Students' attitudes towards somatic genome editing versus genome editing of the germline using an example of familial leukemia.

Although the discussion on possibilities and pitfalls of genome editing is ever present, limited qualitative data on the attitudes of students, who will come into contact with this technology within a social and professional context, is available. The attitude of 97 medical students and 103 students of other subjects from Hannover and Oldenburg, Germany, was analyzed in winter 2017/18. For this purpose, two dilemmas on somatic and germline genome editing concerning familial leukemia were developed. After reading the dilemmas, the students filled out a paper-and-pencil test with five open questions. The qualitative evaluation of the answers was carried by a deductive-inductive procedure of content analysis. There was a high approval for the use of somatic genome editing. When it came to germline genome editing, concerns were raised regarding enhancement, interventions in nature, and loss of uniqueness. The students recognized that somatic genome editing and germline genome editing prove different ethical challenges and need to be judged separately. Many students expressed not feeling fully informed. The results of this project show the importance of educating the public about the possibilities, limitations, and risks of somatic and germline genome editing. We recommend that this should already be addressed in schools in order to optimally prepare students and adults for participation in public discourse. Especially for patients affected by genetic diseases, it is of great importance that the treating physicians and geneticists are sufficiently informed about the method of genome editing to ensure good counseling.

Redirection of anthocyanin synthesis in Osteospermum hybrida by a two-enzyme manipulation strategy.

Modern biotechnology has developed powerful tools for genetic engineering and flower colours are an excellent object to study possibilities and limitations of engineering strategies. Osteospermum hybrida became a popular ornamental plant within the last 20 years. Many cultivars display rose to lilac flower colours mainly based on delphinidin-derived anthocyanins. The predominant synthesis of delphinidin derivatives is referred to a strong endogenous flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase (F3'5'H) activity. Furthermore, since dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) of Osteospermum does not convert dihydrokaempferol (DHK) to leucopelargonidin, synthesis of pelargonidin-based anthocyanins is naturally not realised. In order to redirect anthocyanin biosynthesis in Osteospermum towards pelargonidin derivatives, we introduced cDNAs coding for DFRs which efficiently convert DHK to LPg. But neither the expression of Gerbera hybrida DFR nor of Fragaria x ananassa DFR - the latter is characterised by an unusual high substrate preference for DHK - altered anthocyanin composition in flowers of transgenic plants. However, chemical inhibition of F3'5'H activity in ray florets of dfr transgenic plants resulted in the accumulation of pelargonidin derivatives. Accordingly, retransformation of a transgenic plant expressing Gerbera DFR with a construct for RNAi-mediated suppression of F3'5'H activity resulted in double transgenic plants accumulating predominantly pelargonidin derivatives in flowers.