Gene Scissors: A tool for rewriting the code of life

October 7, 2020 Nobel Prize was awarded to French biochemist Emmanuel Schalponte and American biochemist Jennifer Dudner for their contributions to crispr, a new generation of gene editing technology.
Nobel
said the two scientists' findings were important because they found one of the most powerful tools in gene technology: CRISPR/Cas9 gene scissors. Using these techniques, researchers can change the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with great precision. These technologies have revolutionted life sciences, are spawning new cancer treatments and have the potential to make dreams of curing genetic diseases come true.in the vast history of science, there are many scientific discoveries are "mindless willow", the discovery of these genetic scissors tools is also unexpected joy.
In an in-depth study of septic streptococcus, a bacteria that causes the most harm to humans, she discovered a previously unknown molecule, tracerRNA, part of the bacteria's ancient immune system CRISPR/Cas, which disarms the virus by cutting DNA.
published the study in 2011. That same year, she began working with Jennifer Dudner, a veteran biochemist with extensive RNA knowledge, who came across the powerful potential of CRISPR as a genome editing tool with the addition of a protein called cas9.
the two female scientists worked together to successfully reconstruct the bacteria's genetic scissors, CRISPR/Cas9, in the test tube and to simplify the molecular composition of the scissors to make them easier to use. They then reprogrammed the genetic scissors -- a landmark experiment. The scissors were born to identify DNA in viruses, but Schalponte and Dudner proved that they could be controlled so that they could "target" DNA, and where DNA was cut, scientists could more easily rewrite the code of life.
results have significantly improved the efficiency of gene editing, and the two scientists were named one of time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2015.If researchers want to discover how life works internally, they need to modify the genes in their cells, which used to be time-consuming, difficult and sometimes impossible, but with CRISPR/Cas9 gene scissors, scientists can now change the code of life in a few weeks.
since the discovery of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene scissors in 2012, more and more scientists have come to use them. The tool has been used in many basic research areas, such as plant researchers, to develop crops that are resistant to mold, pests and droughts. In medicine, researchers are using the technology to explore treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and psychosis, and clinical trials of innovative cancer therapies are under way, and the dream of a cure for genetic diseases is about to come true.
, as
, president of the Nobel Society of Chemistry, puts it: "This genetic tool has great power, and it affects us all." Not only has it revolutioned basic science, but it has also created novel crops and will lead to pioneering new therapies to treat many diseases".
the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system is one of the most important biological discoveries of the century. In 2015, Science magazine ranked it as one of the top 10 scientific breakthroughs of the year and topped the list. These genetic scissors have brought life sciences into a new era and, in many ways, brought the greatest benefits to humanity - and rewarding the technology and scientists who bring the greatest benefits to humanity was the original purpose of the Nobel Prize!