CRISPR

CRISPR Cas9 explained. CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) are segments of prokaryotic DNA containing short repetitions of base sequences. is an RNA-guided gene-editing platform that makes use of a bacterially derived protein (Cas9) and a synthetic guide RNA to introduce a double strand break at a specific location within the genome.

Cas9 is an enzyme that snips DNA, and CRISPR is a collection of DNA sequences that tells Cas9 exactly where to snip.

Anti-CRISPR proteins decrease off-target side effects of CRISPR-Cas9

July 12, 2017

Jennifer DoudnaResearch now shows that the countermeasure viruses came up with — inhibitory proteins referred to as anti-CRISPRs — can be used to improve CRISPR-Cas9 as a gene-therapy tool, decreasing off-target gene editing that could cause unwanted side effects.

Book Review: A Crack in Creation

June 17, 2017

A Crack in CreationJennifer Doudna, Crispr and a great scientific breakthrough. An invaluable account, by Doudna and Samuel Sternberg, of their role in the revolution that is genome editing

Summer Reading List: A Crack in Creation

May 2, 2017

A Crack in CreationPart of the 2017 Berkeley Summer Reading List, A Crack in Creation discusses the origin and impact of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology co-invented by UC Berkeley biologist Jennifer Doudna. Hailed as the scientific breakthrough of the century,...

Intellia, holder of rights to UC’s CRISPR technology, to win China patent

June 20, 2017

Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna Intellia Therapeutics received notice from China's State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) that it will grant the company a broad patent covering CRISPR/Cas9 single-guide gene-editing methods and compositions. "SIPO's decision further expands our IP portfolio and is further global recognition that Jennifer Doudna, Emmanuelle Charpentier, and their team are the pioneers...

Pac-Man-like CRISPR enzymes have potential for disease diagnostics

May 4, 2017

a Pac-Man game of CRISPR CRISPR-Cas13a enzymes act like the 1980s arcade game Pac-ManAlexandra East-Seletsky, Jennifer Doudna, and fellow researchers have described 10 new CRISPR enzymes that, once activated, behave like Pac-Man to chew up RNA in a way that could be used as sensitive detectors of infectious viruses.