Unveiling the Inner Workings of CRISPR and Protein Production

Researchers have developed a method to visualize the activity of CRISPR-Cas protein complexes, which are used for gene editing, in real time. By constructing a DNA rotor arm with a gold nanoparticle attached, the scientists were able to observe the unwinding of DNA sequences during recognition by the CRISPR Cascade complex. They discovered that base pairing with RNA is not energetically advantageous and that the recognition process is driven by thermal fluctuations. The findings will help in selecting suitable RNA sequences for more precise genetic manipulation. The nanorotor technique can also be applied to other CRISPR-Cas complexes and biomolecules.