AI-Created Gene Editing Tools Successfully Alter Human DNA

In the medical field, AI assists in detecting issues like irregular heart rhythms and identifying skin cancer. However, is AI’s involvement in our genome necessary? Profluent, a protein-design company established in 2022 in Berkeley, California, believes it is.

Profluent has been investigating AI-driven methods to study and create novel proteins not found naturally. This week, the company celebrated a significant breakthrough with the introduction of an AI-developed protein called OpenCRISPR-1.

Aiding DNA Modification in the CRISPR Gene-Editing System

The protein functions within the CRISPR gene-editing system, cutting open a segment of DNA to facilitate gene repair or replacement. Researchers have actively utilized CRISPR for about 15 years, leading to its creators receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020.

It has demonstrated its potential as a biomedical tool capable of restoring vision and treating rare diseases, as well as an agricultural tool that can enhance the vitamin D levels in tomatoes and shorten tree flowering times from decades to months, among other applications.

Traditionally, CRISPR has utilized naturally occurring proteins to perform its DNA-cutting tasks.

Specifically, it uses the Cas9 protein, originally sourced from bacteria, to open DNA strands for modifying gene sequences.

The Profluent team used AI to develop a database of 5.1 million Cas9-like proteins, surpassing previous databases by 2.7 times overall and 4.1 times for Cas9 proteins. An AI model was then trained on this database to identify potential proteins for CRISPR applications.

OpenCRISPR-1 Outperforms with Reduced Off-Target Effects

Guided by Profluent, the system narrowed down the results from 4 million sequences, leading to the selection of OpenCRISPR-1. In tests, this new protein performed similarly to Cas9 but reduced off-target effects by 95%, demonstrating enhanced precision and minimized unintended DNA damage.

In a rare gesture, Profluent released its protein to the scientific community, hence the “open” designation of OpenCRISPR-1.

Peter Cameron, Vice President and Head of Gene Editing at Profluent, commented, “Today’s announcement marks a pivotal moment and the start of what we anticipate will be an ongoing process as we advance into the next era of genetic medicine. We invite the gene editing community to rigorously test OpenCRISPR-1. If there are aspects that could be enhanced for specific applications, we welcome feedback and are open to collaborating to optimize these features.”

Reason for Concern?

At first glance, employing AI to modify DNA may raise concerns. However, fears like those of “insect children” or comparisons to “Dr. Frankenstein,” as mentioned in CEO Ali Madani’s X post, are largely exaggerated. Profluent leveraged AI’s capability to process vast amounts of data quickly and arrive at conclusions more efficiently than humanly possible.

Instead of questionable genetic experiments, the company believes that this new technology will enable swift and precise genetic treatments for prevalent diseases.

“We are publicly releasing OpenCRISPR-1, a high-performance AI-designed gene editor, to encourage widespread, ethical use across both research and commercial sectors,” stated Profluent team members in a blog post. “Our goal is to foster innovation and progress within the gene editing community, ultimately delivering new treatments for patients facing significant unmet medical needs.”

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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