{"id":66921,"date":"2026-02-17T18:17:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:47:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=66921"},"modified":"2026-02-17T18:21:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:51:45","slug":"genome-editing-multiple-disorders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/17-02-2026\/genome-editing-multiple-disorders","title":{"rendered":"Single Genome-editing Strategy Can Help Treat Multiple Disorders"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science and Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A study in Nature recently revealed that researchers have developed a method to address many <strong>nonsense mutation diseases using a single genome-editing strategy.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Their approach is called <strong>Prime-Editing-mediated Readthrough of premature termination codons (PERT).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It reprogrammes <strong>one of the cell\u2019s own genes into a tool<\/strong> to override premature stop signals, <strong>allowing the cell to ignore the faulty instruction and complete the protein.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The study offers a proof-of-concept for a gene-agnostic therapy that could benefit many rare diseases caused by nonsense mutations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Genetic Disorders and Nonsense Mutations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Genetic disorders<\/strong> often stem from <strong>small errors in the DNA sequence<\/strong> with major consequences.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Many diseases<\/strong> like cystic fibrosis and Batten disease can be traced to changes disrupting the cell\u2019s ability to build a complete, functional protein.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nonsense Mutation:<\/strong> One particularly common reason is the <strong>nonsense mutation,<\/strong> where a <strong>single incorrect DNA letter inserts a premature stop signal.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When the cell encounters it, protein production ends too early, leaving the body without important enzymes, transporters or structural components.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nonsense mutations account for about a quarter<\/strong> of all known disease-causing genetic changes.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Therapy:<\/strong> Each one halts a different protein at a different point, creating a wide range of disorders that, at present, <strong>require separate treatments.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Each therapy needs to be designed, tested and approved on its own. This is a <strong>slow and expensive process.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Genome<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The genome is the <strong>entire set of DNA instructions found in a cell.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In humans, the genome consists of<strong> 23 pairs of chromosomes <\/strong>located in the cell\u2019s nucleus, as well as a small chromosome in the cell\u2019s mitochondria.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A genome contains<strong>all the information needed for an individual to develop and function.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e8eced\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-85-1024x577.png\" alt=\"genome\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-66926\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e8eced; aspect-ratio:1.7758407786736399;width:396px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-85-1024x577.png 1024w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-85-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-85-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-85-1536x865.png 1536w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-85.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gene Editing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Genome editing technologies<\/strong> enable scientists to make changes to DNA, leading to changes in physical traits, like eye color, and disease risk.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These technologies act like scissors, cutting the DNA at a specific spot. Then scientists can remove, add, or replace the DNA where it was cut.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The first genome editing technologies were developed in the <strong>late 1900s.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>More recently, a new genome editing tool called <strong>CRISPR<\/strong>, invented in 2009, has made it easier to edit DNA.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CRISPR is simpler, faster, cheaper, and more accurate than older genome editing methods.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e2ddd2\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-84.png\" alt=\"gene therapy\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-66922\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e2ddd2; aspect-ratio:0.9921931233043575;width:344px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-84.png 1016w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-84-298x300.png 298w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-84-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-84-768x774.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gene Therapy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is a technique that uses genes to treat, prevent, or cure diseases by:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Replacing faulty genes,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deactivating harmful genes,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Introducing new genes to restore health.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>There are two different categories of gene therapies: germline therapy and somatic therapy.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Germline therapies<\/strong> change DNA in reproductive cells (like sperm and eggs). Changes to the DNA of reproductive cells are passed down from generation to generation.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Somatic therapies,<\/strong> on the other hand, target non-reproductive cells, and changes made in these cells affect only the person who receives the gene therapy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>While genetic technologies offer <strong>promising tools for conservation<\/strong>, their application must be guided by scientific rigor, ethical considerations, robust regulation, and ecological sensitivity.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A balanced, interdisciplinary approach is key to ensuring their responsible and effective use.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/single-genome-editing-strategy-pert-promises-treat-multiple-disorders\/article70638055.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> A study in Nature recently revealed that researchers have developed a method to address many nonsense mutation diseases using a single genome-editing strategy. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> About <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Their approach is called Prime-Editing-mediated Readthrough of premature termination codons (PERT). <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> It reprogrammes one of the cell\u2019s own genes into a tool to override premature stop signals, allowing the cell to ignore the faulty instruction and complete the protein. <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The study offers a proof-of-concept for a gene-agnostic therapy that could benefit many rare diseases caused by nonsense mutations. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/17-02-2026\/genome-editing-multiple-disorders \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66921"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66921\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66928,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66921\/revisions\/66928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}