Chapter 78 Knockout (additional update)
Jiang Miao controls the instruments and equipment in the genetically modified laboratory, using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to transform an adenovirus raw material.
The so-called CRISPR-Cas9 technology is a gene editing technology that can artificially excise specific gene fragments in the target gene sequence to achieve the purpose of genetic modification.
The CRISPR-Cas9 technology does not directly cut the gene sequence, but requires manufacturing tools first.
The adenovirus he is currently modifying is such a tool.
Using instruments and auxiliary drugs, specific nucleases are inserted into the CRISPR-Cas9 protein, and then inserted into the adenovirus, after the adenovirus has been modified.
You can start cultivating this modified adenovirus.
In order to carry out research, Jiang Miao had already ordered the purchasing department in advance to purchase more than a dozen beautiful exotic kapok.
These beautiful exotic kapok trees, which are five to six meters high, cost 1,200 yuan each. They were purchased from a nursery stock company in Yudu next door. They are currently placed on a slope in Nanhu Farm and are waiting to be contracted for the mountainous area behind the feed factory. Come down and transfer them all over there.
In the past few days, he took the time to collect some beautiful buds and leaves of kapok as raw materials for tissue culture.
At the same time, the genetic sequences of these beautiful exotic kapoks were carefully examined through the identification panel.
While the special adenovirus was still replicating and increasing in value, he re-observed the genetic sequence data of the beautiful Kapok, and quickly wrote and drew on a record book with the name Beautiful Kapok on the cover.
However, the above content is like a heavenly book, because it is a private secret that only Jiang Miao can understand. It is mainly to prevent someone from stealing paper information.
In the record book, his writings are like gods:
‘First we need to knock out the fragments of genes related to reproduction. These seven gene fragments are all fragments related to reproduction...’
Jiang Miao wrote in the record book: Knockout, gene, YMM-2536, YMM-2544...
He wrote this number himself, and others would be confused after reading it, because he did not write down the characteristics of this gene fragment, nor did he indicate the function of this gene fragment.
'It is not safe to just knock out the reproduction gene fragments. Others can also cultivate them through tissue culture technology. Therefore, timed death gene fragments must be implanted. When the time is up, they will be automatically activated and let these transgenic kapok withers away on their own. ’
The reason for this design is to control the growers. If there is no setting for regular death, given the longevity of the tree, after the durian is grafted, a tree can bear fruit for decades, which is obviously not conducive to control.
This is like the planned obsolescence of modern industrial products.
Without this method, growers will sooner or later take matters into their own hands and destroy the entire market after planting grafted durians.
This is not an alarmist statement by Jiang Miao, but this is how human nature is.
Last year, the Durian Association and local officials in the Siam area gave repeated orders to local durian growers. However, some growers could not resist the temptation and cut down the fruits in advance to sell them under the temptation of money.
There are indeed simple good people among farmers.
But we must not lead the entire group of farmers into the impression of good people and honest people, because no matter which group they belong to, not all of them are good people.
On the other hand, a group of all evil people may exist.
Jiang Miao's plan to play the genetic version was scrapped just in case, so that he could punish those growers who did not abide by the rules.
Although those growers must first sign a contract before Hailufeng Company will sell seeds to them, there must be relevant penalty clauses for breach of contract in the contract.
But Jiang Miao is very aware of the domestic situation. The atmosphere in some rural areas is very bad, and they often help relatives but not take care of them, or push some old men and women to take the lead.
If all the growers in a village breach the contract, the other party can play rogue. Even if they go to court, the crackdown may not be effective.
Therefore, Jiang Miao is prepared to keep a secret and lock the service life of the transgenic kapok at 3 years. Once the three years are up, the transgenic kapok will automatically wither.
In this way, Hailufeng Company can settle accounts with those growers who have defaulted. As long as they do not provide them with new genetically modified kapok or provide other technical services, those grafted durians will soon wither.
After killing chickens and scaring monkeys a few times, those farmers will understand the consequences of violating the rules. However, genes related to timed apoptosis are definitely not found in trees and perennial herbs, and can only be selected from some annual herbs.
Jiang Miao did not immediately conduct research in this area, but continued to study the genetic modification plan of Kapok.
The contents of the record book continue to increase.
‘To enhance the success rate of grafting, it is necessary to knock out the immunity gene specifically against foreign foreign matter in the Kapok gene...’
‘At the same time, it also enhances the resistance genes of kapok to specific fungi and bacteria to avoid the knockout of some immune gene fragments, which makes transgenic kapok susceptible to diseases...’
‘At the same time, it is necessary to enhance the nutrient transport efficiency of the top branches, so that nutrients can be supplied to the grafted branches of the side branches through topping, increasing the number of fruits...’
‘It is also necessary to knock out the defoliation gene fragment of Kapok so that it can still photosynthesize efficiently in autumn and winter, and accumulate enough nutrients for flowering and fruiting the next year...’
Before he knew it, Jiang Miao's notebook was filled with more than twenty pages.
He plans to knock out 34 gene fragments of Kapok japonica and insert 86 new gene fragments.
It is not very difficult to knock out the genes of the beautiful kapok, but implanting new genes is more complicated and troublesome, because these genes must be genes of other organisms, and there are many problems to be solved.
However, this is only a preliminary genetic modification plan. Even if he knows all the genetic sequences of the beautiful kapok and knows the functions corresponding to these genetic sequences, there is still no way to achieve it overnight.
Because knocking out genes and implanting genes will cause other chain reactions, and whether it will lead to gene collapse, these are all unknown.
The identification panel cannot simulate unknown situations. This requires him to make the transgenic kapok before he can see the stability, functional expression, and harmony between the gene sequences.
But even so, it is actually very powerful.
This can shorten at least 99% of the scientific research time, so that the experimental results can be seen within a few days, without actually needing to plant them.
This is also a huge advantage of identification panels in biotechnology.
The second largest application area of identification panels is the synthesis of new materials.
As long as Jiang Miao is willing, he can use various chemicals to make a hodgepodge of mixtures, perform hundreds of synthesis at the same time, and then use the identification panel to identify the effects of these synthetic substances, which is equivalent to trying his luck.
However, at the current stage of human civilization, a large part of the achievements in the field of new materials are indeed obtained through continuous trial and error.
Others can try their luck, and he can naturally try his luck.
As long as there are enough experiments, in the process of large-scale random synthesis, a blind cat will always encounter a dead mouse.
The existence of the identification panel allows Jiang Miao to directly skip the complex experimental testing, verification and repeatability stages and directly see the various conditions of the new material.
This saves a lot of inefficient time.
As for why he does not enter the field of new materials now, the main reason is that Jiang Miao does not have enough confidence and background.
His major is bioengineering, and he is now engaged in eel artificial breeding technology and genetically modified technology. That is an extension of bioengineering, and it is not a big span.
But suddenly jumping from bioengineering to the field of new materials is a bit illogical.
Even if he wants to start a scientific research project on new materials, Jiang Miao plans to make a transition first through the route of biosynthesizing new materials to reduce some of the doubts about him from the outside world.
What's more, to some extent, biological materials are also one of the general directions in the future, such as genetically modified spider silk.
(End of chapter)