새로운 유전체 편집용 유전자 가위, 크리스퍼 (CRISPR/Cas9 system) - 분자생물학의 새 기원을 연다? - = A new genome-editing genetic scissors, CRISPR/Cas9 system - opening a new era of molecular biology ? -

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The emergence of a new genome-editing tool called CRISPR/Cas9 system which makes accurate and targeted modification to the genome of living organisms has drawn keen interest from world biomedical researchers. The CRISPR/Cas9 system is based on a prokaryotic immune system which gives acquired immunity to invading exogenous genetic elements by recognizing the memorized DNA sequences. The previous versions of genome-editing tools, zinc finger nucleases and TALENs, are costly and time-consuming to prepare, because they rely on protein engineering to target specific sites in the genome. However, the CRISPR/Cas9 system can recognize target sites on the basis of nucleotide base pairing with a short sequence of guide RNA. thus make it easier and flexible to implement. The CRISPR/Cas9 system could be used for editing/modifying the endogenous genome, disrupting the gene of interest, activating or repressing gene expression and labeling a regions of genomic DNA for imaging in a wide variety of biomedically important cell types and organisms. Due to these abilities, CRISPR/Cas9 system will transform genomic research and will spur the opening of a new era of molecular biomedicine and agricultural breeding. In this article, the latest research trend and applications of CRISPR/Cas9 system were studied. The ethical concern of CRISPR/Cas9 on human therapeutic use were also discussed.