Ep. 11. CRISPR cont'd: The Gene Editing Technologies Rewriting the Code of Life

Genome editing, the purposeful alteration of an organism's deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence, has been a long-standing aspiration for scientists. The capacity to make precise, targeted changes to the genome has not only revolutionized biological research but has also unlocked unprecedented avenues for therapeutic interventions and biotechnological advancements. Historically, methods for genetic modification were often imprecise and inefficient. However, the last few decades have witnessed a remarkable progression towards programmable nucleases capable of targeting specific DNA sequences with increasing accuracy and ease. Among the earliest tools enabling site-specific double-strand breaks (DSBs) were restriction enzymes, which laid the groundwork for in vitro recombinant DNA technology. This foundational work paved the way for the development of more sophisticated engineered nucleases.