CRISPR/Cas9: Regulations and challenges for law enforcement to combat its dual-use

Abstract

For many years, scientists have aspired to edit any DNA segment of living organisms precisely, and with the discovery of CRISPR/Cas9, they have moved closer to achieving their objective. Using this tool, researchers can knock out or knock-in a gene into or from any part of the genome. The CRISPR-Cas9 system is a highly effective and accurate tool and has replaced previous genome editing technologies such as ZFN and TALEN having lesser precision and accuracy. Advances in CRISPR/Cas technology have been remarkable in recent years, with significant applications in various fields of life sciences research. Despite the diverse applications of the CRISPR system, this tool also poses a threat to living organisms and the environment. The intentional misuse of CRISPR could be a disaster to society and the environment. Different countries have imposed laws and guidelines to regulate genome editing through multiple agencies. However, in some countries, these rules and regulations are still under development or don't exist, leading to higher chances of the technology getting misused. Dual-use of this technology could be a threat to biosecurity and biodefense. This article summarizes the potential applications of the CRISPR system in human and plants, and also evaluate the laws and regulations imposed by different countries to keep genome editing technology under check.

Keywords: Biosecurity; CRISPR/Cas9; Genome editing; Microbial forensics; Regulations; Threats.