Present Technology
Bacteriophages Present Technology
Phage therapy is used on a daily basis to treat bacterial infections in countries that don't have easy access to antibiotics. Bacteriophages are all around us, and they kill 15 to 40% of the ocean's bacteria daily. Each species of phage only targets one type of bacteria. Phages have high specificity, unlike antibiotics and chemotherapy which also kill helpful bacteria/cells.
How phages kill bacteria:
Recognize, attach, inject, reproduce, release!
1. The phages' tail fibres and receptors recognize the targeted bacteria.🔍
2. The phages attach themselves onto the bacteria's cell wall.🦠
3. The phages' DNA lies in its head (capsid). It will inject its genetic material into the bacteria. 💉🧬
4. The phages will reproduce inside of the bacteria.
5. The phages will produce endolysin, an enzyme that will kill the bacteria and release the phages. 🦠💀
Fibers on the tail of the phages have sensitive receptors. They respond to stimuli and help the phage recognize it's prey.
Did you
know...
The capsid of a bacteriophage takes the shape of an icosahedron, a plantonic solid that consists of 20 faces.
CRISPR-Cas9 Present Technology
Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats is an inexpensive and revolutionary method to modify genes. Using a Cas9 complex it is possible to edit DNA easily and precisely.
How CRISPR Cas9 works:
Search, Cut, Repair, Fill
1. A Cas9 protein searches through the DNA using a Guide RNA. 👀
2. When the Cas9 finds the correct location, it will cut the DNA based on the location from the Guide RNA. ✂️
3. The Donor DNA with the correct mutations repair and fill in the cut with base pairing. 🧬
Current Bacteriophage Usage
Currently, bacteriophages are being used to treat bacterial infections in plants, animals and food. They are also used in humans to treat bacterial infections that have developed a resistance to antibiotics.
CRISPR Usage
CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to change the genetic code of any organism easily, accurately and inexpensively. Currently, CRISPR-Cas9 is being used to treat genetic diseases. It is also being used to produce drought resistant crops and eliminate malaria in mosquitos.