CRISPR

Question 1

Bacteriophage

Answer 1

A virus that infects bacteria.

Question 2

Bacterium (pl. bacteria)

Answer 2

A single-celled prokaryotic, microscopic organism that frequently grows in clusters. It can live symbiotically with other organisms and/or act as pathogens.

Question 3

CRISPR

Answer 3

An endonuclease that creates a blunt end cut at a site specified by guide RNA (gRNA)

Question 4

CRISPR-Cas9

Answer 4

A complex formed between gRNA and Cas9 which can cut a target sequence of DNA. Bacteria use this complex for protection from viruses and scientists have modified it to edit genomes.

Question 5

Gene knock-in

Answer 5

A technique in gene editing where scientists substitute or add nucleotides in a gene.

Question 6

Gene knockout

Answer 6

A technique in gene editing where scientists prevent the expression of a target gene to understand its function in an organism.

Question 7

Guide RNA (gRNA)

Answer 7

RNA which has a specific sequence determined by CRISPR to guide Cas9 to a specific site.

Question 8

Protospacer

Answer 8

A short sequence of DNA extracted from a bacteriophage by Cas1 and Cas2, which has yet to be incorporated into the CRISPR gene.

Question 9

Protospacer Adjacent Motif (PAM)

Answer 9

A sequence of two-six nucleotides that is found immediately next to the DNA targeted by Cas9.

Question 10

Spacer

Answer 10

Short sequences of DNA obtained from invading bacteriophages that are added into the CRISPR sequence.