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In 2012, scientists described a new tool for editing DNA that would transform biology. Called CRISPR-Cas9, it was adapted from a defense system that bacteria use against viruses.
The system works like molecular scissors guided by a GPS. A short strand of RNA guides the Cas9 protein to a precise location in the genome, where it cuts the DNA. The cell then repairs the cut, and scientists can use that moment to disable a gene or insert a new sequence.
CRISPR is faster, cheaper and more precise than earlier gene-editing methods. Researchers are using it to develop treatments for inherited diseases such as sickle cell disease, and in 2023 regulators in the U.K. and the U.S. approved the first CRISPR-based therapy for that condition.
The technology also raises ethical questions, especially about editing human embryos, where changes could be passed to future generations. Many scientists have called for strict limits on such uses.
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Worksheets › Grade 10 English › Reading Informational Text › Reading Informational Text
Free Grade 10 English worksheet (Common Core RI.9-10.1): read the informational text "CRISPR: Editing the Code of Life", find the main idea and answer questions with evidence. Skill: Key ideas and details in informational text. Level: Grade 10 — also suits Year 11 (UK).
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Key ideas and details in informational text.
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