genetic scissors

English

Noun

genetic scissors pl (plural only)

1. (countable) Biological tools used to precisely edit the genome of organisms.
   • 2020 October 7, Josh Fischman, “Nobel Prize in Chemistry Goes to Discovery of ‘Genetic Scissors’ Called CRISPR/Cas9”, in Scientific American‎^[1], archived from the original on 2024-05-02:

     The two scientists began collaborating in 2011, after meeting at a conference in Puerto Rico where they went to a café in San Juan and talked about the overlap in their work. They succeeded in making these genetic scissors in a laboratory, and in reprogramming them to cut DNA at whatever spot the scientists selected.

   • 2024 January, Chengchao Zhang, Zili Huang, Ziyan Li, Jianyu Hu, Rui Liu, Yi Lv, “CRISPR-associated “genetic scissors” for multiplexing analysis”, in Trends in Analytical Chemistry, volume 170, →DOI:

     As described in this review, the CRISPR/Cas system can be counted as one of the most powerful types of genetic scissors with sophisticated natures like simplicity, flexibility, and specificity. The emergence of such elegant genetic scissors opened a novel avenue; and, may keep bringing other surprising features to the field of bioanalysis and clinical treatment.