Ep 38: The Secret Behind CRISPR Gene Editing

Humans have ~6 billion bases of DNA in each cell. But every gene has a specific and unique sequence that serves as a kind of genetic address. Before any gene can be edited, the editor must first find the gene's location within the genome. Luckily CRISPR-Cas has a built-in GPS component that makes finding a gene address easy, and switching out one genetic address for another is as easy as typing a street address into your Google Maps navigation app...well almost as easy.

In this episode, show hosts Fatu and Shekerah deliver the second installment of the CRISPR Chronicles series.  We discuss the secret sauce that makes CRISPR-Cas gene editing powerful, flexible, and easy to use—it's the gene editing genie that the scientific community had been waiting for.  CRISPR-Cas gene editing has two main components (RNA and protein), each of which plays a critical role. The merger of these 2 components into a unified system is what makes CRISPR-Cas gene editing superior to its predecessors.
 
Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs) and TAL Effector Nucleases (TALENs) were the gene editing tools of choice before CRISPR-Cas9 was discovered. Unfortunately, the design, production, and implementation of ZFNs and TALENs were difficult and expensive, which prevented their rapid adoption on a global scale as has occurred with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing.
Tune in to the episode to learn:

• How CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing works
• What is the secret sauce that sets this technique apart?
• Which CRISPR component is the GPS, and which is the scissor?
• How the system can be used to create mutations and to fix mutations
• Bonus Food Science Content: Hear about the best food to eat in Kenya

For more information on this topic, visit our website: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com


Jump directly to the next episodes in the CRISPR series:

• Ep 41: A look into the ups and downs of how the CRISPR saga developed
• Ep 47:  The CRISPR Cure for Sickle Cell Disease

Other Great Episodes:

• Ep 35: The first CRISPR Chronicles episode
• Ep 29: How an accidental scientific  discovery changed the way we prepare food
• Ep 24: A Nobel Prize winner who overcame dyslexia and discovered a key to the aging process

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Reach out to Fatu:
www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and [email protected]

Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and [email protected]

Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic