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If you haven’t already heard of CRISPR-Cas9, you most definitely will soon. Almost every week there is another scientific/medical advance made using the CRISPR-Cas9 system.
Scientists announced recently that they have used the technology to cut the HIV genome out of mice and rats, bringing us one step closer to a cure for HIV infection in humans. And this technology is not slowing down. On the contrary – it is progressing at an unprecedented speed.
Of course, we will continue to bring you news about all of the great ways in which CRISPR-Cas9 is being used in the future. However, before we talk about medical advances, we first need to understand how the CRISPR-Cas9 system works.
In order to do that, we have to think about bacteria.
The CRISPR-Cas9 system was first identified in bacteria where it is thought to act as the bacterial cell’s “immune system.” Why do bacteria need an immune system, you might ask? Because, like us, bacteria can be infected and killed by viruses.
Read full, original post: What is CRISPR-Cas9 and Why Do We Need to Know About It?
