CRISPR-Cas3 or the ultimate magic weapon against super bacteria

When people talk about the genetic editing tool CRISPR, they usually talk about CRISPR-Cas9. Most researchers use CRISPR-Cas9 as a "scissor" to cut and paste genes. CRISPR-Cas9 has been hailed as a potential changer in combating cancer and crop pathogens and addressing environmental issues. But some researchers believe that a little-known technology may be the answer to more and more super-bacteria problems in the world. Let's take a look at CRISPR-Cas3.

Cas9 is so "fashionable" for several reasons: it is a small enzyme that is ideal for pinpointing specific sequences of DNA, making gene editing easier than ever. But Cas3 is a relatively "terrible" thing, shredding its targeted DNA far beyond the state of repair, leading to cell death. If CRISPR-Cas9 is a genetic scalpel, then Cas3 is a chain saw. That's why researchers believe it might only be used to attack super-strong bacteria that fight antibiotics.

CRISPR-Cas3或成对抗超级细菌的终极法宝

E. Coli. Photo: Wikimedia

What we are trying to do is kill the bacteria, says molecular biologist Rodolphe Barrangou of North Carolina State University, which is like the role of the Pac-Man game, chewing DNA instead of cutting a neat cut. And chewing the DNA to an extent that cannot be repaired, it is fatal.

CRISPR-Cas3或成对抗超级细菌的终极法宝

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