Applications of CRISPR technologies in research and beyond
Abstract
Programmable DNA cleavage using CRISPR-Cas9 enables efficient, site-specific genome engineering in single cells and whole organisms. In the research arena, versatile CRISPR-enabled genome editing has been used in various ways, such as controlling transcription, modifying epigenomes, conducting genome-wide screens and imaging chromosomes. CRISPR systems are already being used to alleviate genetic disorders in animals and are likely to be employed soon in the clinic to treat human diseases of the eye and blood. Two clinical trials using CRISPR-Cas9 for targeted cancer therapies have been approved in China and the United States. Beyond biomedical applications, these tools are now being used to expedite crop and livestock breeding, engineer new antimicrobials and control disease-carrying insects with gene drives.
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CRISPR technology provides a precise, efficient, and versatile tool for targeted DNA modification in various organisms.
“The development of CRISPR technology has revolutionized genome editing by providing a precise, efficient, and versatile tool for targeted DNA modification in various organisms5,6.”
From Large-scale CRISPR screening in primary human 3D gastric organoids enables comprehensive dissection of gene-drug interactions (2025) · cites this paper as [6]
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- Authors
- Barrangou, R., & Doudna, J. A.
- Affiliations
- North Carolina State University (US)
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Barrangou, Rodolphe
- Doudna, Jennifer A
- Venue
- Nature Biotechnology
- Published
- 2016-09
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 933-941
- ISSN
- 0733-222X (ISSN-L)
- 1087-0156
- 1546-1696
- OpenAlex
- W2511569157
- Cited by
- 1,005
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 72 · 2025: 114 · 2024: 84 · 2023: 91 · 2022: 90 · 2021: 115 · 2020: 109 · 2019: 114 · 2018: 101 · 2017: 104 · 2016: 9 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 56.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature Biotechnology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA regulation and disease
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Animal Genetics and Reproduction
- Keywords
- CRISPR/Cas9, genome editing, transcriptional regulation, genome-wide screen, chromosome imaging, gene therapy, eye diseases, hematologic disorders, cancer gene therapy, crop breeding, livestock breeding, gene drive
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