CRISPR History: Discovery, Characterization, and Prosperity

Wenyuan Han, Qunxin She*

*Corresponding author for this work
9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

CRISPR research is a very young research field since it was only 10 years ago when the system was found to confer antiviral defense. Nevertheless, there has been an explosion of publications in CRISPR research in the past 5 years. The research was started with the comparative genomics of microbial genomes early this century, which revealed the prevalence of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) in bacteria and archaea. Series of hypotheses were made based on bioinformatics analyses and tested experimentally within a few years after the CRISPR acronym was coined. These findings have not only led to the discovery of the unique antiviral system and the involved molecular mechanisms, but also to the development of CRISPR technology with various well-developed applications, such as genome editing in all three domains of life. Currently, widespread research efforts in multiple research disciplines have constantly yielded new insights into molecular mechanisms of CRISPR antiviral immunity, and new applications in scientific research and biomedical applications. Retrospectively, it is worth pointing out that close interdisciplinary interactions have fostered series of discoveries in the CRISPR research and worked as the driving force in the fast developing research field.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCRISPR in Animals and Animal Models
EditorsRaúl Torres-Ruiz, Sandra Rodriguez-Perales
Number of pages20
PublisherElsevier
Publication date2017
Pages1-21
Chapter1
ISBN (Print)978-0-12-812506-9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017
SeriesProgress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science
Volume152
ISSN1877-1173

Keywords

  • anti-CRISPR systems
  • cas gene cassettes
  • Cascade
  • CRISPR loci
  • CRISPR technology
  • crRNA biogenesis
  • DNA interference
  • gRNA-Cas9
  • RNP
  • spacer adaptation

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