Understanding CRISPR-Cas9

This video is a deep-dive into CRISPR-Cas9, but it takes the time to explain terms and concepts carefully, so that students who are new to the topic will understand it, and those who already understand what CRISPR is, but have unanswered questions will find the depth of answers they are looking for.

Now that VCAA have intimated that they expect students to have more than a superficial knowledge and understanding of CRISPR (for example they have to know about PAM sequences), many of the videos and websites I'd once have recommended are no longer sufficient because they leave out details in an effort to make the concepts easy to grasp. Others which do include details are unassailable to students because of the prerequisite knowledge and terminology they assume.

That's why I made this video. It goes deep (really deep, actually), but I hope that stepping through it slowly, and explaining terminology as we go will make it a valuable resource for students really wanting to understand.

It covers both the way that bacteria use CRISPR-Cas9 as an adaptive immune system, and the way it can be used for gene editing by molecular biologists. It also answers lots of the questions that people have when learning about CRISPR-Cas9, such as:
- is there a difference between gRNA and sgRNA? (and what is the difference between crRNA and gRNA?, or between cr:tracrRNA and gRNA?)
- how does Cas9 differentiate between 'self' and 'non-self'
- why doesn't Cas9 cut the spacer in the bacterial CRISPR array?
- why don't Cas1-Cas2 make spacers out of the bacterial DNA?
- how is Cas9 used to 'knock out' a gene.
- how is Cas9 used to insert a gene at a specific location using the cells DNA-repair machinery.
etc.

[brandonmansfield]

Man! You are one heck of a great teacher. If we could all shrink ourselves and see everything in our cells and shrink even smaller to see the mechanisms DNA uses, you would be the perfect tour guide because you explain things that well.

[hanspozo]

As you said, your video really fills the gap between those simple videos for the "common people" and those, who are made from experts for experts. Thank you!

[Hanking-Yo-Schrader]

Sir, I was so lost in CRISPR and didn’t know where to start and where to go. This is hands down tue best video on the topic. You went sufficiently into depth while keeping everything clear and concise. I would really appreciate next a detailed video on Prime Editing similar to this one, and comparing the 2 strategies, and talking about the problems with CRISPR such as high indel ratio, etc. Keep up the good work!

[sebastianderien]

I am speechless.
I think with a teacher like you, biology would have been on the top of my preferred classes.
I wish you all the best.

[Wideelf]

This video actually saved me!

You are the only reason I'm making it through year 12 biology 🤣🤣

[austintao]

This is really an amazing video! Thank you so much for taking your time carefully preparing and making this video!!

[ldnfmro]

You really gave the intuition to the whole CRISPR -Cas9 thing and cured the questions that were bugging me before, now its clear to a very good extent. Very grateful for this

[mihirmistry]

Man! I love how you explained everything i have watched this video over and over again and again and still find something new about the CRISPER CAS9, thank you for an amazing and detailed video
I hope you can teach us the complete biotechnology by this way!!😅
Thank you!! Cheers

[ansotica]

wow, what a great video. i've been looking for it for a long time and now there's finally one. without whiteboards, bad drawings, superficial subject matter and confusing slides. i'm studying biology and never understood the mechanism when my professor explained it. i then neglected it while studying. now i failed an exam repeatedly and have to go through the topic again. and you explained it so incredibly well, with all the details one needs to know, but not toooo detailed. thank you so much for that. i feel well prepared and hope there will be a question about CRISPR/Cas9 :)

[FerPerez-mcwr]

New videos are always exciting to see!

[ArthurCampos-lkqs]

What an amazing biologist, your enthusiasm is very contagious

[rehamhassan]

Dr.Andrew, It is my first time to write a comment to express my gratitude for someone, really really thank you for this masterpiece !

[HannatIsmail]

I have read many articles and protocols and this is the only resource I have come across so far that explained in great detail! Thank you!

[ytmadhavan]

Great teaching, Andrew. Thank you for helping me understand the CRISPR concept.

[msf]

Most excellent! Thank you. This is the best explanation of this topic I have had yet.

[cryptapocalypse]

Andrew- outstanding presentation. I had some molecular biology training, but rarely if ever received instruction in the methodical and organized manner you use here. Thanks very much for taking the time to do this.

[alanlee]

This is awesome and professional. Thank you for explaining those concepts deeply and thoroughly

[professorarshadmajid]

Excellent video - well presented. Easy to understand.

[helenapetrou]

Thanks for such a detailed and engaging explanation Andrew! Has helped me so much

[kolnccz]

OMG this video, yes perfect, for my exam i needed to learn how this works and needed to learn a paper written by fellow classmates, i dont think they saw this video bc this explanation is a 1000x better more understandable! Thank you!