Genetically edited organisms – crispr/cas9 as a new tool in food production

Abstract

Few topics in science raised so much controversy as that of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Engineered by technics of recombinant DNA, GMOs include genes from other organisms to produce a particular trait, such as disease or pesticide resistance. However, while GMO technology is still considered to be “new” and not fully understood, recent discovery of gene-editing tool CRISPR/Cas9, with ability to cut out genes and splice in new ones, even more, to do it in vivo, gives a promise for a completely new approach to the production of crop with desirable genetic traits. There is a distinction between 'genetically modified organisms' (GMOs) generated through the transgenic introduction of foreign DNA sequences and 'genomeedited crops' (GECs) generated through precise editing of an organism's native genome. In this paper, we will give an overview of CRISPR/Cas9 applications, as well as of benefits and major issues regarding the use of genetically edited organisms in food production and medicine.