CRISPR & Genome Editing Glossary
Master CRISPR-Cas genome editing vocabulary — from Cas nucleases and guide RNA design to base editing and prime editing.
Design CRISPR gRNAs →CRISPR
Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats — a bacterial immune system adapted for precise genome editing.
Read definition →CRISPR Screening
Genome-wide loss- or gain-of-function screens using CRISPR libraries to identify genes driving phenotypes.
Read definition →Cas9
The CRISPR-associated nuclease that creates double-strand breaks at target sites directed by a guide RNA.
Read definition →CRISPR-Cas12
A CRISPR nuclease (Cpf1) that cuts DNA with staggered ends and recognizes T-rich PAM sequences, expanding target range.
Read definition →CRISPR-Cas13
An RNA-targeting CRISPR nuclease that cleaves single-stranded RNA, enabling transcriptome editing and diagnostics.
Read definition →Genome Editing
Technologies that make precise changes to DNA sequences in living organisms, including insertions, deletions, and replacements.
Read definition →Base Editing
CRISPR-derived technique that converts one DNA base to another (e.g., C→T or A→G) without double-strand breaks.
Read definition →Prime Editing
A versatile editing method using a Cas9-reverse transcriptase fusion and pegRNA to make all 12 possible point mutations plus insertions/deletions.
Read definition →RNA Interference
A biological pathway where small RNA molecules (siRNA, miRNA) silence gene expression by degrading mRNA or blocking translation.
Read definition →Gene Therapy
The therapeutic delivery of genetic material into cells to treat or prevent disease by correcting defective genes.
Read definition →Gene
A segment of DNA that encodes a functional product (protein or RNA) and is the basic unit of heredity.
Read definition →Gene Expression
The process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize functional products, primarily proteins.
Read definition →Exon
A coding region of a gene that is retained in the final mature mRNA and typically translated into protein.
Read definition →Intron
A non-coding intervening sequence removed by RNA splicing during mRNA maturation.
Read definition →Codon
A three-nucleotide sequence in mRNA that specifies a particular amino acid or a stop signal during translation.
Read definition →mRNA
Messenger RNA — the intermediate molecule that carries protein-coding information from DNA to the ribosome.
Read definition →RNA
Ribonucleic acid — a versatile nucleic acid involved in gene regulation, protein synthesis, and genome editing.
Read definition →tRNA
Transfer RNA — adaptor molecules that carry specific amino acids to the ribosome during protein synthesis.
Read definition →Transcription
The process of copying a DNA sequence into an RNA molecule by RNA polymerase.
Read definition →Translation
The ribosome-mediated synthesis of a polypeptide chain from the information encoded in mRNA.
Read definition →Promoter
A DNA region upstream of a gene where RNA polymerase and transcription factors bind to initiate transcription.
Read definition →Enhancer
A regulatory DNA element that increases gene transcription, often located far from the target gene.
Read definition →Mutation
A permanent alteration in the DNA sequence that can affect gene function and may be harmless, beneficial, or harmful.
Read definition →Allele
One of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and occupy the same chromosomal locus.
Read definition →Genotype
The genetic constitution of an organism, including all alleles present at specific loci.
Read definition →Phenotype
The observable characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
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