CRISPR and Its Applications
Introduction Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR), is a family of short sequences of DNA fragments found in the immune system of bacteria(50%) and archaea(90%) known as CRISPR . These sequences are used to protect the immune system of prokaryotes against the viral infection by invading and cutting the viral DNA. These specific short sequences are actually derived from the part of the viral genome i.e. bacteriophage that infects the prokaryotes and now became the part of the prokaryotic genome which it uses as an antiviral property in the defence system. Now, scientists are able to alter the DNA of various organisms by using CRISPR technology as a GENOME EDITING TOOL . By altering gene sequences and gene functions, CRISPR technology may allow to treat various disease including cancer and to improve agricultural crops. In 1987, Yoshizumi Ishino firstly discovered clustered repeats by cloning ‘iap’ gene along with CRISPR sequences but he did not ...