CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary genome editing tool that has the potential to treat a wide range of medical conditions with a genetic component. It is faster, cheaper and more accurate than previous techniques of editing DNA. The CRISPR-Cas9 system consists of two key molecules that introduce a change (mutation) into the DNA. These are an enzyme called Cas9 and a piece of RNA called guide RNA (gRNA). Cas9 acts as a pair of ‘molecular scissors’ that can cut the two strands of DNA at a specific location in the genome so that bits of DNA can then be added or removed. The gRNA guides Cas9 to the right part of the genome to ensure that it cuts at the right point.
CRISPR-Cas9 has the potential to treat a range of medical conditions that have a genetic component, including cancer, sickle cell anemia, and cystic fibrosis. However, there are also concerns about the ethical implications of using CRISPR-Cas9 to edit human embryos and germline cells.
