Chapter 1
The bacterial origin story
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Chapter 2
How the genetic scissors work
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Chapter 3
Editing life to cure disease
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Chapter 4
Rewriting the natural world
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YOUR GOAL
Master of How CRISPR edits life
Ch 1 · The bacterial origin story
diego The CRISPR Bacterial Origin
We copy viral codes, we fight the phage attacks, we build our own defense!
diego Bacteria physically insert pieces of viral DNA into their own genome to create a genetic archive of past enemies.
Fun Fact
Accidental discovery: CRISPR was found by accident while scientists were studying an unrelated gene in E. coli bacteria.
diego CRISPR is actually a natural immune system that bacteria use to defend themselves against invading viruses.
Glossary
bacteriophage (noun)
A virus that infects and replicates within bacterial cells. In 2005, Francisco Mojica discovered that CRISPR spacers match bacteriophage DNA, revealing a bacterial immune system.
A virus that infects and replicates within bacterial cells. In 2005, Francisco Mojica discovered that CRISPR spacers match bacteriophage DNA, revealing a bacterial immune system.
Quiz
What name is given to the unique snippets of viral DNA stored between the repeating sequences in a bacterium's CRISPR array?
Quiz
In what year was the repeating DNA sequence that we now call CRISPR first observed by scientists?
Quiz
Which bacterium was Yoshizumi Ishino studying when he accidentally discovered the repeating DNA sequences?
Quiz
What are the viruses called that infect bacteria and are targeted by the CRISPR immune system?
Quiz
Which Spanish scientist first realized that the spacer DNA in CRISPR matched the DNA of viruses?
Quiz
In what year did researchers officially coin the acronym CRISPR to describe these repeating genetic structures?