CRISPR Cas9 will revolutionize everything.
What is the new buzz word in science world? There are many and among those CRISPR Cas9 is one that has really made a dent in the way DNA researchers think. It is a genome-editing tool with which editing DNA becomes cheaper, faster and much more accurate than the other techniques used earlier. It is now considered to be the most precise and versatile method of genetic manipulation and thus there is a great stirring in the science world.
How does CRISPR Cas9 work?
There are two key molecules in CRISPR Cas9 that helps to introduce a change in the DNA. They are an enzyme that is known as cas9, and the other is the guide RNA. Cas9 acts as a molecule scissor that can cut two strands of DNA from any specific location; GRNA acts as the binder that helps the Cas9 to perform perfectly.
The guide RNA or GRNA is designed for finding and binding the specific sequence of DNA. It only binds the target regions and no other places. Then Cas9 follows the GRNA to the same region and make the cut in the strands of the DNA. In such situation, the cell understands that there is some damage in DNA and tries to repair it. Thus, with the help of CRISPR Cas9 scientists targets and mutates one or more genes present in the genome.
There is other gene editing techniques too like using chemicals or radiations for mutation, but this seems to be more effective and faster than the other methods of gene editing.
What are the implications of this technique?
There is a lot of potential uses of CRISPR Cas9 that targets the different range of medical tools. When it is under control then treating cancer, hepatitis B, and even high cholesterol will become easier. Scientists are working to make changes in the reproductive cells too.
However, there are yet days when this technology will be used regularly for human cells. Presently it is used in animal cells and isolated human cells. Yet, research is to be done to make the function of CRISPR Cas9 more accurate and effective.
Any possible changes with this technology will be possible only when people can utilize the benefits for the further development of human being. Till then,research will be going on. Days are not far away when many problems will be solved as CRISPR Cas9 will deliver the accurate results as expected from it.
