CRISPR Cas9 Technology and Genetic Engineering

CRISPR technologies and society

CRISPR-Cas9 has become popular in recent years. CRISPR technology has also been applied in the food and agricultural industries to engineer probiotic cultures and to vaccinate industrial cultures (for yogurt, for example) against viruses. It is also being used in crops to improve yield, drought tolerance and nutritional properties. There is also the phenomenon of "off-target effects," where DNA is cut at sites other than the intended target. This can lead to the introduction of unintended mutations.  Furthermore, Scientists noted that even when the system cuts on target, there is a chance of not getting a precise edit. They called this "genome vandalism."