Medical applications of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR/Cas) tool: A comprehensive overview

Abstract

Since the discovery of the double helix and the introduction of genetic engineering, the possibility to develop new strategies to manipulate the genome has fascinated scientists around the world. Currently scientists have the knowledge and ability to edit the genomes. Several methodologies of gene editing have been established, all of them working like “scissor”, creating double strand breaks at specific spots. The introduction of a new technology, which was adapted from the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas bacterial immune system, has revolutionized the genetic therapy field, as it allows a much more precise editing of gene than the previously described tools and, therefore, to prevent and treat disease in humans. This review aims to revisit the genome editing history that led to the rediscovery of the CRISPR/Cas technology and to explore the technical aspects, applications and perspectives of this fascinating, powerful, precise, simpler and cheaper technology in different fields.