1.CRISPR Fncas9
● Indian scientists build breakthrough gene-editor, are aiming for patent
● A CRISPR system built to use the FnCas9 enzyme was found to editgenomes more efficiently and with less unintended damage than existingtechnologies, researchers at CSIR-IGIB and the L.V. Prasad Eye Institutehave reported
● Scientists from the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology,New Delhi, have developed an enhanced genome-editing system that canmodify DNA more precisely and more efficiently than existingCRISPR-based technologies.
● Today, using CRISPR-Cas9, researchers can add, remove, or alter specificDNA sequences in the genomes of animals.
● This system has been used in various fields, including in agriculture – toimprove the nutritional value of plants and increase their yield – and inhealthcare to diagnose several diseases and treat genetic disorders.
● The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tool uses a guide RNA (gRNA) designed tofind and bind to a specific part of the target genome.
● The gRNA directs an enzyme, Cas9, to the target site, which is followed bya short DNA sequence called the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM).
● Cas9 recognises and binds to the PAM sequence, and acts as a molecularscissor that snips some damaged DNA.
● This repair system triggers the cell’s DNA automatically, which repairsthe snipped part to insert the correct DNA sequence.
● But the CRISPR-Cas9 system can also recognise and cut parts of thegenome other than the intended portion.
● Such “off-target” effects are more common when using the SpCas9enzyme derived from Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria. Scientistshave been able to engineer versions of SpCas9 with higher fidelity butonly at the cost of editing efficiency.
● To overcome these issues, researchers are exploring Cas9enzymes from Francisella novicida bacteria.
● While it has low efficiency, is highly precise, this Cas9, calledFnCas9 is well.
● To enhance it without compromising specificity, researchers atCSIR-IGIB in Delhi recently tested lab-modified and engineerednew versions of FnCas9.
● The researchers tinkered with amino acids in FnCas9 thatrecognise and interact with the PAM sequence on the hostgenome. “By doing this, we increase the binding affinity of theCas protein with the PAM sequence,” Dr. Chakraborty said.
“The Cas9 can then sit on the DNA in a stronger configuration, andyou’ve got editing moments much more efficient.”
● The researchers also engineered the end regions of FnCas9 to bemore flexible and released the PAM on the genome at the otherwiseharder to access. “This opens up more avenues for gene editing.
2.The Yazidi community
● The Yazidi community is an ethnoreligious group indigenous tothe Kurdish regions of Iraq, specifically the Nineveh Plain in thenorth of the country, with smaller communities in neighboringcountries such as Syria, Turkey, and Armenia.
● The Yazidis are known for their unique religion, which is monotheistic but incorporates elements of angel worship and hasa complex cosmology that includes several divine beings and spirits.
3.The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
NEWS
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a significant piece of legislation in theUnited States that was signed into law on August 16, 2022. It is designed to address several key issues, including climate change,healthcare, and tax reform, with a primary goal of reducing inflation andimproving the economy.
Provisions
The IRA includes provisions that aim to combat climate change by investing in cleanenergy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.It provides subsidies and tax credits for consumers purchasing electric vehicles andhome energy efficiency improvements, as well as incentives for renewable energyproduction and storage.
Healthcare: The Act extends the Affordable Care Act subsidies through 2025,which helps reduce premiums for millions of Americans buying healthinsurance on the exchanges. It also allows Medicare to negotiate prices on certain prescription drugsfor the first time, potentially leading to lower drug prices for Medicarebeneficiaries.
Tax Reform: The IRA includes a 15% minimum tax on corporations with more than $1billion in profits, aiming to ensure that large corporations pay their fairshare of taxes.● It also provides funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to improvetax enforcement, which is expected to lead to increased tax revenue fromwealthy individuals and corporations who may have been underpaying theirtaxes.
Deficit Reduction: The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimatedthat the IRA would reduce the federal deficit by about $300 billion overten years, which is one of the ways the Act is expected to help combatinflation.
Inflation Targeting: While the Act is named the “Inflation ReductionAct,” its impact on inflation is subject to debate.Some economists believe that the measures taken to address climatechange and healthcare will have a positive effect on the economy overthe long term, potentially reducing inflationary pressures. Othersargue that the short-term impact on inflation may not be as significant.
Conclusion
The Inflation Reduction Act is considered a major legislative victory for the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress, as it represents a significant step towards addressing some of the country’s most pressing issues. The Act’s long-term effects on the economy, inflation, and the environment will be closely watched in the coming years.
4.Indian star tortoise
Characteristics:
- Indian star tortoise has medium-sized head, hooked beak, and short, thick legs covered with tubercles of various sizes and shapes. Males have a long tail, while females have short and stubby tails. Indian star tortoise is a diurnal animal that is mostly active in the morning and late in the afternoon.
- Behaviour and Temperament: Indian star tortoises do not like being handled. They can get stressed out and get ill if handled frequently.
- Food Habits: Star tortoises are herbivores. They need plenty of fresh and dark leafy greens and grasses.
Threats: It is the single most confiscated species of freshwater tortoise in the world. It faces threats such as loss of habitat to agriculture and illegal harvesting for the pet trade.
5.ZIKA VIRUS
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), Zika virus is a mosquito-borne virus rst identied in Uganda in 1947 in a Rhesus macaque monkey, followed by evidence of infection and disease in humans in other African countries in the 1950s.
Zika virus occurs through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes,mainly Aedes aegypti, which also transmits dengue and chikungunya.
The Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during the day.
Sexual transmission, transmission from mother to foetus and transfusions of blood and blood products are other routes of transmission
No vaccine is as yet available for the prevention or treatment of Zika virus infection, the WHO says. The development of a Zika vaccine remains an active area of research.