Predicted multispecies unintended effects from outdoor genome editing

By Aline Martins Hoepers, Jack A. Heinemann, Caroline Bedin Zanatta, Philomena Chu, Tessa C. Hiscox, Sarah Zanon Agapito-Tenfen

Abstract

CRISPR/Cas9, a potent genetic engineering tool widely adopted in agriculture, is capable of introducing new characteristics into plants on a large scale and without conventional breeding methods. Despite its remarkable efficiency, concerns have arisen regarding unintended consequences in uncontrolled environments. Our aim was to assess potential activity in organisms that could be exposed to genome editing in uncontrolled environments. We developed three scenarios, using irrigation, fumigation and fertilization as delivery methods, based on outdoor uses in agriculture, namely pest and disease control. Using publicly available software (Cas-OFFinder, NCBI Genome Data Viewer and STRING), off-target effects were predicted in multiple species commonly found in the agroecosystem, including humans (16 of 38 (42 %) sampled). Metabolic enrichment analysis (gene IDs), by connecting off-target genes into a physiological network, predicted effects on the development of nervous and respiratory systems. Our findings emphasize the importance of exercising caution when considering the use of this genome editing in uncontrolled environments. Unintended genomic alterations may occur in unintended organisms, underscoring the significance of understanding potential hazards and implementing safety measures to protect human health and the environment.