They’re all reborn, what’s wrong with being a little more almighty?

Chapter 175 Believe in the wisdom of our ancestors
Unsurprisingly, CRISPR-Cas6 research has yielded nothing.

Looking at the results displayed on the instrument, Senior Brother Liu sighed: "Sure enough, it failed again."

"Isn't it normal to fail? The CRISPR system can produce so many types of proteins, and we only tried two."

"I feel like doing experiments one by one like a headless fly is not the way to go!"

"Senior Brother Liu, you have been doing experiments for so many years, are you still a headless fly? When other professors do experiments, don't they often try them one by one!" said a person next to him with a smile.

"Yeah, if you don't try them one by one, how can you narrow down the scope?" Another person also said.

Senior Brother Liu turned to look at Liu Qian who was not far away, and then asked: "Liu Qian, when you were doing nucleoside modification before, you were like a headless fly. Did Zhang Wei just do whatever he thought of? "

Liu Qian thought for a while and replied: "It seems like this. At the beginning, we were all doing Toll-like receptors, and we did many cases, but there were no results. Then Zhang Wei said to do nucleoside modification, It worked out.”

"On what basis did he base the nucleoside modification?" Brother Liu then asked.

Liu Qian shook her head: "I don't know. At that time, he said, try another idea."

"Yeah, Starbucks, I can't bear to buy it. Last time I went shopping with my girlfriend, the two of us bought a cup. I felt so sad."

Zhang Wei took the remaining cup, took a sip, and frowned slightly. The taste was average, not as good as those domestic coffee chain brands of later generations.

At this time, Zhang Wei's voice sounded from the laboratory's loudspeaker.

"I bought a variety of flavors, including classic latte, American style, and new products. You can choose yourselves." Zhang Wei pointed to the Starbucks coffee bag in front of him.

Zhang Wei complained in his heart, and then asked: "Did CRISPR-Cas6 fail too? It doesn't matter, failure is the mother of success! Maybe we will succeed next time."

Zhang Wei had originally planned to do Cas9, but now someone happened to bring it up, so it would save him trouble, and he could just borrow Poxiadonkey.

"Let's take a break. I bought coffee for everyone. It's from Starbucks! Come out and drink coffee!"

"Isn't it true? A cup of Starbucks can cost us food for several days. Speaking of which, Teacher Zhang Wei is quite rich. He has treated us to meals and coffee these past few days. I heard that he paid for it all from his own pocket."

"He must be rich. Don't forget that he scored 750 in the college entrance examination. His scholarship alone is worth hundreds of thousands, which is enough to buy an apartment in the capital."

"What suggestions do you have?" Zhang Wei asked with a smile.

Senior Brother Liu was the first to ask: "What should we do next? Should we make other proteins of Cas6, go back to make Cas5, or continue to make Cas7?"

"No, I was just joking! Don't take it seriously!" the man quickly explained.

Everyone was not polite and picked a cup of coffee one after another.

"Good suggestion, let's do Cas9 next!" Zhang Wei said immediately.

When they heard that there was Starbucks coffee, everyone immediately put down their work and walked to the lounge while chatting and gossiping.

"You changed your mind and the experiment was successful? Couldn't it be purely luck? Did this guy rely entirely on blind imagination when formulating his experimental ideas?" Senior Brother Liu sighed helplessly.

"Hey! Zhang Wei set up the experimental project like a headless fly, but his project team really manages all kinds of snacks, and they even have afternoon tea every three days!"

"This quality control is bullying Chinese people who don't understand coffee beans! In other words, in this era, Chinese people still worship foreign fast food."

"There is no basis for it! I just said a folk saying!" The man continued to explain.

"As the saying goes, go ahead. We have done Cas3 and Cas6, so is it time to do Cas9?" one of them said jokingly.

"I think your suggestion is reasonable and well-founded!" Zhang Wei pretended to be dumbfounded.

"Folk sayings are based on the experience accumulated by our ancestors over thousands of years. Why do we go out at 369, not 246, or 358? Then these three numbers must be auspicious! Since they are auspicious, Then the probability of results is higher. We have to believe in the wisdom of our ancestors!" Zhang Wei said with a smile.

"Teacher Zhang Wei, we are doing scientific research! What you said makes it seem like you are doing an experiment and you have to read the almanac. How can it be like feudal superstition!" Someone else said.

"Einstein said that the end of science is metaphysics!" Zhang Wei explained.

"Einstein also said this? Why haven't I heard of it?" Senior Brother Liu muttered softly.

……

In the laboratory, everyone followed Zhang Wei's arrangement and started the CRISPR-Cas9 experiment.

"This is too much fun! Are you going out? So you have to do Cas9?" Senior Brother Liu complained while staring at the experimental equipment.

"Yeah, how can anyone do scientific research like this? I feel more and more that our project is unreliable."

"It's not that the project is unreliable, it's that the people are unreliable! When other people do experiments, they have a plan, right? Why do they have to follow the experimental plan? He's good, he just comes out as soon as he thinks of it!"

"Even if there is no specific experimental plan, he still looks at the experimental results and then plans the follow-up experimental process based on the experimental results? As a result, he didn't even read the CRISPR-Cas6 experimental report we did earlier!"

"Haha, how can anyone rely on metaphysics? The key point is that he is so confident! He even reveals the wisdom of his ancestors."

"I think it won't be long before our project becomes obsolete. I heard that the funds we are using now are retained from the previous nucleoside modification project, and the funding application for the new project has not yet been approved! If this continues, subsequent projects will The funds must have been lost.”

"Then don't we have to find a new home as soon as possible? That's too bad. At least I can get a lot of experimental opportunities here, and the work is relatively easy. Go back to my mentor's place, don't talk about it, just do it. These are all simple experiments that don’t improve oneself much,” said a master’s student.

"You'll get used to it. We've all been working as cows and horses." Senior Brother Liu said.

While everyone was complaining, Liu Qian stopped in front of the monitor. She stared at the monitor for more than a minute, and then she said, "Brother, come over and take a look. This DNA fragment seems to be somewhat... Something's wrong."

Someone immediately came over, looked at the numbers on it, and said, "Why are there so many DNA fragments?"

"It's increased? How come there are more DNA fragments?" Senior Brother Liu said and came over and looked at the experimental data carefully.

The next second, a ridiculous idea popped up in his mind.

"Could it be that these DNA fragments were cut?"

"Did CRISPR-Cas9 cut these DNA fragments? Did we really succeed?" Another exclaimed.

The three words "successful" instantly attracted everyone, and everyone joined in. "Holy crap, is it really CRISPR-Cas9?"

"Three, six, nine, go out, are you really right? Isn't this too mysterious? Is the end of science really metaphysics?"

Everyone looked at each other and fell into silence.

A few minutes ago, everyone was complaining that Zhang Wei was unreliable! Some people have already begun to wonder where to find a new home after the project becomes obsolete.

However, with these words of complaint still echoing in my ears, the experiment was a success!
This reversal happened so fast that even the top academics at Tsingta University couldn't catch it!
……

Everyone repeated the experiment again and confirmed that CRISPR-Cas9 could indeed cut off DNA fragments, and then reported the results to Zhang Wei.

"It's really CRISPR-Cas9! I've said it before, trust the wisdom of our ancestors!" Zhang Wei said with a smile.

Everyone looked at Zhang Wei speechlessly. Although the wisdom of the ancestors was completely nonsense, Zhang Wei really got it this time!

This is the first time I’ve seen someone do this kind of project. He just randomly set up the experimental content, and he actually achieved results so casually!
Is this good luck or the blessing of our ancestors?
Then before doing experiments in the future, should I buy a pig head to worship my ancestors? At least burn some incense and some yellow paper!

"Three, sixty-nine, go out, who suggested it? Credit him first!" Zhang Wei continued

"Can this be used to record merit? It seems that what you need is not an experimenter, but a Taoist priest who can pinch and calculate!" Senior Brother Liu complained in his heart.

Zhang Wei continued: "I'll sort out the lab report and I'll ask the school for follow-up funds. Everyone has worked hard these days. We have a day off tomorrow. Let's take a rest. We will come back the day after tomorrow and continue to work hard!"

"After the holiday, what should we do next?" Senior Brother Liu asked.

Zhang Wei thought for a while and replied: "We have now determined that the protein that can cut off gene fragments is CRISPR-Cas9. Next, of course, we need to find a way to control this protein and perform the target gene sequence. cutting.

There are two technical difficulties, one is how to control CRISPR-Cas9 to enter the target cell, and the other is how to identify the target cleavage site. Specifically, I have an idea. I will sort it out in detail before communicating with you! "

"Teacher Zhang Wei, do you really have an idea?" one of them asked in a low voice.

"What? You still doubt me as the project leader!" Zhang Wei asked with a smile.

"It's not that I'm suspicious, I'm afraid that you'll have to look through the almanac again when you go back. After all, we are doing scientific research, and we can't rely on the almanac to do projects!"

……

Zhang Wei took the experimental report and found Meng Heming.

"The preliminary demonstration of the gene editing I did has been completed and the results have been achieved. Send me money quickly!" Zhang Wei directly threw the experimental report to Meng Heming.

"Are you getting results? So soon?" Meng Heming took a few glances at the experimental report, his expression changed slightly, and he immediately asked: "Why isn't it a transcription activator?"

"When did I say that we were going to make a transcription activator? I just said that we were going to make a new gene editing technology." Zhang Wei replied.

"When Sinopharm and three academicians came, didn't you say we were going to develop nuclease technology for transcription activators?"

"That's what Academician Qian said. I just asked Academician Qian and read the literature in this area. I didn't say that I wanted to do this kind of technology!" Zhang Wei put on an innocent expression.

"Hey! You don't make transcription activators, but you were still having a heated discussion with Academician Qian? You are just kidding us!" Meng Heming said angrily.

"Isn't this just a chat? You have to find something to talk about! Academician Qian has already started talking about this. I can't continue the conversation, otherwise it will be disrespectful! Although I am young, I still have a bit of worldliness. !" Zhang Wei said cheerfully.

"Come on, I've become the unsophisticated one!" Meng Heming sighed, too lazy to talk to Zhang Wei anymore, but lowered his head and read Zhang Wei's experimental report.

"CRISPR? This is the short palindromic repeat sequence of the prokaryotic genome! Use the protein generated by CRISPR to cut the gene sequence to achieve the purpose of gene editing?"

After reading the basic description of the project, Meng Heming's face suddenly showed shock.

"How did you come up with this method? What's going on in your head!"

"I'm just pretending to give you money when you do!" Zhang Wei crossed his legs and said with a pretentious look.

"This is the first time I have seen this kind of thinking. Please stop talking and let me think..." Meng Heming said, first taking off his glasses, rubbing his eye point, and then began to think seriously.

After a while, Meng Heming finally asked: "Theoretically, the protein generated by CRISPR can cut the DNA of the virus, which should be used for gene editing, but there is a problem.

CRISPR is part of the bacterial immune system. It cuts the DNA of the virus in order to destroy the DNA of the virus and kill the virus, so that it is not affected by the virus.

If you use CRISPR for gene editing, will it destroy the target gene sequence, causing the entire DNA of the target cell to be destroyed? How can we do follow-up experiments then? "

As expected of the dean of the biology department of Tsinghua University, his vision was several levels higher than those of graduate students, and he immediately pointed out the biggest shortcoming of genetic scissors.

Genetic scissors are easy to use and the cost is not high, but the disadvantage is that the scissors are too sharp and it is easy to cut in the wrong position. As soon as the scissors are cut down, other gene segments may be accidentally damaged, which can easily cause genome instability.

Real-life animal experiments have found that when genetic scissors are used for treatment, a large number of unexpected single nucleotide mutations and deletions or insertions of larger gene fragments will be found. This is the reason.

If the efficiency of previous gene editing technology is too low, the hit rate is less than 25% when cut with one knife. Then the genetic scissors are too efficient. I originally wanted to cut it in half with one cut, but I never expected that the cutter would sputter and cut into eighteen pieces.

Regarding the question raised by Meng Heming, Zhang Wei had already thought of the answer. He said: "I have also thought about it. The problem you mentioned will indeed arise. I can't think of a good solution for the time being. At present, I can only rely on cells." self-repaired.

When a DNA double-strand break occurs, cells will try to repair it. If it is repaired by non-homologous end joining, although it will be faster, it may lead to changes in gene function.

Although changes in gene function may develop in a good direction, most of them are in a bad direction. Once a non-homologous end repair connection occurs, it means that the gene editing fails.

But if homologous recombination occurs, the situation is different. Although the repair speed of homologous recombination is relatively slow, it can accurately repair the cell's mechanism and repair the broken DNA, and the gene editing will be successful.

If homologous recombination can be used to insert into specific parts of the target gene, the problem you just mentioned can be solved. But this is not within the scope of my research this time. What I want to do this time is gene editing technology. "

Meng Heming frowned and thought for a while, then nodded silently: "The method you mentioned is feasible. If your gene editing technology is successful, there should be many scholars willing to study the insertion of homologous genes on this basis. Recombinant technology."

Meng Heming continued to read the follow-up experimental report, his expression showing surprise again.

"CRISPR-Cas9? Have you found a protein that can cut genetic sequences? It's only been a few days? There are hundreds or thousands of proteins, right? How did you find it?"

"The main reason is that I believe in the wisdom of my ancestors!" Zhang Wei replied with a smile.

(End of this chapter)