Gene (or genome) editing is defined as, “the manipulation of the genetic material of a living organism by deleting, replacing, or inserting a DNA sequence, typically with the aim of improving a crop or farmed animal, or correcting a genetic disorder.” Gene editing technologies were first developed in the 1900s but it was CRISPR’s introduction to the scientific community in 2009 that made gene editing more easily accessible; CRISPR is now used by most scientists involved in gene editing as it’s simpler, faster, cheaper, and more accurate than older gene editing methods. Adapted from a naturally occurring genome editing system in bacteria, CRISPR has now been used for a variety of research purposes.
(Image above: opportunities and challenges of genome editing)
