Uncover the Future: 14 Amazing Fun Facts About CRISPR You Need to Know!

1. CRISPR: The Real-life X-Men

Move over, X-Men: CRISPR/Cas-9 is the real-life superhero, coming to our genetic rescue! With its power to disable the B-cell Lymphoma 11A gene and up fetal hemoglobin levels in those with sickle cell disease, CRISPR/Cas-9 swoops in like Professor X to ease their suffering. And for all the cystic fibrosis warriors out there? CRISPR/Cas-9 gets its Wolverine on, fixing that pesky CFTR gene and bringing us one step closer to eradicating the disease altogether.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

2. Bacterial Bouncers: CRISPR-Cas Immunity

The secret lives of bacterial bouncers: CRISPR-Cas systems were first stumbled upon while snooping around the Escherichia coli genome's shady corners, but have since made appearances in multiple microbial hangouts, acting as the bouncers for bacteria and halophilic archaea. In a plot twist, they're actually vital elements of their immune systems, kicking out unwanted viral gate-crashers and showing plasmids the door in a beat that rivals the sophisticated moves of eukaryotic RNA interference (RNAi) systems.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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=> Fun Facts about Genetic-Engineering

3. The Scissor-handed Nobel Duo

Move over, Edward Scissorhands – there's a new cutting-edge tool in town that gives a whole new meaning to "designer genes": The CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors were discovered by Jennifer A. Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, who bagged the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their snippy invention, allowing for precise editing of genetic material and revolutionizing gene therapy, cell therapy, and immunotherapy. This dynamic duo proved that two heads are definitely better than one when it comes to slicing and dicing DNA!
Source => unesco.org

4. CRISPR: Playing God with Genes

Move over, Dr. Frankenstein: CRISPR is here to redefine what it means to play God by precisely tinkering with DNA sequences, fixing genetic boo-boos, inserting whole new genes, and even whipping up grand deletions and rearrangements in genomic sequences! Bwahaha! (Maniacal laugh optional): This powerhouse of a genome-editing tool lets scientists study individual genes and regulatory elements, but it's important they mind their manners and think about the consequences on gene function and cell behavior while juggling those life-altering strands.
Source => nature.com

5. Malaria-Proof Mosquitoes

Roll up, roll up, it's gene deletion for the mosquito nation: Scientists successfully deleted a single gene from Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes using CRISPR/Cas9, which made them highly resistant to the deadliest strain of malaria without affecting their reproductive health, paving the way for genetically modified mosquitoes to potentially reduce malaria transmission to humans.
Source => genengnews.com

6. DIY Muscle-growing CRISPR Kits

Who needs Popeye's spinach when you've got CRISPR on your side: Biohacker Josiah Zayner injected himself with CRISPR-encoded DNA during a live-streamed event in 2017, but experts doubt it actually made him as muscle-bound as cartoons would have us believe. Zayner, a biochemistry and biophysics Ph.D. holder, now runs The ODIN, a company selling DIY CRISPR kits—including the muscle-growth CRISPR construct he used on himself—but discourages self-injections and focuses on the kits' educational potential.
Source => theatlantic.com

7. CRISPR Super-Crops

Move over, Dr. Frankenstein, there's a new gene genie in town: CRISPR is a game-changing gene-editing tool that helps scientists create super-crops, resistant to pests, diseases, and climate change, boosting global food security and making agriculture more sustainable.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

8. Chinese Piggy Makeovers

Move over, Dr. Doolittle, there's a new animal whisperer in town, and they're playing the genetic harp: Chinese scientists have harnessed CRISPR to engineer a diverse menagerie of animals, including pigs with transplant-safe organs, in their quest for higher-quality meat, disease-resistant livestock, and cutting-edge medical treatments.
Source => science.org

9. CRISPR Cocktails from Streptococcus

When life gives you Streptococcus, make CRISPR cocktails: Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier unintentionally discovered the gene-editing magic of CRISPR-Cas9 while investigating ways to counter infections caused by the Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria.
Source => nsta.org

10. CRISPR and Cas9 Team Up Against HIV

In a world where "snipping" has taken on a whole new meaning, our tiny, double-helix superheroes CRISPR and Cas9 have teamed up to demolish a notorious villain: the HIV-1 virus: In a groundbreaking study, scientists used this dynamic duo of gene-editing technology to completely remove the virus from infected cells in three different animal models, paving the way for potential HIV treatments in the future.
Source => genengnews.com

11. VIP Bouncer: The CRISPR/Cas System

Move over, bouncers at a trendy nightclub: some bacteria and archaea are way ahead of you, defending their domain from unwanted intruders with their very own VIP-CRISPR/Cas system! On a serious note: the CRISPR/Cas system is an efficient and precise genome-editing technology that not only acts as a defense mechanism for certain microorganisms against foreign genetic material but also holds tremendous potential in revolutionizing medical treatments and diagnoses at an astonishingly low cost.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

12. CRISPR: Mother Nature's Non-GMO Upgrade

Watch out, world, Mother Nature got a fantastical upgrade and she didn't even have to call in the GMO Reinforcements: An ingenious method by an NC State researcher utilizes charged lipids to form a liposome, delivering the Cas9 protein and guide RNA into plant cells without introducing foreign DNA, making CRISPR/Cas9 a game-changing non-GMO resource for precision crop improvements.
Source => cals.ncsu.edu

13. Thermo-Regulating Pig Fashion

Move over, fashion-forward pigs in blankets: Chinese scientists have armed swine with the ultimate winter accessory – their very own genetically altered, thermo-regulating fur coats! Seriously, though: using CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing, researchers created pigs with an inserted gene that makes them grow thicker hair, improving their resistance to cold climates and opening the door to livestock that can adapt to various temperatures with less need for heating or cooling resources.
Source => thefuturescentre.org

14. Plasmid Dating: Swipe Right with CRISPR

If plasmids had a dating app, they'd definitely swipe right on each other: CRISPR-Cas systems, often found in these self-replicating mobile genetic elements, play a critical role in mediating plasmid-plasmid relationships and show a strong targeting bias towards other plasmids, while chromosomal arrays prefer to mingle with virus-targeting spacers.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov