Genetically engineered organisms could have a massive impact on humans. They can do almost anything. They could solve thousands of problems that plague the human race. Genetically modified organisms will benefit the human race in innumerable ways. They will likely be the cure for cancer, an inevitable food crisis, and the organ crisis. They can produce insulin and will make transplants more available and much easier.
Genetic modification or genetic engineering is the altering of the genetic material in a given organism. Any organism that has been changed genetically, is genetically modified. The Food and Drug Administration defines genetic engineering as “the biotechnical methods used by scientists to directly manipulate an organism’s genome”. Organisms that have been selectively bred are not classified as GMOs under this definition. Any animals given antibiotics or hormone supplements do not fall under the GMO category.
Viruses, bacteria, plants, and animals can be altered. When studying the immune system of bacteria, scientists discovered a family DNA sequences. They saw that bacteria, and specifically this family of DNA sequences, could take DNA from an attacking virus or bacterium and insert it into themselves. This made the bacteria stronger and more able to survive. This family of sequences called clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, or CRISPR for short has the potential to change the world for the better. CRISPR paired with an enzyme, called Cas 9, has the ability to precisely alter the DNA sequence of an organism (Vidyasagar).
CRISPR and Cas 9 are essentially a pair of molecular scissors. They can be inserted into a cell and target a single DNA sequence or trait. When the CRISPR gets to the specified trait, the Cas 9 enzyme cuts it from the rest of the sequence (Vidyasagar). Once that happens two things can occur: the CRISPR and Cas 9 duo will stop or the duo can insert a new gene or trait into the organism. If the CRISPR and Cas 9 pair stop after cutting the gene, the cell will try to repair it. This usually goes poorly and deactivates the gene (Vidyasagar).
The main reasons for engineering a plant are for an increase in yield harvested, resistance to diseases and pests, or nutritional value in animal feed (McDivitt). Current commercially harvested crops have not been genetically altered to directly increase yield (Norero, ‘GMO Crops Have Increased Yields’). They have not been modified to increase the number of grains or pods, the size of grains, or the size of the plant. They have been genetically changed to become more resistant to herbicides, pesticides, and insects (McDivitt). By reducing the number of crops lost to disease, pests, or drought, yields have increased.
According to a paper by Mark W. Rosegrant and his associates, on 2020 global food production, the average cereal growth rate has declined almost everywhere in the world (Rosegrant). Yield growth rates have fallen roughly 1.5% per hectare from 1967 to 1997 and projected to fall another 2% before 2020 (Rosegrant). From 1982 to 2012, over 24 million acres of farmland were converted to developed land. In 2012, there were 914 million acres of farmland in the United States. This has fallen to 900 million acres in 2017 (‘Farmland Information Center’). Farmland acres are projected to decrease in the future.
Earth’s current population is 7.7 billion people. That number is expected to skyrocket to over 9.8 billion by 2050 and even higher to 11 billion in 2100 (‘Growing World Population’). The world’s farmers are going to be responsible for producing enough food for each one of those people. Current food production can support 10 billion people. An ever-growing population paired with a decrease in farmland will create a food shortage before the end of the century. This will be exacerbated by the fact that food is becoming less nutritious. Reckless farming practices have led to poorer soils and therefore poorer nutritional value in crops (Scheer). People will have to eat more food to attain a healthy requirement for nutrients.
Farmers will have to look for alternative methods to produce more food. One of these methods is planting genetically engineered crops designed to yield more. Most farmers are already planting genetically engineered crops to better control pests and diseases (Norero, ‘GMO Safety Endorsement’). Planting GMOs can help farmers produce more crops at the same or an even lower price. With GMOs, farmers could plant more nutritious crops. This, in turn, will resolve the food nutrition crisis and facilitate the elimination of malnutrition.
Using genetic engineering, genetic diseases could be a thing of the past. Currently, scientists are engineering immune cells or T cells, to find and kill cancer cells. The T cells see the cancerous cells as a virus, like the common cold, and kills them (Bennett). Genetic alteration could be used to cure numerous diseases including Huntington's disease, AIDS, cystic fibrosis, and even genetic blindness (Bennett). However, more research and funding are needed for each project.
There are many other ways genetic engineering, and CRISPR especially could save lives. Scientists have been able to make mosquitoes resistant to malaria. Malaria ravages over 50% of the world every year. With 300 million cases and nearly 500,000 deaths every year, malaria is the leading cause of death in many developing countries (‘Impact of Malaria’). Mosquitoes also carry several other diseases detrimental to humans and other animals. Scientists have engineered mosquitoes without the ability to reproduce (Doubek). These mosquitoes also have an altered gene that makes them glow fluorescent. This is to help further the decline in the mosquito population.
Over 100,000 people are on an organ transplant list. However, very few people get these transplants and 8,000 people die every year while waiting for a transplant (Mullin). Very few people die in a way that their organs can be transplanted, so scientists are looking for other sources of organs. Humans and pigs have very similar anatomies (Miller, Ioannou). They share the same number of organs and size of organs. Pig hearts are slightly larger than a human’s and pig kidneys are slightly smaller than a human’s (Miller).
The problem with transplants is that the human body rejects anything that doesn’t match its DNA. Organ transplantees have to take immune system suppression drugs so their body does reject the transplant. CRISPR could make implants or transplants safer by altering the DNA in the organ to reduce the risk of rejection (Schmidt). If patients do not have to take immune system suppression drugs, they could live healthier, happier lives without having to worry about viruses like the common cold.
Some organs carry diseases, especially organs from pigs. CRISPR could eliminate these diseases present in the organs. CRISPR could eliminate these diseases before they even get transplanted into a human. Porcine endogenous retroviruses, or PERVs, are common in pig DNA and can be passed on during transplants (Mullin). CRISPR can be used to rid pig embryos of disease before birth, these embryos are then implanted into female pigs (Mullin). The virus-free pigs are birthed and kept in sterile housing until they have matured to a point where their organs can be harvested and transplanted into humans.
Insulin allows the human body to process sugar. Some people’s bodies cannot or do not produce enough insulin for them to survive. These people are called diabetics. There are over 400 million diabetics worldwide (‘Diabetes Prevalence’). The price of insulin can vary from $25 to over $100 per vial. Genetically engineering can lower this cost and even produce a surplus of insulin. Scientists have already produced insulin from bacteria. Normally, insulin is collected from the pancreas of cows or pigs. With bacteria, the insulin-producing gene is inserted into the DNA of the bacterium. The bacterium produces insulin which is then collected from fermentation tanks (‘How Do They Make Insulin from Recombinant DNA?’).
Before the end of the century, there will be a food crisis. Food nutrition has dropped dramatically over just 30 years. Hundreds of diseases ravage the human population. The price of insulin is at an all-time high and is not looking to decrease. Currently, there is an organ shortage around the world. If the human race wishes to survive and thrive throughout the next millennia, humans must turn to genetically modified organisms to survive. GMOs can make human lives healthier, happier, longer, and even cheaper.