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AutomaticAd1918 OP t1_iy3gt52 wrote

Reply to comment by HotDadBod1255 in How exactly does CRISPR-CAS9 insert new genes? by AutomaticAd1918

Ooohh I see how are genes knocked out or shut off? Do we introduce another protein to stop the cell from repairing it?

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HotDadBod1255 t1_iy3lmrj wrote

Nope, it's just the Cas9 protein and the guide RNA. The guide tells Cas9 precisely where to make cuts in the DNA. The part that's cut is naturally removed and digested by the cell. Then when that happens, the cell's natural repair mechanism takes the two open ends of DNA and connects them together.

As you might guess there's some work required to figure out dosing. To low of a dose and you probably won't edit enough cells, so the un-cut gene will persist. Too high of a dose and you're probably going to harm the patient or cell.

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