Gene-edited beagles may offer a future option for people with dog allergies - AP News
Scientists have used CRISPR gene-editing technology to create hypoallergenic beagles by removing a specific allergy-causing protein. While the breakthrough offers hope for allergy sufferers, experts warn of potential ethical concerns regarding animal welfare and shelter adoption rates.
Why it matters
Represents a significant advancement in genetic engineering with potential impacts on both human health and animal ethics.
By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Leer en español --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share
NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Walker couldn’t pet a dog without sneezing — until he and other scientists used a gene editing technique to produce a hypoallergenic beagle named Bailey.
Now, he can feed Bailey spoons of peanut butter while she lies on his lap and play fetch with her in Central Park. His allergies didn’t go away: Bailey’s saliva and hair no longer contain a key allergy-causing protein.
“The feeling right now is sort of a mix of relief and awe and gratitude that it worked,” said Walker, a geneticist. His company, Kindred Companion Sciences, created Bailey and her twin Alfie using a Nobel Prize-winning technique called CRISPR.
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