# data[].attributes.body
In China, scientists have been experiencing with a new genome editing technique called CRISPR. This new technique modifies the genes of Bama pigs and they create tiny "micorpigs" that serve as pets, so these scientists plan to sell the "micropigs" commercially. However, this new idea brings a very large debate over how this powerful method is used.

# data[].attributes.body
Chinese scientist holiding micro-pig

# data[].attributes.body
CRISPR

# data[].attributes.body
The abbreviation , CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeated, which, to put in other words are the characteristics of a bacterial defense system that allows CRISP-Cas9 genome editing technology to use as its base. It was first discovered by a scientist at the University of Alicante in Spain; Francisco Mojica who found this bacterial defense in archaea at first, then later on in bacteria. Mojica suggested the idea that CRISPR was a part of a bacterial immune system, which essentially served for defending the bacteria against invading viruses.  This system function as a genetic memory for the cell, helping it destroy and detect invaders.

# data[].attributes.body
Bama Pig

# data[].attributes.body
CRISPR-Cas9 was declared the "scientific breakthrough of the year" by the editors of the journal Science (Netburn). This is a critical health topic, because with this new biotechnology we are able to present the next generation form inheriting genetic diseases from their parents. There is an idea that shows how through the new biotechnology mosquitos can be modified to have a trait that prevents Malaria and they can pass that trait on to 97% of their offspring. This new concept is can be a new break through in the world of science and especially health when in concern of diseases.

# data[].attributes.body
A naturally occurring genome editing system in bacteria allowed CRISPR-Cas9 to be adapted. It serves as an enzyme in a process of fighting off viruses, the Cas9 is used by the bacteria, the enzyme disables the virus. The bacteria which contains the CRISPR.Cas9 imprisons snippets of DNA to protect them from invading viruses. Then uses them to produce segments, recognized as CRISPR arrays. These arrays use their memory to help the bacteria remember the viruses. From the CRISPR arrays the bacteria creates RNA segments if the viruses attack again, the arrays aim at the viruses' DNA.

# data[].attributes.body
Scientists in China, have invented the idea to genetically modify Bama pigs. At first their goal and intent was to use the pigs as models for human diseases. However,  on September 23 at a summit, the International Biotech Leaders in Shenzhen, China revealed that they were planning to sell the pigs as pet for the initial price of 10,000 RMB which adds up to around 1,600 US dollars. The micro-pigs weigh around 15 kilograms, and grow up to the size of a medium dog once it has matured. Yong Li who is the technical director of BGI's animals science platform says that in the near future people will be able to buy the pigs and choose between their coat colors and patterns that can be set through gene editing.

# data[].attributes.body
Although micro-pigs may lead to a lower rate of dog-adoption and create an ethical discussion, there is a more important issue at hand. The technology CRISPR used for the modification of Bama pigs for the creation of micro-pigs, is the same technology used by the scientist Junjiu Huang for the modifications of human embryos (Netburn). The topic of altering human genes has gone from utter science fiction to a very close reality, but it remains a controversial concept nonetheless.The idea of picking a child's hair or eye color is one that many oppose, however, when put in a different scenario, many of the same individuals would agree the new technology is significant. For example, genetic diseases can be prevented from the new offsprings.

# data[].attributes.body
In the lab the CRISPR- CAS9 system works very similarly. According to the U.S National Library of Medicine, "researchers create a small piece of RNA with a short "guide" sequence that attaches (binds) to a specific target sequence of DNA in a genome. The RNA also binds to the Cas9 enzyme. As in bacteria, the modified RNA is used to recognize the DNA sequence, and the Cas9 enzyme cuts the DNA at the targeted location. Once the DNA is cut, researchers use the cell's own DNA repair machinery to add or delete pieces of genetic material, or to make changes to the DNA by replacing an existing segment with a customized DNA sequence" (Genetics Home reference).

# data[].attributes.body
Who will be the key people in this?
The International Biotech Leaders scientists in Shenzhen, China will be the key people who will play the major role in creating the tiny modified pigs. Buyers will also be a very key factor in this, because since they are created to be pets and if there is no one that wants to adopt them, production would essentially be useless.
What is another alternative?
The pigs in themselves are an alternative because there is no real demand in the market for another pet, there is a vast variety of potential house pets and so creating micro pigs is merely for money or the desire of it.
Where are there similar concepts/situations?
In life, we as humans tend to make quite a few products that are simply for the money of it. For example, candy. Candy not only is not not healthy, it's not necessary but it's simply only for the desire for artificial sugars that comes from a natural craving. Similarly to the micro pigs, it only comes from the fact that it's form the desire of creating a new species and to make money of it.
When would this cause a problem?
For billions of years, species have evolved from wolves and apes into dogs and homo-sapiens. The environment used to work in a balanced way, until humans advanced enough to control the Earth, and then evolution took a turn. While evolution is a remarkable phenomenon that occurs over millions of years, humans managed to develop new technologies that can modify animals to their liking in weeks rather than millions of years. It used to work differently, humans picked whichever animal they liked best and over the years breeding them until the animal was as they desired. Today, the procedure is even simpler than that, the information for the exact process of modifying Bama pigs for the invention of micro-pigs is not public yet, however, it is an improving technology that grows faster than natural evolution or artificial selection. We are yet to understand the evolutionary implications and effects of creating new and artificial species, and thus, we do not know if evolution will work on artificial species. Due to the fact that the new organisms have their own DNA, evolution should be potentially effective for them as well. The real question comes to this, can human-made technologies stop natural occurrences?

# data[].attributes.body
Micro-pig

# data[].attributes.body
How are micro pigs as potential pets going to affect the adoption rates of dogs?
If these micro pigs were to be a success, the rate of dogs could potentially decrease, which could also mean that it could lead to more dogs not having a home and living on streets. However this is not clear as this concept is new to society, therefore there is a very limited amount of research about it.

# data[].attributes.body
Netburn, Deborah. “Why CRISPR-Cas9 Is Being Hailed as the Scientific 'Breakthrough of the Year'.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2015, www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-crispr-cas-9-20151218-story.html.
Lewis, Tanya. “Chinese Scientists Want to Sell These Teensy Genetically-Engineered Pigs as Pets.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 30 Sept. 2015, www.businessinsider.com/chinese-genetically-engineered-mini-pigs-2015-9.
“Questions and Answers about CRISPR.” Broad Institute, 20 Mar. 2018, www.broadinstitute.org/what-broad/areas-focus/project-spotlight/questions-and-answers-about-crispr.
“Gene-Edited 'Micropigs' to Be Sold as Pets at Chinese Institute.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, www.nature.com/news/gene-edited-micropigs-to-be-sold-as-pets-at-chinese-institute-1.18448.
“What Are Genome Editing and CRISPR-Cas9? - Genetics Home Reference.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/genomicresearch/genomeediting.