Technology or method
CRISPR
A bacterial immune system that researchers adapted into a programmable tool for cutting chosen DNA sequences.
Gene editing
Making targeted changes to DNA in living cells. Newer base and prime editors change letters without cutting both strands.Source: Cong et al., 2013Source: Komor et al., 2016Source: Anzalone et al., 2019
Also called genome editing, base editing, prime editing.
Technology or methodEmerging research
How Gene editing connects
Gene editing is made possible by
Gene editing uses
Level of life
DNA
The molecule that stores the genetic instructions of all cellular life: two strands wound into a double helix and held together by base pairs.
Gene editing makes possible
Technology or method
Gene therapy
Treating disease by adding, repairing or switching off genes in a patient's cells.
Emerging researchOpen in Biotech Lab
Gene editing raises questions of
Ethics and safety
Bioethics
Weighing the benefits, risks and fairness of biological research and its uses.
Studied in
Your progress
Sources & further reading
The explanations on this page are our own summaries of these sources. Follow a link to read the original; if anything here disagrees with it, the original wins. How we choose and check sources.
Multiplex genome engineering using CRISPR/Cas systems (opens the original in a new tab)
Cong L, Ran FA, Cox D, et al. (2013). Science 339:819-823.
Peer-reviewedPrimary researchProgrammable editing of a target base in genomic DNA without double-stranded DNA cleavage (opens the original in a new tab)
Komor AC, Kim YB, Packer MS, et al. (2016). Nature 533:420-424.
Peer-reviewedPrimary researchSearch-and-replace genome editing without double-strand breaks or donor DNA (opens the original in a new tab)
Anzalone AV, Randolph PB, Davis JR, et al. (2019). Nature 576:149-157.
Peer-reviewedPrimary research