Crispy Tech: CRISPR-Cas 9
CRISPR Technology:
What is CRISPR Cas-9 all about?
CLUSTERED REGULARLY INTERSPACED SHORT PALINDROMIC REPEATS
Woah! That sounds like some super complex science. If you thought the same while reading those fascinating articles and stories flooding the internet these days then you are at the right place.
CRISPR (pronounced “crisper”) is a powerful biotechnology for editing gene functions. If that sounds a little vague to you then, don’t worry you will be well versed in the art of this new age tech in the next 5 minutes.
Let’s break it down to the bare bones!
Every living organism’s characteristics are defined by genes, genes have DNA in them which functions as an instruction manual for our cells and the body in general.
DNA is made up of the following building blocks.
These 4 bases form a string arranged in a unique sequence which provides the basis for the characteristics which an organism has. Since no system is error-proof or fail-safe, when a bad combination of ACTG’s occurs, the bio-engineers can just freeze the part of the DNA sequence, remove it and replace it!
Easy enough?
Well not exactly…
CRISPR tech is inspired by a naturally occurring genome editing system in bacteria. The bacteria capture snippets of DNA from invading virus(es) and use them to create DNA segments known as CRISPR arrays which allow the bacteria to register the virus in its ‘memory’. If attacked again, the bacteria can produce RNA segments from the CRISPR arrays to target the virus’ DNA. The bacteria then use a similar enzyme to cut the DNA apart, thereby disabling the virus and effectively ‘killing’ it. Viruses are just weird; they can not be ‘killed’ conventionally.
CRISPR “spacer” sequences are transcribed into short RNA sequences (“CRISPR RNAs” or “crRNAs”) capable of guiding the system to matching sequences of DNA. When the target DNA is found, Cas9 — one of the enzymes produced by the CRISPR system — binds to the DNA and cuts it, shutting the targeted gene off. Using modified versions of Cas9, researchers can activate gene expression instead of cutting the DNA.
These techniques allow researchers to study the gene’s function and can use the functions thereby learned to change the anomalies in the gene sequence.
Research also suggests that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to target and modify “typos” in the three-billion-letter sequence of the human genome in an effort to treat genetic disease.
Our Verdict:
In a nutshell, CRISPR can be a highly useful tool for editing genes and potentially cure complex diseases. ‘Custom made humans’ can also be made with this tech with enhanced properties in certain fields.
Recent studies demonstrate the enormous potential that CRISPR offers.
CRISPR technologies have progressed and will continue to improve.
Future Scope:
In 2020, developments like nano-sensors and CRISPR gene-editing technology have moved these technologies directly into the mainstream,
opening a new frontier of novel market applications. According to The Business Research Company, the global CRISPR technology market is expected to reach $6.7 billion by 2030. Market applications target all forms of life, from animals to plants to humans. CRISPR-Cas9 has a promising future for coming generations.
CRISPR terminologies for further research:
CRISPR: Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats of genetic information that some bacterial species use as part of an antiviral system.
Cas9: a CRISPR-associated (Cas) endonuclease, or enzyme, that acts as “molecular scissors” to cut DNA at a location specified by a guide RNA.
DeoxyriboNucleic acid (DNA): the molecule that most organisms use to store genetic information, which contains the “instructions for life”.
RiboNucleic acid (RNA): a molecule related to DNA that living things use for a number of purposes, including transporting and reading the DNA “instructions”.
Guide RNA (gRNA): a type of RNA molecule that binds to Cas9 and specifies, based on the sequence of the gRNA, the location at which Cas9 will cut DNA.
