CRISPR Gene Editing: News, Research, and Applications
Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 2 Nov 2026
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - About This Section - FAQs - Publications - Subtopics
Synopsis
Learn about CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, including how the technology works, guide RNA, medical and farming applications, ethical concerns, and the latest research.
At a Glance
- 1 - CRISPR-Cas9 edits genes by cutting DNA and then letting natural DNA repair processes take over.
- 2 - The three major CRISPR-Cas system types are distinguished by their signature genes Cas3, Cas9, and Cas10.
- 3 - Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier first sought a CRISPR patent in 2012 and shared a Nobel Prize eight years later.
- 4 - CRISPR editing more than doubled the lifespan of mice engineered with the premature aging disease progeria while greatly improving their health.
Topic Definition
- CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing
CRISPR, short for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, is the hallmark of a natural bacterial defense system that scientists have adapted into one of the most powerful gene-editing tools in modern biology. At its core, CRISPR is a way of locating a specific piece of DNA inside a cell, and the paired Cas9 enzyme then acts like molecular scissors to cut that DNA at a spot pinpointed by a guide RNA. Once the cut is made, the cell's own repair processes take over, allowing researchers to alter, disable, or activate genes with remarkable precision. Since emerging in the 2010s, the technology has spread through laboratories worldwide and now supports a broad range of uses, from creating disease models and developing rapid diagnostics to engineering hardier crops and studying conditions such as cancer, HIV, and Huntington's disease.
Overview
CRISPR Associated Terminology
- CRISPR: Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats of genetic information that some bacterial species use as part of an antiviral system. Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier first sought a CRISPR patent in 2012, and eight years later, they shared a Nobel Prize for developing the technology.
- Cas9: A CRISPR-associated (Cas) endonuclease, or enzyme, that acts as molecular scissors to cut DNA at a location specified by a guide RNA.
- Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA): The molecule that most organisms use to store genetic information, which contains the instructions for life.
- Guide RNA (gRNA): A type of RNA molecule that binds to Cas9 and specifies, based on the sequence of the gRNA, the location at which Cas9 will cut DNA.
- Ribonucleic Acid (RNA): A molecule related to DNA that living things use for several purposes, including transporting and reading the DNA instructions.
Three major types of CRISPR-Cas systems are at the top of the classification hierarchy. The three types are readily distinguishable by the presence of three unique signature genes:
- Cas3 in type I systems
- Cas9 in type II systems
- Cas10 in type III systems
The essence of CRISPR is simple: it's a way of finding a specific bit of DNA inside a cell. After that, the next step in CRISPR gene editing is usually to alter that piece of DNA. However, CRISPR has also been adapted to do other things, such as turning genes on or off without altering their sequence.
CRISPR-Cas9 edits genes by cutting DNA and then letting natural DNA repair processes take over. The system consists of the Cas9 enzyme and a guide RNA. The technology allows precise edits to the genome and has swept through laboratories worldwide since its inception in the 2010s. It has countless applications: researchers hope to use it to alter human genes to eliminate diseases, create hardier plants, wipe out pathogens, and more. Researchers regularly use CRISPR to alter genes in plant, bacteria, and animal models. CRISPR technology has been applied in the food and farming industries to engineer probiotic cultures and to immunize industrial cultures (for yogurt, for instance) against infections. It is also used in crops to enhance yield, drought tolerance, and nutritional value.
In the field of genome engineering, the term "CRISPR" or "CRISPR-Cas9" is often used loosely to refer to the various CRISPR-Cas9 and -CPF1 and other systems that can be programmed to target specific stretches of genetic code and to edit DNA at precise locations, as well as for other purposes, such as for new diagnostic tools.
CRISPR genome editing allows scientists to quickly create cell and animal models, which researchers can use to accelerate research into diseases such as cancer and mental illness. In addition, CRISPR is now being developed as a rapid diagnostic tool. Scientists are studying CRISPR for many conditions, including high cholesterol, HIV, and Huntington's disease.
Ethical Concerns
The ethical implications of using gene editing on human beings are perhaps the greatest concern of this branch of technology, but it is not the only concern. While CRISPR can cure some diseases, studies have shown that it could lead to mutations that lead to others down the line. If genetic edits are made to embryos or egg or sperm cells, these changes will be inherited by all future generations. This is one of the greatest ethical concerns of this gene editing: any edits will have a ripple effect and be passed down from generation to generation. Eventually, the entire human species could bear the marks of genetic editing.
Amy and twins Lulu and Nana are three children who were the first genetically engineered humans in history. Known publicly only by these pseudonyms, embryos' genomes were edited using CRISPR technology by scientist He Jiankui to prevent them from contracting HIV from their fathers. The children were born in 2018, and as they grow up, the scientific community faces a complex dilemma: how to care for their well-being and any fallout from the experiment while respecting their private lives.
The Future of CRISPR
As a gene-editing tool, CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized biomedical research and has begun to deliver medical breakthroughs: Casgevy, approved in 2023, was the first CRISPR-based therapy, for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. With CRISPR technology, gene editing could be an option for treating neurodegenerative diseases and some mental illnesses. In addition, CRISPR gene editing has been used to more than double the lifespan of mice engineered to have premature aging disease progeria, also greatly improving their health. The results far surpassed expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce CRISPR?
CRISPR is pronounced crisper, and it stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats found in the defense systems of some bacteria.
What role does guide RNA play in CRISPR?
Guide RNA binds to the Cas9 enzyme and specifies, based on its own sequence, the exact location where Cas9 will cut the DNA.
Can CRISPR do more than cut and edit DNA?
Yes, CRISPR has been adapted to do other things, such as turning genes on or off without altering their underlying sequence.
How is CRISPR used in food and farming?
CRISPR is used to engineer probiotic cultures, immunize industrial cultures such as those for yogurt against infections, and improve crop yield, drought tolerance, and nutrition.
What is the main ethical concern with CRISPR?
A major concern is that edits made to embryos, eggs, or sperm are inherited by all future generations, creating a ripple effect across the human species.
Who were the first genetically engineered humans?
Three children known by the pseudonyms Amy and the twins Lulu and Nana had their embryo genomes edited with CRISPR by scientist He Jiankui to prevent HIV infection.
Which diseases are scientists studying CRISPR to treat?
Scientists are studying CRISPR for many conditions, including high cholesterol, HIV, Huntington's disease, and various neurodegenerative and mental illnesses.
Has CRISPR been approved as a medical treatment?
Yes, Casgevy became the first approved CRISPR-based therapy in late 2023, when regulators in the United Kingdom and the United States cleared it to treat sickle cell disease. It is also approved for transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia.
Curated and edited by Ian C. Langtree, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Disabled World. This section is maintained by the Disabled World editorial team. Last updated: