers-who-survive
China: A genetic experiment that inserted tardigrade genes into human stem cells could lead to radiation-resistant super soldiers - Tiempo
Water bears, which are 50 micrometers to 1.7 mm long microorganisms that have been confirmed to live widely in water and on moss around the world, are exposed to harsh environments such as dryness, and their bodies become It enters a state of '
A research team led by Wen Yue and colleagues at the Institute of Radiation Biotechnology, Academy of Military Sciences in Beijing, China, used CRISPR-Cas9 , a common gene-editing tool, to transform genes associated with tardigrade cryptobiosis into humans. reported finding a way to insert into the DNA of
According to Yue et al.'s research team, in a laboratory experiment, about 90% of the stem cells survived when human stem cells into which the tardigrade gene was inserted were irradiated with lethal doses of X-rays . An anonymous researcher said, ``This is a surprising result, given the huge genetic differences between tardigrades and humans.''
The research team conducted experiments while fully understanding the risk of causing harmful mutations and the risk of stem cell death due to genetic gaps when inserting genes from tardigrades into human stem cells. ``The proteins associated with cryptobiosis are unique to tardigrades, but
However, as a result of the research, it is reported that no mutation was found in the stem cell chromosomes and the cells functioned normally. It has also been observed that at certain developmental stages they grew faster than common stem cells. The research team says, 'The insertion of the tardigrade gene does not reduce the survival rate of cells, but it is possible to promote cell proliferation to some extent.'
Following the success of the experiment, the research team reported that 'the research will proceed to the next stage based on these findings.' One of the future projects of the research team is to ``convert stem cells into which the tardigrade gene has been inserted into blood cells consisting of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.''
The research team said, ``If you receive a high dose of radiation at once, acute radiation syndrome (ARS), which causes damage to various organs and tissues, is a serious problem for military personnel, civilians, and emergency personnel when responding to nuclear accidents and terrorism caused by nuclear weapons. It's a medical problem facing the members, 'he said, 'By transplanting cells with a tardigrade gene inserted into the bone marrow , it will be possible to generate new blood cells that are resistant to radiation.'
Furthermore, by inserting the tardigrade gene, it is possible to play a role in protecting the DNA of cells against oxidative stress that is involved in the development of many diseases such as cancer, aging, diabetes, inflammation, and Parkinson's disease. . 'The tardigrade gene may bring additional benefits to humans,' the research team said.
On the other hand, an anonymous scientist told Hong Kong's daily English newspaper South China Morning Post, ``The research team claims that the disease can be cured by inserting a tardigrade gene, but capital from companies will enter in the future. If further research is done on this, it could have a negative impact on society.'
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