Covers recent work repurposing an unusual CRISPR enzyme to recognize cancer-cell RNA and trigger catastrophic DNA shredding selectively in malignant cells.
Key Takeaways
- Enzyme can be programmed to recognize a specific messenger RNA, such as one made by a cancer cell
- Once the enzyme finds its partner, it slashes the cell’s genome to pieces
- Therapy that uses this approach to target head and neck cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV)