Gene-editing Enables Us to Create Single Sex Mice

      Hi everyone, today I'd like to tell you about a recent study to create only female mice. Gene-editing based on CRISPER-Cas9 enables us to do it. Thanks to the technique, a lot of lives may be saved.
     Most mammals' sex is decided by XY-chromosomes. If they have two X-chromosomes, they are female. If they have one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome, they are male. To control their sex, scientists put specific genes on each chromosome. When both edited them are in the same cell, the cell can't survive. 
     The specific genes are important for CRISPER-Cas9. One gene makes an enzyme, this cuts DNA at a specific area. The other gene is transcripted as a guide-RNA, the RNA takes the enzyme to a vital gene. When they fertilize and are in the same cell, they cut an important gene and kill the cell. So only the cell which has edited X and Y-chromosomes can't survive and the male isn't born.
     The technique will be important particularly in animal husbandry. Male chickens are killed because their meat is tough and they can't lay eggs. Thanks to the technique, we mayn't have to kill them in near future. It will contribute to animal protection.

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  1. That's great technology! I didn't know that male chickens being killed because of their taste. I hope it will be used soon. One day it may be able to be used for humans as well.

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