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RADIOLAB Podcast CRISPR

Listen to the Radiolab Podcast, “Antibodies Part 1: CRISPR.” Click on the link to access the podcast. Then completely answer all questions below.

Podcast URL https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/update-crispr

Pre-listening discussion questions:

If you could custom order a “designer” dog or cat of any realistic size, color, fur type, eye color, temperament, health and intelligence, for an extra cost, would you choose to do so? Explain your reasoning. If scientists could do the same for unborn human babies, should they do so? Should scientists have limits as to what traits could be altered? Explain your reasoning.

Begin the podcast now.

1. Describe the strange thing that scientists found in E. coli’s bacterial genome.

2. What does the acronym CRISPR stand for?

3. What was the first big clue as to the function of these repeating patterns?

4. What did Eugene Koonin suspect these sequences were for?

5. What is a marine bacterium’s greatest enemy? How bad is the problem?

6. What is the role of enzymes as “ground troops” in fighting this enemy? How successful are they?

7. If the enzyme ground troops win, what three things do the bacterium do next?

8. How do the molecular assassins use the RNA “mugshot “ to target the enemy?

9. How did the “Dude” envision using this as a tool for geneticists?

10. How does the new “good” gene get into place?

Pause at 16:00

Imagine being Jennifer Doudna…… How would you feel when you realized what this tool had the potential to do? After the discovery, how would you feel about the ethical issues surrounding this potential? Do you feel any level of responsibility or obligation to control its use?

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11. How is this gene editing tool better and more powerful than those that came before it, according to Beth Shapiro?

12. How might extinct animals be brought back to life?

13. How could cancer be treated using CRISPR?

Stop at 20:00

Imagine 3 ways this technology could be used for positive outcomes. Now, imagine 3 ways this technology could be used for negative outcomes. Do you think the potential for positives outweighs the negatives? Explain your reasoning.

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14. Where does Jennifer Doudna (“The Dude”) think we should draw the line in using this technology, at least for now? Why?

15. What happened in China that has caused scientists to sound the alarm?

Pause at 27:55

Did the Chinese scientist go too far in your opinion? Explain your reasoning.

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16. Why isn’t CRISPR considered to be ready for use on human embryos?

17. What diseases are being researched as potential target

18. What is the East Coast-West Coast battle?

Stop at 38:23

Do you think someone should hold a patent on CRISPR, so that no one else could use it without paying the patent holder? Does the fact that CRISPR was found in nature and wasn’t created by anyone, matter?

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19. How is CRISPR a potential alternative to antibiotics?

20. What is a gene drive system and how would it be used to fight malaria?

21. What undesirable species are being targeted with gene drive systems?

22. What are some of the dangers that scientists imagine could happen? What could go wrong?

Stop at 47:30 (end of podcast)

Is gene drive ethical to use in non-human wild species? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning. Is gene drive ethical to use in humans? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning. How do you deal with being unable to ask future generations permission to alter their genes?

If you could, would you have your unborn child’s genes edited with CRISPR (assuming it works as intended) to be immune to Alzheimer's disease? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning. What about editing your child’s genes to increase their intelligence? Or eye color? Would you do that? Explain your reasoning.