CRISPR gene editing

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/crispr-gene-editing

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered CRISPR gene editing?Mechanism elucidated and adapted for gene editing starting around 2012
2. What is the scientific name?CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system
3. What is CRISPR and how does it work?CRISPR is a tool that uses a small protein called Cas9 and a guide RNA to find a specific spot in DNA and cut it. The cut lets the cell fix the DNA, which can change the gene.
4. Why is CRISPR better than older gene‑editing tools?It can target almost any DNA sequence, works quickly, and is easier to use, so scientists can edit genes more precisely.

CRISPR: A system in bacteria that provides adaptive immunity against viruses, adapted for precise genome editing.
Cas9 Nuclease: An enzyme that acts as molecular scissors, cutting DNA at a targeted location guided by RNA.
Guide RNA (gRNA): A synthetic RNA molecule designed to direct the Cas9 enzyme to a specific DNA sequence.
Double-Strand Break (DSB): A break that occurs on both strands of the DNA helix, initiating cellular repair mechanisms.