The power of thought can change the genetic code of an organism. Human genetic engineering Is it possible to change DNA

Can useful or bad habits, diet and exercise will affect children or grandchildren? Will our lack of sleep or extra glasses of champagne come back to haunt our descendants - what if, because of our unreasonable decisions, our children will develop a tendency towards alcoholism, diabetes or carpal tunnel syndrome? Look At Me presents the main arguments of genetic scientists, doctors and other specialists who answered this question in the Ask Science section on Reddit.

Does lifestyle affect DNA?

Although lifestyle does not affect the structure of DNA, it can affect the factors that regulate gene activity. This phenomenon is called epigenetic inheritance: depending on what factors influenced the body during life, its offspring may or, conversely, may not manifest some properties that were originally embedded in the genetic code.

The structure of the genome itself, which is passed on to the offspring, can only be changed during pregnancy: poor nutrition, stress or illness suffered by the mother during this period can cause mutations at the gene level and damage to the DNA structure - for example, children can be born due to such mutations with an extra chromosome. But these changes are quite random, do not always occur and are often not related to the mother’s lifestyle. This is a genetic abnormality that is difficult to predict before conception, but today future parents can be warned using prenatal diagnostics - the research program includes a special test that allows you to check the fetus for 6000 possible violations in development.

However, not all properties passed on from parents to offspring are embedded in DNA. The mechanism of inheritance outside the structure of the genetic code is studied by a special branch of science - epigenetics. The term itself was coined by the Englishman Conrad Waddington in the 50s. The scientist did not yet know how the human genome was structured, but he guessed the existence of a certain mechanism that controls the hereditary material of living beings. In the 1990s, when human DNA was deciphered, researchers remembered epigenetics and found confirmation of Waddington’s hypotheses. Nowadays, epigenetic (literally, “overgene”) inheritance refers to all changes associated with the phenotype or gene expression that appear in descendants in the first generation in living beings and in several generations in cellular organisms.

Scientists do not know exactly how inheritance occurs in living beings. To track the reasons for the manifestation of similar signs, you need to take into account an infinite number of factors: the conditions in which the animal grew and developed, environmental factors, ecology, cosmic radiation, and so on. Researchers can't say for sure what influences gene expression, and if you exhibit the same characteristics as your parents, it doesn't mean they were passed on to you genetically. Perhaps your phenotype is influenced by climate, the rhythm of life in hometown or consumption of foods familiar to your family.

It is especially difficult to describe the mechanism of inheritance of certain characteristics and character traits in people- unlike most animals, people in their development are highly dependent on society, and a child in the process of growing up is influenced by his relatives, peers, teachers, movie characters, and accepted norms and orders in society. Roughly speaking, if three generations in a family go in for sports, this does not mean that children inherit prominent muscles genetically: first of all, they are influenced by upbringing and the family tradition of spending evenings in the gym.

But what if not only physiological characteristics, but also behavioral patterns can be passed on from generation to generation? Thanks to this question, a new field has recently emerged - behavioral epigenetics. Scientists working in this field suggest that the lifestyle of the parent organism can affect the character and behavioral scenarios of the offspring.

In 2013, the authoritative journal Neuroscience published the results of experiments conducted on laboratory mice: researchers taught the animal to be afraid of the smell of cherry (they do not seem to explain the choice of aroma), and then observed the manifestation of the same fear in the offspring of this mouse and even subsequent generations .

We cannot know for sure what caused this: Perhaps the mechanism of genetic transmission of behavioral scripts is much more complex and manifests itself in mice completely differently than in humans. But biologists say that the ability to transfer acquired skills genetically would be a good accelerator of evolution, because in this way more advanced creatures would appear much faster than due to random gene mutations. If we believe that nature is logical, the transmission of behavioral patterns would be very useful for the development of living beings.

but are all behavioral scenarios passed on to offspring, or only those that were useful to the parent being? Fear is a manifestation of the instinct of self-preservation, which helps the mouse protect itself and the future of the population, and the habit of drinking alcohol, for example, has the opposite effect. Geneticists say that the presence of several relatives suffering from alcoholism in the family tree does not increase the chances of a child becoming addicted to drinking: most likely, his DNA will have a predisposition to alcoholism, but without the motivating influence of the social environment this gene will not manifest itself.

It turns out that the experience gained by the parents can still affect the offspring, but cannot change the DNA. Since epigenetic inheritance was discovered only recently, researchers did not have the opportunity to track it in several generations of people: now the phenomenon is being studied in mice, whose DNA structure is close to that of humans, and the rate of reproduction makes it possible to track gene expression in parents, children and grandchildren. But the question of projecting the results of experiments onto people remains open.

By playing sports or following the right diet, you do not change your genetic code, but use the capabilities inherent in it by nature. You can compare this to game consoles: inserting different cartridges will give you different results, but without the console itself with certain technical characteristics, the cartridges mean nothing. In any case, taking care of yourself and your health is not a bad idea, even if the good habits developed so hard are not passed on to your children epigenetically.

“The information underlying Iissiidiology is designed to radically change your entire current vision of the world, which, together with everything that is in it - from minerals, plants, animals and humans to distant Stars and Galaxies - is in reality unimaginably complex and an extremely dynamic Illusion, no more real than your dream today."

Table of contents:

1. Introduction

1. Introduction

The question of the relationship between the factors of heredity and upbringing in the process of formation often caused frantic debate. human personality, especially in the formation of a complex of humanism traits. Science indisputably proves that these factors are inextricably linked: hereditary capabilities can only be realized under the influence of the external environment, and the influence of the external environment and factors is always limited to individual hereditary capabilities.

It turns out to be a kind of vicious circle. Is it so? To what extent are these two factors interdependent on each other? Is it possible to influence hereditary possibilities? If yes, then how? These and many other questions arise as a result of the collision of these scientific approaches.

This paper provides answers to these questions through a comparative analysis of the knowledge of such scientific fields as genetics, epigenetics, as well as isissiidiology, which is a new system of knowledge that interprets many scientific fields using more universal concepts. That is, those ideas that form the basis of Iissiidiology, in my opinion, reveal additional facets that science lacks in understanding the essence of higher-level tasks and issues and help expand the boundaries of human capabilities.

Many people know that aesthetic education and appropriate environmental conditions are absolutely necessary for the humanization of the individual. However, in order for this influence to be most effective and targeted, so that every person can realize his potential to the maximum for the benefit of others, it is also necessary to know the hereditary mechanisms for the manifestation of all hidden abilities archived in the structure of DNA and in a person’s self-awareness.

2. A look at genetic information from the perspective of genetics and issiidiology

2.1. DNA in the views of official science

First, we need to consider what DNA and the genetic code are from the point of view of genetics.

At the beginning of this millennium, an event of exceptional importance occurred: the human genome was deciphered - the instructions describing our structure. The genome decoding project was launched in 1990 under the leadership of James Watson (molecular biologist, geneticist) under the auspices of the US National Health Organization. A working draft of the genome structure was released in 2000, the complete genome was released in 2003, but today additional analysis some areas have not yet been completed. The goal of the project was to understand the structure of the genome of the human species, determine the sequence of nucleotides that make up DNA, and identify 25-30 thousand genes in the human genome.

In the nucleus of every cell in our body there is a control center - DNA, the program for the evolution of all living beings. The code for this giant thread-like molecule contains important information, which regulates cell activity and transmits hereditary traits from generation to generation. It can change as a result of mutations, which can be positive and change it in a direction favorable for the body, or in an unfavorable one, or even destructive in certain cases. This information contained in DNA consists of a sequence of nucleotides (adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine) forming a set of triplets (codons) that determine the order of amino acids in the protein molecule.

The discovery of nucleic acids belongs to the Swiss chemist F. Miescher, who for a long time studied the nuclei of leukocytes that make up pus. The painstaking work of a remarkable researcher was crowned with success. In 1869, F. Miescher discovered a new thing in leukocytes chemical compound, which he called nuclein (lat. nucleus - nucleus). Further research showed that nuclein is a mixture of nucleic acids. Subsequently, nucleic acids were found in all plant and animal cells, bacteria and viruses. And so it turned out that in nature there are two types of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic and ribonucleic. The difference in names is explained by the fact that the DNA molecule contains the sugar deoxyribose, and the RNA molecule contains ribose.

To get a complete picture, you should describe what a gene is (from the Greek genos - genus, origin), as structural element this macromolecule, which is an elementary unit of heredity, representing a certain specific sequence of nucleotides in DNA.

In the genome of each human cell there are about 30-40 thousand genes, which are located on chromosomes, divided into sections - loci, that is, the location of a particular gene. As a result of sequencing the entire set of genomic DNA, it was established that the human genome contains 25-30 thousand active genes encoding proteins and functional RNA, which constitutes only 1.5% of the total genetic material. The rest is non-coding DNA, often called "junk DNA".

The human genome consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes, where each chromosome contains hundreds of genes separated by intergenic space. The intergenic space contains regulatory regions and non-coding DNA.

Genes encode information about the biosynthesis of one polypeptide chain with a specific amino acid sequence and about the structure of RNA molecules: matrix or informational (coding proteins), ribosomal, transport and some other types of so-called non-coding RNA. The average size The human gene is 30,000 base pairs long. The shortest genes contain only two dozen nucleotide letters, for example, the genes for endorphins - proteins that cause a feeling of pleasure. The genes for interferons, proteins that protect humans from viral infections, are about 700 nucleotides in size. The longest gene encoding one of the muscle proteins, dystrophin, contains 2.5 million nucleotide pairs.

They perform several functions, one of which is encoding the primary structure of the polypeptide (protein). In each cell (except for erythrocytes, which lack a nucleus), genes encoding enzymes for DNA replication and repair, transcription, components of the translation apparatus (ribosomal proteins, r-RNA, t-RNA, aminoacyl synthetases and other enzymes), enzymes for ATP synthesis and others work. components necessary for maintaining the “housekeeping” of the cell. About one-fifth of all genes are responsible for housekeeping. Most genes in each cell are silent. The set of active genes varies depending on the type of tissue, the period of development of the organism, and the received external or internal signals. We can say that each cell “sounds” its own chord of genes, determining the spectrum of m-RNAs synthesized, the proteins they encode and, accordingly, the properties of the cell.

DNA itself is not directly involved in protein synthesis, but serves as a template for constructing a messenger or messenger RNA molecule into which the gene code is transmitted (transcription). In ribosomes, the m-RNA code is “translated” into the amino acid sequence of the protein synthesized on them (translation).

2.2 Comparison of DNA structure from the point of view of issiidiology and genetics

DNA, as a structure that ensures storage, transmission from generation to generation and implementation of the genetic development program, from the point of view of issiidiology, is also considered as an information base about all existing forms. The evolution of humans and many other forms of life is associated with many factors, one of which is the inclusion in our DNA of relationships characteristic of other forms of self-consciousness (proto-forms): animals, plants, minerals, and so on. Iissiidiology interprets that part of DNA, which scientists call working, as relationships of varying degrees of covariance (similarity) between different types proto-forms, that is, working on the basis of different protoform sfuurmm-forms (ideas), reformatted into the human type of thinking. In our body, all possible functions of organs and systems are represented by thousands of protoform genes; including viruses and bacteria. It is important to note here that human body represents not only a collection of several trillion human cells itself, but also more than 100 trillion bacterial, viral and fungal forms of self-awareness. As you can see, so far in this bio-conglomerate of life, the creators of the human genome are not dominant at all, since in terms of the total number of all kinds of DNA structures in our bodies, it is the creators of protoform (other forms of self-consciousness) cells that structure our bodies in abundance who lead.

That is, from the above we can conclude that the genetic code, represented by a multimillion-dollar sequence of nucleotides, contains not only human, but also experience characteristic of other forms of self-consciousness (proto-forms), received by different representatives of the kingdoms of nature in certain living conditions.

The formation of all kinds of different types (different protoform) relationships is possible due to the principles that are described in Iissiidiology. One of them is the principle of diffusivity.

Diffusion(from lat. diffusio- propagation, spreading, mutual penetration of particles of matter into each other with partial transfer of their individual properties to the resulting state) allows the form-creators of some proto-forms to form the necessary basis of energy-informational relationships by attracting additional information fragments that structure the focal dynamics of other proto-forms.

Each self-conscious being, manifested in the surrounding space, carries out different-quality transformations in the focal dynamics of its consciousness due to the introduction of multi-protoform relationships (information fragments), which, interacting with certain sections of DNA, converted into an electrical impulse, are reprojected along neural pathways for further deciphering into such sections brain, such as the pineal gland, hypothalamus, pituitary gland and so on. As a result, the ideas and images necessary for further development are formed, that is, experience is integrated that corresponds to the quality of the form configuration.

So everything existing species proto-forms, including people, through transgression into the general information field of their own experience of sfuurmm-forms, participate in the evolution (amplification) of each other in the chosen direction of development. This is the evolutionary essence of diffusivity, that is, the ability to continuously reproject all the experience gained between all existing forms by making certain choices that contribute to the universalization of perception and improving the quality of psychomental processes.

An important link that also explains the mechanism for integrating heterogeneous experience in the structure of genes is the photonic nature of the DNA of any living organism, the photonic-wave basis of which allows it to interact with the DNA of all other forms of self-consciousness (animal, plant and mineral kingdoms). That is, everything that is individually thought, felt and uniquely experienced at any point on the globe by a person, animal, plant, mineral, at the same moment is projected into the resonantly corresponding wave sections of the DNA of all other living organisms, regardless of the distance from they are located at the location of the event.

Some newest Scientific research also indicate a connection between the information field and DNA. In 1990, a group of Russian physicists, molecular biologists, biophysicists, geneticists, embryologists and linguists began studying certain parts of DNA. By irradiating samples of this macromolecule with a laser, they discovered that it attracts and, like a sponge, absorbs light and stores its photons in the form of a spiral. This was further proven by the fact that the wave pattern remained in the same place where the irradiated sample was located, the light continued to spiral, although physically the DNA was no longer there. Many control experiments showed that the DNA energy field exists on its own, as an energy double, since the resulting wave pattern took on the same shape as physical molecule, and existed after the sample was removed.

The Chinese doctor Jiang Kanzheng speaks about this in his work “The Theory of Field Control”. He substantiated the possibility of direct transmission of information from one brain to another using radio waves and confirmed it with numerous experiments. " Previously, it was believed that the carrier of genetic information is DNA, the molecules of which contain the genetic code, but the achievements of modern physics allowed me to assume that DNA is only a “cassette” with recording information, and its material carrier is bioelectromagnetic signals. In other words, the electromagnetic field and DNA are a combined genetic material that exists in two forms: passive - DNA and active - EM field. The first preserves the genetic code that ensures the stability of the body. The second one is able to change it. To do this, it is enough to influence bioelectromagnetic signals, which simultaneously contain energy and information. By their nature, such signals are moving photons, which, according to quantum theory, have corpuscular-wave properties».

Based on this theory, an installation was created that “reads” information from the DNA of one living object and sends it to another living object. In one of the experiments, he exposed the electromagnetic field of a melon to sprouted cucumber seeds. The grown fruits had the taste of the donor - melon, and biochemical analysis showed that corresponding changes had occurred in the DNA, which were passed on from generation to generation.

Conducting a number of such experiments in genetics allowed researchers to suggest that the genetic codes of an organism may not be located in the DNA molecule at all, but in an energy - photon-wave - twin.

2.3. We are able to change hereditary information

After revolutionary and cutting-edge research in science and genetics in recent years, we are now approaching a new and very interesting frontier, behind which there is even more valuable information about the influence of thoughts on human health and psyche. This new frontier is where issiidiology, genetics and epigenetics meet, and where science and self-healing come together.

At this stage, we ask new questions: How do our thoughts and emotions influence the perceptual mechanisms and signals within our genes? How can we use this information to heal ourselves?

Scientists are increasingly pointing out that the human genome and the activity of many genes are influenced by external factors and behavioral reactions. Depending on the degree of quality and stability of a person’s psychomental reactions to information coming from outside, the corresponding sections of genes are activated, which leads to changes in physiological processes, the emergence of new signs in behavior, in the psyche (configuration), which become stable over time. But, on the other hand, there is also an opposite opinion in the scientific community: the degree of harmony of psychomental processes occurring in a person’s self-consciousness is influenced by hereditary information and often (in to a greater extent) - expressing genes that work due to the influence of those epigenetic markers that are passed on from generation to generation. And from an issiidiological position, as I understand it, this influence is considered as an interdependent and complementary process, but requiring further research in the field of genetics, epigenetics, and psychology.

Through the specificity of processes of different quality occurring in genes, information not only about external features and condition can be transmitted to the next generations functional activity biological organism, but also generalized life experience (or some part of it), accumulated by parents (as well as their ancestors) and specially encoded in chromosome configurations. In other words, not only the size of the nose, eyes, weight, height, other features of the physiological constitution that are most characteristic of both parents and their closest relatives, but also the type of character, inclinations, habits, skills, abilities, and the whole wide range of mental and psycho-emotional experiences , which took place not only in the lives of parents, but also of other blood representatives of both clans, is basic information for each born person, initially connecting him with certain, most probable development scenarios.

Inherited genetic programs do not always manifest themselves immediately after we are born. Sometimes specific patterns remain hidden until something happens in our lives that triggers them. The likelihood that we will develop a disease may be present in our genes all the time. However, the disease remains harmless to us until some specific event or emotion awakens an ancient memory, and with it a gene, causing the disease to come out of the shadows. Similar to the many functions of our physical body, these processes occur in a way that is completely invisible to us.

But with all this, there is another side to this coin. Any type of heredity is just a physiologically and psychomentally expressed cliché of increased creative activity of stable psychomental manifestations characteristic of the parents at the time of the conception of a child and similarly adopted by them from their own ancestors. And like any form-cliché, synthesized on the basis of a stable interaction of specific information and the mental realizations subjectively caused by it, it is subject to the influence of influences similar to it in vibrations, but more powerful and stable in its intensity.

This means that by strengthening the influence on the configuration of one’s own self-awareness with radically new quality sfuurmm-forms, consciously modernized in the right direction and carrying in their structure significantly more favorable (for a given development vector) energy information, with a sufficiently high volitional effort, one can achieve such The result is that this hereditary trait in the genetic code will no longer be as dominant, and therefore it will either be expressed to a much lesser extent, or will be suppressed by stronger forms and not expressed at all.

Depending on the direction in which we make choices, in addition to those that are transmitted by parents and therefore become characteristic of descendants, hidden or already clearly expressed genetic heredity will either decrease and smooth out, or manifest itself to an even greater extent, that is, through self-awareness in In the active form, the least qualitative, or selfish, of the sfuurmm forms will appear.

Experimental data on the importance of positive thinking in DNA management, as proof of the above, also indicate that genes determine us only in part, but otherwise a person is responsible for his own illnesses, inclinations and mental disturbances that occur in his self-awareness.

Here it is worth giving an example of the research of the American geneticist Bruce Lipton. Over the years, he specialized in the field of genetic engineering, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, and became the author of a number of studies. All this time, Lipton, like many geneticists and biochemists, believed that a person is a kind of biorobot, whose life is subordinated to a program written in his genes.

The turning point in Dr. B. Lipton's views was the experiments he conducted in the late 1980s to study the behavior of the cell membrane. Until then, science believed that it was the genes located in the cell nucleus that determined what should be passed through this membrane and what should not. However, B. Lipton's experiments showed that the behavior of genes can be influenced by external influences on the cell and even lead to changes in their structure.

B. Lipton said: “It has long been known that two people can have the same genetic predisposition to cancer. But in one the disease manifested itself, and in the other it did not. Why? Yes, because they lived differently: one experienced stress more often than the other; they had different self-esteem and sense of self, different trains of thought. Today I can affirm that we are capable of controlling our biological nature; We can, with the help of thoughts, faith and aspirations, influence our genes, including processes occurring at the molecular level. In essence, I didn't come up with anything new. For centuries, doctors have known about the placebo effect - when a patient is offered a neutral substance, claiming that it is a medicine. As a result, the substance actually has a healing effect. But, oddly enough, scientific explanation this phenomenon has never happened before.”

The placebo effect is the main evidence that we are able to control our body. As you know, the effect works if a person has a certain attitude, absolute confidence in something, and as a result he gets what he wants. IN Everyday life we use this principle everywhere. If we want to watch a certain TV channel, we switch the receiver to it. This channel, one way or another, is potentially always present in our room, and in order to switch to this frequency, desire and interest are necessary.

In the context of the use of conscious control impulses, the same process occurs. If you use your mind to tune into resonance with the desired wave, you can begin to receive information - the information that this wave carries. And the higher the frequency of the wave, the more harmonious the information received will be.

To summarize all of the above, we can briefly say that “people have power over the genome.” This statement makes a person free, but at the same time gives him new responsibility for his own destiny.

2.4. How can you most effectively influence a particular section of DNA?

According to Iissiidiology, the human genome code, for all its apparent inviolability and immutability, is not an absolutely fixed energy-informational indicator of our three-dimensional biological structure due to the fact that the DNA molecule is the most dynamic part of a biological organism, continuously emitting electromagnetic fields of different quality, intensity and quality whose characteristics continuously change as under the influence environment, and under the influence of internal psycho-bio-chemical processes.

By generating positive thoughts based on positive emotions, we command the release of “positive” chemicals. Accordingly, negative thoughts give a negative adjustment. And this fact has a tremendous impact on how our cells behave.

This is also evidenced by some research conducted by scientists in the field of genetics. Renowned American scientists, Dr. Glen Rein and Rollin McCraty, working in collaboration with the HeartMath Institute, have demonstrated that focused good feelings and thoughts change DNA patterns in solution and produce biological effects “inside and outside the human body.” In one experiment, subjects were able to make DNA molecules curl or unwind by expressing their intention. The twisting of the DNA helix is ​​associated with the restoration of the molecule, and unwinding precedes cell division. In another experiment, the subject was able to influence the state of DNA when the sample was located at a distance of about half a kilometer from him. As a result of such studies, scientists have suggested (although they have not yet proven this experimentally) that with the help of conscious intention, it is possible to influence processes at the cellular level and even change the structure of DNA - that is, our genetic code!

All our ideas, emanations (thoughts), psychonations (feelings), like the DNA molecule itself, have their own frequency of implementation and a highly specific configuration of what they form. electromagnetic field. Consequently, the dynamics of the creative activity of each of the functionally similar groups of genes is stimulated or, conversely, suppressed by the active manifestation in the structures of our self-consciousness of all kinds of thoughts, feelings and aspirations.

At every moment of our existence, depending on the degree of quality of the configuration, only certain sections of the DNA structure can be activated in the information space of our self-consciousness. As soon as the focal dynamics changes its frequency, other parts of the genes are immediately connected to the process, which is reflected in the quality of life’s creativity; accordingly, the sphere of application of interests immediately changes. Hence the conclusion that everything is interdependent, inseparable, which explains why the quality of processes occurring in one area immediately causes the same changes in everything.

By consciously and quite steadily changing the dynamics of gene activity in certain sections of DNA with our good thoughts, positive feelings and altruistic-intellectual aspirations, we automatically (through the occurrence of a certain resonant effect in space-time) focus (that is, qualitatively self-identify) only in those configurations , whose environment is structured by more favorable (harmonious) circumstances of existence. Any person, with the help of a powerful altruistic intention, spiritual aspiration and stable mental and sensory focusing in the highest quality states, can thoroughly transform and modify the entire qualitative direction of the creative activity of the genes of his DNA, namely: to beneficially influence the changes occurring in the structure of the genetic apparatus.

To achieve such a state, you need to become more perfect and humane. The essence of this state lies in highly developed intellect and altruism, which contribute to the emergence of a powerful desire to live for others, learning to focus only on choices consistent with this high goal. If any obstacles appear in the fulfillment of your plans, then it is important to always remember that they - consciously and subconsciously - were also once created not by someone else, but by you personally, and, therefore, do not represent obstacles on the way to the goal , but hidden possibilities that are simply not deciphered at the moment.

To minimize the number of adverse consequences of our choices, each of us has only one reliable way: try to motivationally invest in any decision as many signs of highly sensitive intelligence and highly intellectual altruism, which are in the inexhaustible implementation possibilities of many protoform directions that potentially structure our focal dynamics , are characteristic precisely of the human principle of existence, that is, they are the main guidelines for the most harmonious human path of development.

But here it is important to pay attention to the fact that at the levels of altruism and intellectualism, the influence of protoform diffusivity is also observed, which is expressed in the form of excessive activity of one of the two components. That is, we can begin to show altruism, but at the same time be completely incompetent at the level of intelligence, or we can be intellectual, but extremely selfish. Both the first and second options are indicators of a shift in the focal dynamics of a person’s self-awareness in some protoform direction. Consequently, it is the harmonious fusion of altruism and intelligence, which are defined in Iissiidiology as highly intellectual altruism and highly sensitive intelligence, that represent the basis of the lluuvvumic, that is, human path. And responsibility, mercy, sympathy, tolerance, honesty are harmonious components of these characteristics that we develop in the human direction of development.

As soon as such choices become a natural part of human consciousness, the form-creators of DNA will begin to steadily modulate only the dynamics of high-frequency radiation into the geometry of space, and the current conditions of existence will automatically (resonantly) change, which will contribute to a much greater extent to further development in the lluuvvumic (human) direction than everything that surrounds our biological bodies now. We will not become more cold-blooded, it’s just that the blood plasma will acquire a different composition, the structure of the cell will change, and the next pair of chromosomal strands will be steadily formed in the DNA structure, and the number of synthetic amino acids will also increase. As a result of these massive mutagenic processes, the nervous, autonomic, hematopoietic, genitourinary, digestive, endocrine and respiratory system. Over time, this will lead to the fact that the activity of the bulk of DNA will shift to a greater extent from the spectrum of coarse-wave - low- and mid-frequency - levels to photon types of energy-informational relationships, in which biochemical reactions will lose their now decisive role. ,

Improving the quality of psychomental processes will be accompanied by the rapid development of technology in various fields of science. For example, all those qualitative tendencies that you would like to strengthen or, conversely, weaken with the help of laser radiation precisely directed to specific areas of the brain, can be changed and steadily replaced with the expected ones. Approximately the same results can be achieved with the help of individual developments of special microscopic nanodevices (nanorobots), programmed for deep penetration into the chromosomal structure of each cell, either for its thorough targeted reconstruction or for easy correction. How will this be done? After introducing several nanorobots into the body, they first begin intensive self-duplication (due to the existing chemical elements), gradually - like viruses - filling the cells of all systems and organs, and then begin to carry out the reconstruction program of the entire biological organism embedded in them.

By conducting thorough experiments based on this knowledge, scientists will establish which sections of a person’s DNA correspond to certain types of creative activity of the form-creators of her self-consciousness, and will be able to use these features to carry out targeted genetic engineering. Scientists already know which section of DNA and which genes are responsible for what, and in the future it will be possible to regulate the work of almost all the necessary sections of genes - set a program to activate some and suppress others.

But at the same time, we must not forget that if the focal dynamics begin to steadily deepen into the implementation of some selfish tendencies, then there will be a reorientation to worlds where the abilities for targeted virtual modeling of one’s own form will consistently - as their quality deteriorates - decrease and, in the end, we can again find ourselves in those worlds where such technological and genetic capabilities for the constant transformation of the forms we focus and our other universal abilities are completely absent.

Life constantly - and in the coming years will become more and more demanding - will begin to set for each of us certain boundaries of the quality of current choices, which will determine the tendentiousness of the next stage of our life: either we withdraw ourselves more and more from this direction of development, continuing to continue to realize themselves in low-quality living circumstances with extremely disabilities for high-frequency creative realizations, including the lack of the ability of our biological organism to self-heal, or we become more and more altruistic and highly intelligent, gradually beginning to increasingly realize ourselves as a creatively active part of new favorable worlds with more harmonious relationships in the human community, including expanding not only our creative realization capabilities, but also the properties of the surrounding world, because the configurations of the forms we focus on are the configuration of the geometry of space-time (the reality around us): what we ourselves are, such is the World around us.,

3. Conclusion

This paper provides a review of scientific views that indicate that our genetic code is not static and can change under the influence of external factors and behavioral reactions. Based on an individual understanding of issiidiology, answers were given to the following questions: what is the structure of DNA? Can a person or any other form of existence influence the genetic information embedded in this structure, and how effectively can this be done? Was also held comparative analysis scientific evidence regarding the ability of humans and any other form of self-awareness to influence genetic information.

The following conclusions can be drawn:

Heredity and external factors, as well as human psychomental activity are inextricably linked, in their totality being the basis for the formation of new relationships at the genetic level, which contributes to the universalization of the DNA structure of humans and all living beings - this gives rise to new opportunities for development;

Genetic information, as a set of energy-informational relationships, includes not only human, but also other experiences transmitted to us through identical genes that structure the organisms of animals, plants, minerals, and so on, obtained in different conditions existence; Before we begin to develop in the human direction, we are forced by our focal dynamics to go through many protoform realizations; this is the essence of evolutionary development;

The diffusivity and photonic nature of DNA make it possible to continuously reproject all the experience gained between all existing forms, as well as interact with the DNA of all other forms of self-consciousness, which is the reason for the formation of additional experience, which, intuitively perceived, becomes a hint in solving certain problems;

The genetic program passed on by inheritance does not always manifest itself immediately after birth, it all depends on the quality of the choices made;

One of effective ways influence on DNA is the development by a person of such characteristics as highly sensitive intelligence and highly intelligent altruism; but here it is also important to remember that due to the diffusivity of all forms of self-consciousness, a predominance of the activity of one of these qualities, characteristic of one of the protoform directions, can occur;

Thus, a variant of the development of any individual trait, both biological and psychological, unique in each specific case, can be the result of both a unique genetic constitution (genotype) and a unique life experience.

In any case, the quality of psychomental states and the individual characteristics of people’s biological organisms, through certain choices, are constantly changing, becoming either rougher and more painful, which is an indicator of the deepening of self-awareness into protoform realizations, or more perfect, universal, that is, humane. We ourselves are what we imagine ourselves to be. Both the world and people are also exactly the way we imagine them, how we treat them, what we think about them, this is the kind of relationship we build with them.

While working on this essay, I became convinced that we are quite capable of rewriting the stories imprinted in our genes, and thereby changing our destiny in the direction in which we want to see ourselves. I also came to the conclusion that new information about the structure and methods of influencing DNA, presented in issiidiology, will greatly help scientists in further work on the description (annotation) of the genome. And this is the identification of all genes (sequencing), establishing their functions, characterizing conditions, finding the causes of disease-causing mutations and other future research in the field of genetics that will lead to new revolutionary discoveries.

Articles on similar topics:

Footnotes:

Focal Dynamics is the main mechanism for the manifestation of any of the Form-structures of Space-Time (the so-called “geometry of space”); inertial formation (dynamics) in the information space of self-awareness of SFUURMM-Forms (ideas) about oneself and about the surrounding reality. Everything that we subjectively imagine as “worlds” and “realities” is an intermediate product of our own mental and psychocreativity, adapted to characteristic features systems of perception of our Self-Awareness.

Http://www.bankreferatov.ru/referats/759B24F05C6A5D38C32570150078349B/%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%84%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%821.doc.html&Key=765987

5. Youth can be passed on from one DNA to others. http://www.spiritualschool.ru/?p=6108

6. Surkov O.V. Psychologist. The influence of stress at the gene level. http://www.b17.ru/article/3382/

7. S.A. Borinskaya, N.K. Yankovsky. Man and his genes. http://www.bibliotekar.ru/llDNK2.htm

8. The power of thought can change the genetic code of an organism. http://paranormal-news.ru/news/sila_mysli_sposobna_izmenjat_geneticheskij_kod_organizma/2014-06-11-9193

9. What key opens DNA? http://newspark.net.ua/texnologii/kakim-klyuchom-otkryvaetsya-dnk/

10. O.V. Oris, “Iissiidiology. Immortality is available to everyone,” 15th volume, publishing house: OJSC Tatmedia, PIK Idel-Press, Kazan, 2012 http://ayfaar.org/iissiidiology/books/item/427-tom-15

11. O.V. Oris, “Iissiidiology. Fundamentals”, 3rd volume, publishing house: OJSC “Tatmedia” “PIK “Idel-Press”, Kazan, 2014 http://ayfaar.org/iissiidiology/books/item/457-tom-3

12. DNA is influenced by consciousness. http://heart4life.com.ua/psikhologiya/dnk_poddaetsja_vlijaniju_soznanija

13. O.V. Oris, “Iissiidiology. Immortality is available to everyone,” 13th volume, publishing house: OJSC Tatmedia, PIK Idel-Press, Kazan, 2011 http://ayfaar.org/iissiidiology/books/item/417-tom-13

14. O.V. Oris, “Iissiidiology. Immortality is available to everyone,” 14th volume, publishing house: OJSC Tatmedia, PIK Idel-Press, Kazan, 2011 http://ayfaar.org/iissiidiology/books/item/418-tom-

O.V. Oris, “Iissiidiology. Fundamentals”, 3rd volume, publishing house: OJSC “Tatmedia” “PIK “Idel-Press”, Kazan, 2014 http://ayfaar.org/iissiidiology/books/item/457-tom-3

Bruce Lipton "The Biology of Belief"

Before answering the question, you still need to conduct a brief educational program on genetics.

1. All multicellular organisms, including us, each cell contains a complete genome
2. The genome of each cell can mutate under the influence of various factors
3. Mutations in cellular DNA are transmitted ONLY to daughter cells
4. ONLY mutations in germ cells can be inherited
5. Not all DNA consists of genes, but only a relatively small part of it
6. Most mutations have no effect at all
   To better understand what’s going on in general, it would be nice to break the stereotypes a little and look at multicellular organisms as huge colonies of single-celled organisms (this is not entirely far from the truth, if anything). When the egg is fertilized, it begins to divide. And all the cells of the body (be it the liver, brain or retina) are direct “daughters” of that same fertilized egg, and each of them, despite the external and functional differences, is in fact its clone in a certain generation. How differentiation occurs does not concern us now; this is a separate and very large topic. It is only important to grasp the point that the behavior and functionality of a cell is largely determined by the ENVIRONMENT in which it is located.

But we can, with some reservations, consider each cell of the body as a separate organism that is so specialized that it is not able to survive outside the colony. So, from this entire megacolony, one type of cell stands out - germ cells. They live in their little pen, quite well isolated from the outside world. These cells are also daughters of the First Cell, obviously. They don't care what happens in the cells of the intestines, liver, kidneys, eyes and hair follicles. They share themselves in their corner, trying to pick up as few mutations as possible. Only mutations in these cells have at least some chance of being inherited (because not all of them are fertilized). But, I repeat, they are quite well isolated from most external influences.

Next, what is DNA anyway? It's just a huge molecule. Long polymer. He can do almost NOTHING. Its main advantage is that each DNA molecule has its chemical mirror copy attached to it. Therefore, the double helix, accordingly. If we unravel this molecule and attach a chemical mirror copy of it to each doormat, we will get two identical DNA molecules. An impressive apparatus of protein complexes floats around DNA, which serves it, repairs it, copies and reads information from it. How this happens is, again, a separate huge topic. It is important to understand here that DNA is simply a huge molecule that can act as a carrier of information and is easy to copy. It is a passive information carrier.

Since DNA is really huge, in humans it is about 3 billion “letters” long, when copying it, errors naturally and inevitably occur. Well, plus, of course, some substances like to react with DNA and also break it. A very complex proofreading apparatus is working on this problem, but sometimes errors still creep in. But again, it's not so bad, since most of the DNA does not contain any useful information. Therefore, most mutations have no effect at all.

Now comes the fun part. About genes.

Genes in general are not such a well formalized concept. As with many other things in biology, because all the systems in it are so complex and intricate that several exceptions can be found to almost every rule. Since, let me remind you, DNA is very passive, it can only sit and get damaged, and the body does not even have any regular means of writing into it, then there is a staff of protein complexes to service it. On its basis, RNA is synthesized, which synthesizes proteins (with the help of other protein complexes).

There are many varieties of genes, including genes that regulate the activity of other genes, and these genes are regulated by some substances inside the cell, and the amount of the substance is regulated by other genes that... well, you get the idea. Moreover, in a population there are variations of the same gene (these are called alleles). And what each specific gene does is often impossible to say for sure, because there are these huge and intricate networks of mutual influence.

And this is where the complete nightmare of bioinformaticians begins. Not only is it difficult to understand all the intricacies of mutual influence, and that one gene can influence a hundred traits, and one trait can be influenced by a hundred genes, but there are also hundreds of small variations of these genes, and in each organism there are two variants (from dad from mom) and how exactly this collection of alleles will behave in this particular case is extremely difficult to say.

Genetic Engineering human beings still seem like something out of science fiction to us, ordinary people. All the more unexpected was the message from The Telegraph, which said that the Ethics Council in Great Britain had authorized genetic engineering of human embryos. It is clear that there is a “huge distance” between the recommendations of the Ethics Council and the law on genetic interventions, but the first step seems to have been taken.

The Telegraph approached Professor Karen Jung, chair of the Genome Editing and Human Reproduction Working Group, for comment. Madam Professor stated that in the future, reproductive technologies may include the introduction of heritable changes to the genome to ensure certain characteristics of children. At first, of course, this will be used to combat hereditary diseases, but then “if the technology develops successfully, it has the potential to become an alternative reproductive strategy available to parents to achieve a wider range of goals.”

When asked whether it is possible to use genetic editing to make children tall, with blond hair and blue eyes (well, if suddenly such an appearance becomes fashionable), Professor Yong added that she does not exclude this either...

But what we have is not an ethical one, but, so to speak, a technical question: Are scientists already able to remake our genome and replace Blue eyes to brown ones?

What is the human genome (for those who skipped biology classes)

Our entire life is encoded in DNA molecules - deoxyribonucleic acid. Surprisingly, all these huge molecules are made up of a combination of just four basic elements: the nitrogenous bases adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine (usually denoted by their first letters for brevity - A, G, T, C). The complex sequences of these elements serve as unique templates on which RNA - ribonucleic acids - are synthesized. RNAs are the “workhorses” of our body, each with its own specialization. Some participate in the synthesis of proteins, setting the correct sequence of elements, others supply amino acids to the site of protein synthesis, and others “reshape” their brothers, catalyzing reactions involving RNA.

” Personally, our genome reminds me of an anthill: with DNA - an ant queen, endlessly laying eggs, from which RNA ants emerge, among which there are soldiers, nannies, workers...

And Wikipedia gives the following example: “DNA is often compared to the blueprints for making proteins. Developing this engineering-manufacturing analogy, we can say that if DNA is a complete set of drawings for the production of proteins, stored in the safe of the plant director, then messenger RNA is a temporary working copy of the drawing of a separate part, issued to the assembly shop.”

Choose your analogy!

DNA molecules are present in any cell in our body that has a nucleus. Molecules - because the famous DNA helixes are “chopped” into 46 “pieces” of different sizes, connected in pairs - these are 23 pairs of our chromosomes.

” In each pair of chromosomes, we got one from our father and the other from our mother. The 23rd pair is responsible for our gender, so the chromosomes in it may differ: “XX” for girls, “XY” for boys.

In all autosomes (non-sex chromosomes), both the chromosome inherited from dad and the chromosome inherited from mom contain similar genes in the same areas. Similar - because we all have different genes, generally speaking. For example, in the area where the gene responsible for hair color is located, in one chromosome of the pair there will be a gene for a blonde mother, and on the other - for a brunette father. In this case, one of the genes will dominate, and the second, recessive, will wait in the wings. If it is he who is inherited, and if the same recessive gene is paired with him, then he will have the opportunity to express himself.

” This principle of inheritance of genetic information is fraught with unpleasant surprises. And now we are not talking about the birth of a blue-eyed blond in a family of brown-eyed brunettes, but about hereditary diseases. Sometimes, hidden in recessive genes, they lie dormant for many generations without showing themselves in any way outwardly. But once such a gene meets its “brother,” tragic consequences are inevitable.

Any parents would like to cut out a harmful gene from their DNA and replace it with a healthy one, protecting their descendants. And here we come back to the question: is this really real?

Genetic engineering and IVF

Svetlana Vladimirovna, is genetic analysis during in vitro fertilization, “in vitro conception”, a common thing?

” -It has been proven that such “pinching off” of cells does not lead to disruption of the development of the embryo. This method is technically much more complex and more expensive than simply genetic analysis of the fetus during pregnancy, which is carried out after collecting amniotic fluid or a fragment of the placenta, and therefore has not yet become widespread.

That is, parents can only hope that one day a combination of healthy genes will “fall out” at random. Is it possible to somehow cut out the “bad” genes?

In most cases, there is no need to delete a gene; in fact, pathogenic mutations “remove” the gene functionally. We need to make a malfunctioning gene work normally. Either cut out the unnecessary from it, or insert the lost, or replace the wrong with the right. A simpler approach is to add a normal copy of the gene to the genome in one fell swoop.

Technologies for changing human DNA

- But how can you “operate” on a gene? Are we really talking about real technologies?

There are many ways to cut a DNA molecule. People borrowed tools for this from bacteria. Fighting for a place in the sun (or, conversely, in the shade), bacteria synthesize proteins or complexes of proteins and RNA, which cut the DNA of other types of bacteria and viruses, but are harmless to the DNA of the hostess and her descendants. These molecules are attached to specific DNA sequences (a specific phrase from the “letters” A, C, T and G), which are obviously not in the hostess’s genome. So “pinch off” is not a problem, the main thing is to correctly stitch back the cut molecule. If this is not done, the chromosome will break and the functions of the area where the break is located will be impaired.

” - Nowadays, the most promising tool of a genetic engineer is considered to be the bacterial system CRISPR/Cas9 - part of the bacterial immunity, modifications of which are actively used to edit the genomes of eukaryotes (living organisms whose cells contain nuclei - editor's note). Bacteria “keep in reserve” in their genome fragments of DNA from viruses that they have encountered before. These fragments allow the bacteria to quickly build structures consisting of RNA and proteins that specifically cut the DNA of viruses. In this case, the Cas9 protein functions as molecular scissors, and the so-called gRNA, which partially contains the genetic sequence of the virus, is a GPS navigation system that directs the “scissors” to a specific region of DNA. Bacteria fight the genes of viruses, but such a biotechnological tool can be targeted at an arbitrary section of the DNA of any organism.

In order for a cell whose DNA has been cut in this way to recover, DNA with the desired sequence is injected into it in parallel. The cell initiates its own DNA repair mechanisms and uses the added DNA as a template to repair the resulting damage. Thus, it is possible to exchange one genetic sequence for another!

- Where do they get the “right” genes?

Almost any human gene can be inserted into the genome of a bacterium, cause this bacterium to actively divide, and then select the desired fragment again into large quantities. Thus, complex animal proteins are no longer isolated from animal organs, but are produced using genes built into bacteria (for example, insulin).

Can genetic engineering give you health and brown eyes?

- That is, genetic engineering is possible - albeit as a laboratory experiment?

The more complex the organism, the more difficult it is to do this. Such approaches have been used for a long time to obtain genetically modified laboratory organisms. The scope of application of these methods is the genetic modification of crops, farm animals, but especially bacteria.

However, it is impossible to directly transfer the approaches developed for experimental organisms to humans. The methods used to work on animals and plants are not specific enough. Some of the resulting organisms are not viable, some have the “wrong” characteristics, and they are simply discarded. An example is “golden rice”. It was bred by genetic modification by adding two genes from other organisms to the rice genome, which contributed to the accumulation of beta-carotene in its seeds. Indeed, rice with the desired characteristics was obtained, but its yield was reduced. It is assumed that the reason for this is unsuccessful places where new genes are inserted.

With humans, the cost of error is too high, so experiments on humans are very limited. Any genetic rearrangements pose a risk of the cell degenerating into cancer or dying. Naturally, you can process a culture of cells or, for example, a colony of bacteria, but in the end they try to select only those cells that have certain characteristics that are a sign that modification of their genome has actually occurred.

” - If you process a multicellular organism, then some cells may undergo modification, but others may not. It is impossible to predict which cell will subsequently become the precursor of specific body tissues, so the effect of such a modification is now unpredictable. Relatively speaking, the cell into which the gene for brown eyes is embedded will eventually end up in the heel.

- Is it possible to change the entire genome of an adult?

No, it is now impossible to work with all the cells of an adult, and it is not necessary. An organism that has a severe genetic disorder that affects the functions of every cell simply dies prenatally. Compatible with life genetic disorders mainly manifest themselves in a specific organ or organ system. They will be the targets of genetic engineers. If you want Brown eyes, then it is absolutely not necessary to modify the DNA of the heels. There are no proven methods for such manipulations with stable, predictable results on humans yet, but genetic engineering is developing very quickly, so we’re waiting!

- Are there already first experiments in using genetic engineering in the treatment of genetic diseases?

The literature describes successful experience of gene therapy for epidermolysis bullosa ( a rare chronic hereditary disease, as a result of which wounds continuously form on the skin and mucous membranes - approx. ed.). The patient's skin stem cells were treated with virus-like particles containing the normal sequence of a gene disabled by mutations. The resulting cells were populated into damaged areas of the child’s skin, and skin were recovering!

There were also attempts to influence the body of an adult. To do this, the required genetic material was packaged into the shell of an adenoviral particle and treated using an aerosol. Airways patients. Viral particles attached to epithelial cells and injected DNA of the “desired” gene into the cells. Experiments were also carried out on the treatment of virus-like particles with the “correct” genes of the patient’s blood cells.

” - In these experiments there were also results, but they were unstable. This is due to the fact that the altered cells, although they produced the necessary proteins, did not reproduce. Gradually, the “correct” cells died, and the symptoms of the disease returned. Another problem with this method is the body’s immune response to these virus-like particles. Many parameters cannot be controlled with this approach; there is a threat of damage to the normal genetic material of cells.

Therefore, now the most promising direction is modifying a person’s own stem cells and launching them back into the body. There are already techniques for taking fibroblasts from the skin, converting them back to the stem cell state and reprogramming them into some other types of cells. This is now actually the cutting edge of science; a lot of effort and finances have been devoted to this (though not in our country). Genetically “corrected” cells grown in this way can help a person overcome AIDS and some types of cancer.

Transplantation of native mitochondria has recently been used in newborns with cardiovascular pathologies in the United States. Instead of a poorly functioning own heart, with mitochondria destroyed from oxygen starvation, they did not install a donor one; Mitochondria obtained from the muscle tissue of children were injected into the damaged area of ​​the heart muscle. The heart cells took over the mitochondria and began to work normally. As a result, out of 11 sick children, eight did not require a heart transplant! Although such manipulation cannot be called genetic engineering, it creates the basis for treating patients, including with “foreign” mitochondria.

In general, in medicine, many hopes are placed precisely on the use of one’s own slightly modified cells, and it is in connection with this, I think, that legislation in the field of genetic modification in relation to humans will be revised.

Interviewed by Irina Ilyina

Jennifer Doudna is a well-known scientist from the United States, whose works are mainly devoted to structural biology and biochemistry. Jennifer, winner of many prestigious awards, received her bachelor's degree in 1985, and in 1989 she became a doctor of philosophy at Harvard University. Since 2002 he has been working at the University of California at Berkeley. She is widely known as a researcher of RNA interference and CRISPR. She conducted research on Cas9 together with Emmanuelle Charpentier.

00:12
A few years ago, my colleague Emmanuelle Charpentier and I invented new technology genome editing. It's called CRISPR-Cas9. CRISPR technology allows scientists to make changes to DNA inside cells, which could give us the ability to treat genetic diseases.

00:31
You may be interested to know that CRISPR technology originated from a basic research project to understand how bacteria fight viral infections. Bacteria have to deal with viruses in their environment, and viral infection can be thought of as a ticking time bomb: the bacteria only has a few minutes to defuse it before the bacteria is destroyed. In the cells of many bacteria there is an adaptive the immune system- CRISPR, which allows them to identify and destroy viral DNA.

01:04
The CRISPR system includes the Cas9 protein, which is able to search for, cleave and ultimately destroy viral DNA in a special way. And it was during our research into the activity of this protein, Cas9, that we realized that we could use its activity in genetic engineering technology that would allow scientists to remove and insert DNA fragments inside cells with incredible precision, which would allow us to do what was previously it was simply impossible.

01:42
CRISPR technology is already being used to change DNA in the cells of mice and monkeys, as well as other organisms. Recently, Chinese scientists showed that they were able to use CRISPR technology even to change the genes of human embryos. Scientists from Philadelphia have shown the possibility of using CRISPR to remove the DNA of the integrated HIV virus from infected human cells.

02:09
The ability to perform genome editing in this way also raises various ethical questions that should be kept in mind because the technology can be applied not only to adult cells, but also to embryos of various organisms, including our species. Thus, together with our colleagues, we began an international discussion of the technology we invented in order to be able to take into account all the ethical and social problems associated with such technologies.

02:39
Now I want to tell you what CRISPR technology is, what it can do, where we are now, and why I think we need to move forward with this technology with caution.

02:54
When viruses infect a cell, they inject their DNA. And inside the bacterium, the CRISPR system allows you to pull out this DNA from the virus and insert small fragments of it into the chromosome - into the DNA of the bacterium. And these pieces of viral DNA are inserted into a region called CRISPR. CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. (Laughter)

03:24
A bit long. Now you understand why we use the acronym CRISPR. This is a mechanism that allows cells to record over time the viruses that have infected them. And it is important to note that these DNA fragments are passed on to the descendants of the cells, so that the cells are protected from viruses not for one generation, but for many generations of cells. This allows cells to keep a “record” of infection, and as my colleague Blake Wiedenheft says, the CRISPR locus is effectively a cell's genetic vaccination card. After these pieces of DNA are inserted into the bacterial chromosome, the cell makes a small copy in the form of a molecule called RNA, which is orange in this picture and is an exact imprint of the viral DNA. RNA is a chemical “cousin” of DNA, which allows it to interact with DNA molecules that have the appropriate sequence for it.

04:24
So these little pieces of RNA that come from the CRISPR locus associate, bind to a protein called Cas9, which is white in this picture, and a complex is formed that acts as a sentry in the cell. It scans through all the DNA in a cell to find regions that match the sequences of the RNAs associated with it. And when these areas are found, as you can see in the figure, where DNA is a blue molecule, this complex binds to this DNA and allows the Cas9 protein to cut the viral DNA. It introduces the gap very accurately. We can think of this sentinel, a complex of Cas9 protein and RNA, as a pair of scissors that can cut DNA - it makes a double-strand break in the DNA helix. And it is important that this complex can be programmed, for example, it can be programmed to recognize the necessary DNA sequences and cut the DNA in this area.

05:26
As I'm about to tell you, we realized that this activity could be used in genetic engineering to allow cells to make very precise changes to the DNA at the site where a given cut was made. It's a bit like using a word processing program to correct typos in a document.

05:48
We were able to suggest that the CRISPR system could be used in genome engineering because cells are able to find broken DNA and repair it. So, when a plant or animal cell finds a double-strand break in its DNA, it can repair it by either joining the broken ends of the DNA by making a minor change in the sequence at that location, or it can repair the break by inserting a new piece of DNA at the break site. Thus, if we can introduce double-strand breaks in DNA in precisely defined places, we can force cells to repair these breaks, either destroying genetic information or introducing new one. And if we could program CRISPR technology to introduce a break in the DNA at or near the mutation that causes cystic fibrosis, for example, we could force cells to correct that mutation.

06:51
Actually, genome engineering is not a new field; it has been developing since the 1970s. We have technologies for sequencing DNA, for copying DNA, even for manipulating DNA. And these are very promising technologies, but the problem is that they were either ineffective or too difficult to use, so most scientists could not use them in their laboratories or apply them in clinical settings. Thus, there was a need for a technology like CRISPR because it is relatively easy to use. Older genome engineering technologies can be thought of as having to rewire your computer every time you want to run a new program, whereas CRISPR technology is something like software for the genome: we can easily program it using small fragments of RNA.

07:53
Once a double-strand break is made, we can induce a repair process and thereby possibly achieve astonishing results, such as correcting mutations that cause sickle cell anemia or Huntington's disease. Personally, I believe that the first applications of CRISPR technology will be in the blood, where it is relatively easy to deliver this tool inside cells compared to dense tissues.

08:22
Right now, much of the work being done is applying the method to animal models of human disease, such as mice. The technology is used to make very precise changes, allowing us to study how these changes to a cell's DNA affect either a tissue or, as here, an entire organism.

08:42
In this example, CRISPR technology was used to disrupt a gene by making a small change in the DNA in the gene that is responsible for the black coat color of these mice. Imagine, these white mice differ from their colored brothers and sisters by only a small change in one gene in the entire genome, but otherwise they are absolutely normal. And when we sequence the DNA of these animals, we find that the change in DNA occurred exactly where we intended using CRISPR technology.

09:18
Experiments are also being conducted on other animals in which it is convenient to create models of human diseases, for example, on monkeys. And in this case, we are finding that these systems can be used to test the application of this technology to specific tissues, for example, to figure out how to deliver the CRISPR tool into cells. We also want to expand our understanding of how we can control how DNA is repaired after a break, and explore how we can control and limit off-target effects, or unintended effects, when using this technology.

09:55
I believe we will see this technology being used in the clinic, certainly in adult patients, within the next 10 years. It seems likely to me that during this period clinical trials will be conducted and perhaps even therapies will be approved, which is very encouraging. And because of this excitement about the technology, there is a huge interest in it from startup companies created to turn CRISPR technology into a commercial product, as well as many venture capitalists.

10:26
investing in such companies. But we also have to consider that CRISPR technology can be used to improve performance. Imagine if we could try to design people with improved characteristics, such as stronger bones, or a lesser tendency to cardiovascular diseases, or even having properties that we might find desirable, such as a different eye color or being taller, something like that. If you like, these are “design people”. Currently, there is virtually no genetic information to understand which genes are responsible for these traits. But it's important to understand that CRISPR technology has given us the tools to make these changes,

11:13
as soon as this knowledge becomes available to us. This raises a number of ethical questions that we must consider carefully. And that is why my colleagues and I called on scientists around the world to pause in any clinical applications CRISPR technology in human embryos so that we have time to carefully consider everything possible consequences this. And we have an important precedent for calling such a pause: in the 1970s, scientists came together to declare a moratorium on the use of molecular cloning,

11:47
until the safety of this technology is thoroughly tested and confirmed. So for now, genetic engineering of humans is on hold, but this is no longer science fiction. Genetically engineered animals and plants already exist. And this places a great responsibility on all of us to consider both the unintended consequences and the role of the intended influence of this scientific breakthrough.

12:21
Thank you!

12:22
(Applause) (Applause ends)

Bruno Giussani: Jennifer, this technology could have huge implications, as you've highlighted. We very much respect your position on declaring a pause, or a moratorium, or a quarantine. All of this, of course, has therapeutic implications, but there are also non-therapeutic ones, and these seem to be the ones that attract the most attention, especially in the media. Here's one of the latest issues of the Economist: "Editing Humanity." Here we talk only about improving properties, not about treatment. What kind of reaction did you get from your colleagues in the scientific community in March when you asked or suggested that you pause and think about all this?

Jennifer Doudna: I think my colleagues were glad to have the opportunity to discuss this openly. It’s interesting that when I talked to people about this, my fellow scientists and others expressed very different points of view on this matter. Clearly, this topic requires careful consideration and discussion.

BJ: There will be a big meeting in December that you and your colleagues are convening, along with the National Academy of Sciences and others. What exactly do you expect from this meeting, from a practical point of view?

JD : I hope that the views of many people and stakeholders willing to think responsibly about the use of this technology will be made public. It may not be possible to reach a consensus, but I believe that we should at least understand what problems we will face in the future.

BJ: Your colleagues, such as George Church of Harvard, say: “Ethical issues are fundamentally a matter of safety. We carry out tests again and again on animals, in laboratories, and when we feel that there is no danger, we move on to humans.” This is a different approach: we must seize this opportunity and we must not stop. Could this cause a split in the scientific community? That is, we will see that some people will retreat because they doubt the ethics, while others will simply go forward, since in some countries the control is weak or non-existent.

JD : I think with any new technology, especially one like this, there will be a few different points of view, and I think that's completely understandable. I believe this technology will eventually be used to construct the human genome, but it seems to me that doing so without careful consideration and discussion of the risks and possible complications it would be irresponsible.

BJ: There are many technologies and other areas of science that are developing exponentially, in fact, just like in your field. I mean artificial intelligence, autonomous robots and so on. Nowhere, it seems to me, except in the field of autonomous military robots, has anyone initiated a similar discussion in these areas, calling for a moratorium. Do you think your discussion could become an example for other fields?

JD: I think it is difficult for scientists to leave the laboratory. If we talk about me, I'm not very comfortable doing this. But I do believe that since I am involved in the development of this, this fact places a responsibility on me and my colleagues. And I would say that I hope that other technologies will be considered in the same way that we would like to consider something that can have an impact in other fields other than biology.

15:44
BJ: Jennifer, thank you for coming to TED.

JD: Thank you!

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