Biological warfare is almost as old as the history of war. Rapid developments in biotechnology, genetics, and genomics also play a major role in making biological warfare even more challenging. The fatal consequences of a disease-causing agent that has been genetically modified and made stronger are only a small part of these developments. Developing an ordinary disease-causing agent in a way that affects a certain ethnic group can be shown as the main striking point.
I have just said that the use of biological agents as weapons is not a new and strange idea. Let's briefly talk about what has been done so far.
In the simplest terms, countries such as America, Russia, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Iraq are known to use 'anthrax' as a biological warfare agent. Another common example of bio-terrorism is the plague. You probably know the plague from the 'Black Death' epidemic that it caused in the 14th century. Plague can be transmitted to humans through flea bites, contact with an infected animal, and through the air. While the bubonic and septicemic types cannot pass from person to person, the pneumonic type can pass through airborne droplets. Although the plague was a naturally occurring disease, in the beginning, research on the potential of biological weapons began to be carried out, especially after the second world war. In particular, the United States and Soviet Russia developed aerosolized particles containing a bacterium called 'Yersinia pestis' as part of the biological weapons program in 1950-60. Soviet scientists were able to breed bacteria to resist large amounts of multidrug.
The first major plague epidemic in Europe is thought to have begun when the Mongols sent plague patients to the cities they besieged. Another well-known example of biological warfare is the spread to nearly the entire population through smallpox-infected blankets, where their immune systems are unfamiliar, in an attempt to depopulate the Native American Indians. Although there is no genetic engineering in this part of history, infecting or poisoning a targeted group is a fact that has already been done and continues to be done.
Let me give an example of the older and most primitive form. In ancient times, warring parties used to shoot arrows with poisonous tips at each other. So think about it, poison was used even back then as a biological aid to make the weapon more effective.
In short, guns do not just consist of cannons and rifles. Some organisms can also be put to use in a way that kills large numbers of people, and research is being done in various parts of the world. Genetic engineering is a field that offers great advantages in producing these organisms in large numbers and doing more modifications to them.
Almost all countries can safely produce disease-causing microorganisms in large quantities today. And with genetic engineering techniques, it is possible to develop them as a more effective bioweapon than the original. Even an entirely new biological weapon can now be made with modern biotechnology.
In order for a bio-weapon to be usable, it must be producible in large quantities, have a rapid effect, be resistant to external influences, and meet the requirements such as having a treatment or vaccine available. Natural pathogens that can provide these conditions are very limited. Anthrax, B.anthracis, is one of the first choices because it is the most compatible agent with these requirements. However, potential victims can be treated with antibiotics in a few days. While this is good for the victims, it is something that the attacker does not want. Therefore, it is aimed to obtain more effective and deadly results with some genetic interventions.
For example, poliovirus is not actually effective enough to be used as a biological weapon, but research shows that it can have serious potential with genetic engineering, especially when combined with the smallpox virus.
In 1998, the United States Naval Research Laboratory genetically engineered a fungal strain that has the potential to become a biological warfare agent. Natural microorganisms that can break down materials such as plastic, rubber, and metal were isolated and made stronger, and it was seen that they destroyed military paints in 72 hours.
Increasing the effects of classical pathogens with genetic interventions is only a small part of what can be done. Yes, perhaps it seems possible for now only to obtain more effective viruses, but developing them to target a certain ethnicity is not very likely.
So how can a virus or poison be developed to target a group with similar genes? To understand this issue, we must first understand how genes affect chemicals and degrees of disease or viruses.
People differ from each other in many differences. With the languages they speak, the countries they are citizens of, their genders, their beliefs… But there is one thing that affects and separates them from each other, down to the effects of the chemicals they are exposed to. The food they eat and even the drinks affect various groups differently. So, what is the reason for these differences? Genetic factors…
Genetic differences affect not only the appearance of a person but also their structures such as enzymes and proteins. This means that the digestion and processing of a substance entering the body vary from person to person. Even within the same ethnic groups, there are differences. However, some similarities affect all people belonging to a certain ethnic group in common.
We said enzymes. We know that enzymes are involved in the metabolism of drugs along with foods. This is where genetic variation comes into play, influencing the rate at which each of us metabolizes chemicals. Some are slow metabolizers, while others are fast metabolizers. Metabolization rate is a very important factor, especially when it comes to drugs. The reason for this is that the slow metabolizing of a drug may cause the drug to accumulate in the body, and a rapid metabolizer may cause the drug to not show its full effect.
The most well-known example is alcohol metabolism. When alcohol is metabolized in the body, it turns into a toxic metabolite called acetaldehyde. People belonging to the Japanese and Native American races are known as rapid metabolizers, and since the conversion of alcohol to acetaldehyde is rapid, the increase in the concentration of toxic substances in the blood is also rapid. This is why these people characteristically turn their skin red when they drink alcohol.
In other words, even the rate of metabolism of a drug changes its effect. And that's not the only factor. For example, in some people, some enzymes may not be found at all. Therefore, the drug that cannot be metabolized cannot be eliminated from the body and begins to accumulate. This causes toxic effects.
Situations like these actually show us that all kinds of chemicals can become toxic to certain ethnic groups. Even if a new chemical is not developed, modifications to an existing chemical can make it more dangerous.
If you want to do more detailed research on the field of pharmacogenomics that studies gene-drug interaction, you can find more examples similar to these. Let me briefly explain what pharmacogenomics is.
Pharmacogenomics is one of the branches that mainly study this subject. This brings together the terms pharma which studies the action and use of drugs, and genomics which is about genes and their functions. In other words, it is a science that reveals how genetic differences play a significant role even in drug use. The most important work that can facilitate the work of pharmacogenomics is to map genes.
The Human Genome Project is an international collaborative 'understanding and mapping of human genes' research program. What we call a genome is the collection of DNA that makes up an organism. And the primary goal of the Human Genome Project is to generate high-quality new genes using information from existing genomes. In addition, it is to create physical and genetic maps of the human genome.
maps being created? Having a map of the human genome means having a kind of manual for making a human body. In other words, scientists are trying to read and understand the pages of this book. Thanks to this project, more effective personalized treatment plans can be created and measures can be taken in advance for future diseases.
As for the Human Genome Project's relationship with genetic weapons. As I just said, this project aims to understand DNA and develop treatments according to each individual's unique DNA. Understanding DNA and developing different methods specific to DNA can be a useful way for what other fields? In the field of weapons, of course.
If this mapping project is successful, it could lead to developments ranging from drug development to weapon development for people's DNA. In addition to harming people of a certain ethnicity with a gene weapon, it may even be possible to produce a chemical that will affect a single selected person out of 100 people. Let alone making that person sick, there may even be attempts to completely change the gene structure.
Still, is it really possible to influence a large community with a gene weapon? At least it doesn't seem to be possible with a single formula. Why? Because none of us actually have a purely genetic origin.
Studies of genetic origin show that almost all Europeans originate from at least three major migrations that took place within 15000 years. These nomads mingled throughout Europe to form today's people. Only small groups such as the Australian Aborigines remained unaffected by the migrations. So everyone else has complex genetic backgrounds... This shows that genetic sequences will not be very stable. However, it is still possible to select at least a single person and make a weapon suitable for genetics. By expanding these studies, of course, large masses can be reached. Why not…
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1200711/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1326447/
https://www.genome.gov/human-genome-project
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/05/theres-no-such-thing-pure-european-or-anyone-else#
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