What is Crispr Gene Editing? The Complete WIRED Guide
1 min read
Summary
The gene-editing technique called CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) enables scientists to precisely modify DNA.
Exploiting a bacteria’s naturally occurring defense system, it consists of a protein that can edit specific stretches of genetic material and a “genetic GPS” that guides the protein to the right spot.
After its discovery five years ago, the tool has been used to genetically modify virtually every kind of organism (including humans) and has led to the development of a multitude of new technologies with the potential to treat human diseases.
It has also unintentionally produced the first gene-edited humans and brought about a new breed of ethical dilemmas.
To learn more about this technology, read “A Chance to Dream”: Scientists Trying to Cure AIDS With Stem Cells Are Also Engineering Second Lives.