Dr. Charpentier and Dr. Doudna both stumbled across Crispr by accident. Dr. Charpentier, a microbiologist, spent a number of years studying Streptococcus pyogenes, a species of bacteria that causes scarlet fever and other diseases. Dr. Charpentier and her colleagues discovered some of the key steps by which the bacteria used this information to attack viruses. After writing a paper on their discovery in 2011, Dr. Charpentier recognized she needed to collaborate with an expert on RNA molecules to make more progress. Until then, she had studied how bacteria make RNA molecules for other purposes, such as sensing the environment and silencing certain genes.

Source: International New York Times October 07, 2020 09:57 UTC