Biohacker CRISPRs himself in attempt to get bigger muscles
By GMWatch,
GMWatch
| 12. 11. 2017
A CBS News story reports an attempt by the biohacker Josiah Zayner to genetically modify himself to have bigger muscles, using the CRISPR genome-editing tool.
It seems that Zayner tried to alter his DNA by injecting his forearm with a piece of DNA called a plasmid, containing the gene that codes for the Cas9 genome-editing protein and its guide RNA targeted to the myostatin gene. The myostatin protein encoded by this gene checks the growth of muscles so they don’t become out-of-proportion huge. Zayner’s aim is to disrupt the myostatin gene that blocks muscle growth so that his muscles get larger.
Zayner carried out this process using a CRISPR kit that is available to buy online. Presumably it’s the same one that his own company sells and that he hopes to profit from.
Zayner described to CBS his view of the future possibilities with CRISPR: "Do I wanna be big and muscly? Do I wanna – you know, my muscles have, like, high endurance? Do I want to have dark colour skin or light colour skin or whatever you want....
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