***Another breakthrough is upon us in nano-electronics. This time using two “future” technologies – CRISPR and graphene. Combing the unique genetic selectivity of CRISPR and the incredible electric sensitivity of graphene it is capable of detecting mutations in anyone, anywhere with minimal equipment in just a few minutes. Mutants beware.***

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The birth of the genetically altered Chinese twins brought many scientists and even institutions asking for the ban or at least regulation of experiments with genetically altering human babies. Their issues are quite understandable but really, there isn’t much that can be done. CRISPR is already out there and the world will never be the same.

And this new world will certainly be interesting. Just to make it more interesting a team of bio-engineers from the University of California in Berkeley and the Keck Graduate Institute developed a handheld detector capable of detecting mutations in just a few minutes. They just took CRISPR, put it on some graphene transistors and what was previously available only in Star Trek is now reality.

The new revolutionary detector is named CRISPR-Chip. In the future, it could be used to quickly diagnose genetic diseases or find out if a person’s DNA has been modified.  The project lead – Kiana Aran – and her colleagues used CRISPR-Chip to determine genetic mutations in the samples of patients suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

All you need to do is take a sample of cleaned DNA onto the CRISPR-Chip and just wait a few minutes. CRISPR is connected to a graphene transistor but the gene editor has its ‘scissors’ - the Cas9 protein – deactivated. Thus the protein searches for the DNA sequence in question and if it finds it, it connects to it without cutting it open.

When CRISPR connects to the sequence the electrical conductivity of the graphene changes and allows the device to detect the mutation. Graphene itself is electrically sensitive to such a degree that you don’t even need to multiply the DNA using the polymerase chain reaction method.

A device such as CRISPR-Chip will allow geneticists to detect mutations in a matter of minutes without the need for a full laboratory. It can be used in an ordinary doctors office or even outside. And no waiting days or even weeks for results. Just a few minutes.

**Sources:**
* https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-019-0371-x
* https://news.berkeley.edu/2019/03/25/new-crispr-powered-device-detects-genetic-mutations-in-minutes/

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