#Biotechnology #DNA #health #agriculture #AseBIo
By Spanish Association of Bioenterprises (AseBio)
On April 25, 1953, the American biologist James Watson and the British theoretical physicist, Francis Crick, published in the journal Nature an article in which they described their double helix model of the structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). This provided a fundamental understanding of how genetic information is stored and transmitted in living organisms, leading them to claim that they had discovered “the secret of life.”
In 1962 Watson and Crick were recognized with the Nobel Prize in Medicine (along with the physical Maurice Wilkins) for this discovery. A discovery that would not have been possible without the pioneering research in the field of X-ray diffraction by the British crystallographer by Rosalind Frank who, in 1951, obtained a key image (“Photograph 51”) that showed for the first time the aforementioned helical structure of DNA.
The discovery of the DNA double helix structure opened new perspectives in fields such as geneticsthe molecular biology o to medicinelaying the foundations for the development of the modern biotechnology.
Biotechnological advances based on DNA have transformed numerous areas such as, for example, health or the environmentas demonstrated by the use of New Genome Editing Techniques in crops (NTG), which results in crops that are more resistant to diseases, pests and adverse weather conditions.
The next generation DNA sequencing has a great impact on the personalized medicinethe genomic research o to identification of genetic diseases.
Understanding DNA makes it possible to develop personalized treatments based on the genetic profile of patients such as gene therapies: By modifying the DNA within the patient’s cells it is possible to correct or compensate for defective genes, which opens new doors for the treatment of serious genetic disorders.
The pharmacogenomics combines pharmacology and genomics to develop safe and effective medications that are tailored to the individual’s genetic makeup. This not only increases the effectiveness of medications, but also reduces the risk of adverse reactions, optimizing pharmacological treatments.
These are just some examples of how DNA revolutionized the foundations of biotechnology and has placed us on a promising horizon. On the occasion of the celebration of World DNA Day We analyze how some of AseBio’s partners are working on the latest biotechnological innovations based on DNA.
CRISPR technology and the biomedical revolution
CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) is a revolutionary technology in molecular biology which allows genes to be edited precisely and efficiently.
The system CRISPR/Cas9 It uses an enzyme called “Cas9” along with a guide RNA to target specific DNA sequences within a genome. Once the enzyme binds to that sequence, it can cut the DNA at that location. This allows for both gene insertion and deletion.providing a powerful tool for biological research and potential to treat genetic diseases o develop cropsamong other applications.
Genome editing has the potential to address real challenges for farmers and the planet, such as reducing the need for plant protection products and the use of energy, land and water, as well as developing crops more resistant to diseases and effects of climate change.
In the agriculturethis gene editing process normally seeks to improve a beneficial trait within an organism or eliminate an undesirable trait. To achieve this, the most recent advances in plant breeding techniques are used to improve seeds and obtain greater efficiency and specificity than ever before.
“With just over 10 years of life and awarded the Nobel Prize in 2020, CRISPR technology has revolutionized biomedicine: has made it possible to democratize the use of genome editors, greatly accelerating their development, and has opened the way to therapies for a wide range of diseases. genetic and oncological diseases, some of them already approved for therapeutic use in patients. Now the challenge is the integration of genetic editing tools with the ability to write new therapeutic messages in the patient’s genome,” they explain from
Integra Therapeucticsa biotechnology company that develops gene editing tools to optimize the effectiveness and safety of advanced therapies.
In this sense, the platform stands out Liver (Find and Cut-and-Transfer) that allows solving the current technical limitations in terms of security, efficiency and precision for the development of advanced therapies. “It combines the precision of CRISPR-Cas9 molecular scissors, capable of cutting DNA from the patient’s cells where necessary with a precision that no engineering tool can match, and the transfer efficiency of modified transposases, which are proteins that “Nature has evolved so that they do this function of copying and pasting a complete therapeutic message into DNA.”
“By making this combination, we have managed to maintain efficiency in gene writingbut very precisely in a single position in the genome that we can control and change depending on the solution we want to find for each disease,” they explain from Integra Therapeuctics.
FiCAT is in the regulatory preclinical phase. In 2023, very promising ex vivo and in vivo data were presented at the Global Synthetic Biology Conference in the United States and Advanced Therapies Europe. “We have a prototype platform that works very well in the laboratory and we have implemented it to be able to make advanced therapy products, both gene therapy and cell therapy. The forecast is to start clinical trials in 2026.
Genomic medicine lays the foundations for the present and future of health
“It is a piece, indisputably, fundamental today and essential tomorrow. The genomic medicine “Not only is it setting the standard today, but it is emerging as a central pillar of the future of medical care,” he argues. Guillermo Pérez Solerofounder and CEO of ADNTRO Genetics is a Spanish biotechnology start-up whose objective is to facilitate the understanding of genetic data and serve as a tool between the clinical and laboratory parts.
“The possibility of personalize medical treatments based on the genetic makeup of each individual It is a revolution that is transforming our approach to health. This personalized approach is evident in the way in which complex diseases such as cardiovascular diseases are being addressed. Renowned institutions such as the American Heart Association (AHA) already recognize and support the integration of algorithms based on polygenic risk scores (PRS), to refine diagnoses and optimize clinical treatments. These advances are not merely incremental, but represent a qualitative leap towards an era where medicine is as unique as the DNA of each patient,” he adds.
ADNTRO has developed a tool for health professionals that can easily analyze the results for an individual regarding those diseases of interest. This tool aimed at health professionals facilitates the interpretation of patients’ genetic data, for a better guidance in clinical diagnosis and as complementary information for the doctor. This includes interpretation algorithms that can help health professionals better understand the implications of certain genetic variants on the health of their patients and is available for both Genotyping (arrays) and whole genome, following the ACMG guidelines.
The photograph that we see today shows how more and more countries are developing strategies for Integration of genetic testing into national health systems. An example of this is Spain and the recent announcement by the Ministry of Health new Common Catalog of Genetic and Genomic Tests of the National Health System.
The catalogue, which currently has 672 tests, will continue to be completed progressively given its flexible nature, with the commitment to guarantee more homogeneous and equitable access to these tests by all those patients who need it. “The catalog includes analysis of prognostic and predictive biomarkersessential for precision medicine, especially in the field of cancer, where genetic and genomic testing plays a crucial role in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment selection. This approach not only improves the accuracy of the diagnosis but also the effectiveness of the therapies and, consequently, the quality of life of the patients,” they highlight as positive points from ADNTRO.
The company highlights other steps such as “Genetic Analysis Map” that are carried out in Spain within the framework of the National Health System. “These developments indicate a significant commitment on the part of Spain towards the integration of genetics in healthcare, pointing towards an improvement in the equity of access to these essential tests, regardless of the geographical location of patients within the country.”
Ultimately, the biotechnological applications based on DNA They are multiple and open new frontiers in the field of health, as is the case of genomic medicine, essential to advance a more personalized, preventive and effective approach to health care. The discovery of the double helix structure of DNA has since that historical moment contributed to an increasingly deeper understanding of the underlying biology of diseases and, through tools such as biotechnologyimprove diagnoses and treatments.
