CRISPR-CAS is all the rage.
Apparently, people are using CRISPR-CAS to modify humans.
CRISPR-CAS uses a crRNA (magenta; cr for crispr) to target a specific DNA sequence (i.e. an invading virus). A traRNA (powder blue; tra for tracer). Double-stranded DNA (i.e. viral DNA) separates its strands. The target strand (green; tDNA) forms a helix with the crRNA. The non-target strand (yellow; ntDNA) includes the PAM sequence (protospacer-adjacent motif; space-filling representation). The HNH nuclease domain cleaves the tDNA strand. The RuvC nuclease domain cleaves the ntDNA strand. DNA cleavage is approximately where the red line is located.
The idea of CRISPR is that target DNAs can be addressed accurately without many off-target DNA breaks. At the site of the DNA break, the DNA can be modified specifically. In this way, site-specific DNA changes can be made in large genomes with few off-target DNA hits.
CRISPR technology is very powerful as a research tool.
CRISPR will be used in the future to modify human genomes to fight disease. Potentially, virus infections can be fought with CRISPR-CAS. Fighting viruses is a major purpose of CRISPR-CAS in bacterial and archaeal systems. Genetic diseases might be corrected (or partially corrected) using CRISPR-CAS.
CRISPR-CAS will have many applications in agriculture.