A popular gene-editing technique called CRISPR–Cas9 has been adapted to bind to and track RNA in living cells.

Many labs have adopted CRISPR–Cas9 as a way to edit DNA, using a 'guide RNA' to direct the Cas9 enzyme to the specific DNA sequence to be cut. Gene Yeo of the University of California, San Diego, and his colleagues expanded the technique to target RNA. The team inactivated the Cas9 enzyme that normally slices DNA, and fused it to a fluorescent protein. They then provided a modified guide RNA that directed the disabled enzyme to bind to RNAs.

The approach allowed them to track the fluorescently tagged RNA in living cells, without hindering its movement and function.

Cell http://doi.org/bdg7 (2016)