A Set on edgi
CRISPR and the Tools We Stole From Microbes
We can edit the code of life like text, and every tool for it was stolen from the microbes that invented it first.
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CRISPR
CRISPR is a microbial defense mechanism that stores virus DNA fragments and guides Cas enzymes to cut matching genetic sequences.
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DNA Sequencing
DNA sequencing determines the precise order of bases in genetic material, shrinking full-genome reads from thirteen years to under a day.
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a laboratory method that rapidly makes billions of copies of a specific piece of DNA.
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Plasmid
A plasmid is a small loop of DNA that sits outside a cell's main chromosome and can copy itself independently.
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Recombinant DNA
Recombinant DNA combines genetic material from multiple sources into a single molecule, allowing host cells to produce new proteins.
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Gene Therapy
Gene therapy is a medical technique that treats disease by directly altering the genetic material inside a patient's living cells.