A Walk Through The Doors of Genetics
Sometimes, when we look around, we find stuff that looks petty or very natural. But most of it is caused due to a mishap in our genomic making. For example, take a look at the physically disabled humans and the disease-causing micro-organisms, the crops, and so much more. All the functions performed by our body are caused by our genomic entity. Also think of the diseases like thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, colour blindness, prof etc. They seem to be simple names to a man, but what they bring is a short painful life that the foetus is born with.
Countless occasions tell us how important the study of an organism’s structure and organizational characteristics are. All of them indicate a need to work on methods, that are as important to life as their existence is. What if we could find ways to eradicate such fallacies by using complex molecular, chemical and physical methods and gift our race a better life?
This scenario has been pushing scientists to find means and methods that can successfully eradicate such situations at all points. They have come to establish the fact that most of these deformities are caused by damages or mutations in the human genome. The Human Genome Project has played the most important role here. It has made the entire process of studying blemishes on the human body in any form much easier than before. This has taken form into what we know as genetic engineering. Genetics helps us to find ways to eradicate any kind of genetic defects in a very early developmental stage in the fetal phase and ensure them a healthy life once they are born. These processes, in a way, help to remove the mental and social issues faced by children born with abnormalities and gives them a long life. This is just one case.
Several methods are employed to exterminate such features in all known species. These techniques are applied on various lifeforms, starting from the tiny bacteria, or viruses to the massive plants, animals and humans. So, scientists have devised several methods that work on a macroscale as well as the microscale to deliver the gene to the target or make any improvements based on requirements.
Macroscale modifications include methods like simple selection, crossing over, interspecies crossing over, somatic hybridization where whole species crossing is done to get the most desirable characters under one species in plants. This is made possible specifically for the crop plants. In this way we get good quality crops, that can be sold at decent rates to help in the building of the appetite of individuals with poor health or malnourished conditions. This proves beneficial especially for the under-developed and developing countries like ours in the lower and lower-middle classes.
Microscale processes like electroporation, injection, vector and transposon modifications, particle bombardment, cell selection, induced chemical and x-ray mutations, all work at the genomic level by releasing the molecule or gene of interest, or bringing mutations at the target position or inducing changes that can be beneficial in the long run. All these methods can be applied in various organisms due to its work at the target site.
In animals, we apply similar processes at the molecular level. At the macrolevel, the processes remain the same, but what changes is their name. The processes are known as domestication, artificial selection, assisted reproductive techniques, embryological methods, superovulation, in-vitro cultures, germline mechanism, embryo splitting and many more. But what matters more, is it gifts them with a better life, including all small animals as well as humans.
Beyond these, genetic engineering holds the ability to alter characteristics of causing diseases in organisms, by simply removing a few genes or just breaking them to prevent their attacking nature. Surprising right? You could also use the techniques to understand the phenomena occurring inside the host body due to the disease. This is how we could understand the hows and whats of COVID-19, SARS, Tuberculosis and so many other deadly and dangerous diseases.
These methods tell their tale. They have been bringing reforms in the bios we know in the most beautiful ways. Some diseases that are known to be genetic or incurable can be reduced or eradicated using genetic engineering at the greatest ease. Most of it is highly beneficial for us. It amazes me to see the wonders little things do. All in all, I am glad to witness such feats in the world of science and technology. Are you?
