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CRISPR

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is the most advanced gene-editing technology that has been discovered to date. It works by harnessing the natural mechanisms of the immune systems of bacterium cells of invading viruses, which is then able to cut out infected DNA strands

5 Facts you should know

FACT

1

The CRISPR family of DNA sequences were first discovered by Francisco Mojica, a scientist at the University of Alicante in Spain

FACT

2

CRISPR DNA sequences work by harnessing the natural mechanisms of the immune systems of bacterium cells of invading viruses, which is then able to cut out infected DNA strands

FACT

3

CRISPR “spacer” sequences are transcribed into short RNA sequences that are capable of guiding the system to matching sequences of DNA

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4

When the target DNA is found, Cas9 – one of the enzymes produced by the CRISPR system – binds to the DNA - and cuts it

FACT

5

Using modified versions of Cas9, researchers can then activate expression of targeted genes

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CRISPR is also known as...

CRISPR is also known as:

  • Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
  • CRISPR-Cas9
  • CRISPR gene editing
  • CRISPR genome engineering

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