Magic Scissors And gene Manipulation. Poem by Nabakishore Dash

Kind, mind, find, bind,
brain, train,
nose, rose
such , much,
mound, sound
dinner , sinner,
revel, rebel
laughter , slaughter
Care, scare,
error, terror,
evolution, revolution.
only one letter changed or added or deleted
changes the meaning altogether.
This type of modification, whether deletion
or addition, in biology is called mutation,
when the bases in DNA, we alter.

Pen is the tool for making changes
in letters.
but scientists have discovered Crispr-Cas,
magic molecular scissors.

It is a genetic tool that finds and replaces
the bases of DNA
to produce desired mutation.
DNA being the genetic material of organisms,
any tinkering with them
can bring about fundamental variation
to any organism and molecular revolution.

Crispr can cure sickle cell disease,
remove mutations that lead to cancer,
help create spicy tomatoes,
faster horses.
Brazil and Argentina scientists
are pursuing the searches.

Crispr can change mosquito genome
to ensure they only produce male offsprings.
This would help wiping out the
entire mosquito population over
a matter of few generations.

United States wants to alter
Elephant genes to produce offspring
that resemble extinct woolly mammoth
and to revive passenger pigeons.
Crispr is a potential tool to
fight climate changes.
Genetic changes could be made
to enable plants to absorb even more
carbon dioxide during photosynthesis
and grow deeper roots to trap carbon
deeper in soil.
Trials of creating designer babies, born with only right genes,
are being planned in some level.

Man can use this tool to
tackle many problems from
congenital diseases
to climate change.
But some ethical aspects
of gene snipping must be thought profoundly
as the tool is equipped with double edge.

Source of this poem is The English daily 'The times of India'.