Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026
10:46
Gene Digital Circuits Based on CRISPR-Cas Systems and Anti-CRISPR Proteins
Published on: October 18, 2022
2.2K
CRISPR quality control on a chip.
Kiana Aran1,2,3,4, Brett R Goldsmith3
1Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
Nature Reviews Bioengineering
|December 15, 2025
Summary
We created a CRISPR-Chip, an electronic DNA search engine, for rapid, amplification-free DNA detection. This technology merges CRISPR gene editing with nanomaterial electronics, paving the way for commercialization.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Nanotechnology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- CRISPR technology offers precise DNA targeting.
- Electronic biosensors require rapid and scalable detection methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an 'electronic DNA search engine' by integrating CRISPR with electronics.
- To enable DNA detection without the need for amplification.
- To explore the commercialization pathway for this novel technology.
Main Methods:
- Combined CRISPR's DNA recognition with nanomaterial-based electronics.
- Developed a CRISPR-Chip for direct DNA detection.
- Evaluated the technology's potential for commercial applications.
Main Results:
- Achieved DNA detection without prior amplification.
- Demonstrated the synergy between molecular biology and nanomaterial electronics.
- Identified key highlights and challenges in commercializing the CRISPR-Chip.
Conclusions:
- The CRISPR-Chip represents a significant advancement in DNA detection technology.
- Merging CRISPR with electronics opens new avenues for biosensing.
- The technology shows promise for future commercial applications in diagnostics and beyond.
Related Concept Videos
01:59CRISPR
57.4K
Genome editing technologies allow scientists to modify an organism’s DNA via the addition, removal, or rearrangement of genetic material at specific genomic locations. These types of techniques could potentially be used to cure genetic disorders such as hemophilia and sickle cell anemia. One popular and widely used DNA-editing research tool that could lead to safe and effective cures for genetic disorders is the CRISPR-Cas9 system. CRISPR-Cas9 stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced...
57.4K
02:53CRISPR and crRNAs
18.7K
Bacteria and archaea are susceptible to viral infections just like eukaryotes; therefore, they have developed a unique adaptive immune system to protect themselves. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) are present in more than 45% of known bacteria and 90% of known archaea.
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
18.7K
01:28CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing
1.6K
The CRISPR-Cas system serves as a bacterial defense mechanism against invading genetic elements such as viruses and plasmids, forming the foundation for its adaptation as a powerful genome-editing tool. Originally discovered in prokaryotes, this system has been repurposed to revolutionize genetic engineering across a wide range of organisms, including plants, animals, and humans. The core component, Cas9, is an endonuclease derived from Streptococcus pyogenes, capable of introducing...
1.6K
02:31Homologous Recombination
62.4K
The basic reaction of homologous recombination (HR) involves two chromatids that contain DNA sequences sharing a significant stretch of identity. One of these sequences uses a strand from another as a template to synthesize DNA in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. The final product is a novel amalgamation of the two substrates. To ensure an accurate recombination of sequences, HR is restricted to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. At these stages, the DNA has been replicated already and the...
62.4K