Explanation of terms used below

CRISPR = the most popular gene-editing tool

GENOME = the complete set of genetic material (DNA or RNA) of an organism

GENE = a basic unit of inheritance within the genome of an organism

OFF-TARGET EFFECT = unintended genetic mutations that occur in gene editing and take place at a location other than the intended gene-editing site (hence “off-target”), including deletions, insertions, inversions, and rearrangements.

INDEL = insertion or deletion of DNA base units into the genome of an organism

BASE UNIT = the basic molecular unit from which DNA is constituted. There are 4 base units: adenine (A), guanine (G), thymine (T), and cytosine (C). In regions of the genome that encode for proteins, a sequence of base unit triplets (for example, CAG) makes up the genetic code.

MUTATION = Damage to a gene, resulting in a change to the genetic message carried by that gene, usually with harmful consequences to the organism.

The sequence is:

MUTATIONS > CHANGES IN GENE FUNCTION > ALTERED BIOCHEMISTRY > LIKELY NOVEL TOXINS/ALLERGENS OR HEIGHTENED LEVELS OF EXISTING TOXINS/ALLERGENS

SDN-1 = knocks-out a gene

SDN-2 = gene modification

SDN-3 = gene insertion