What’s the difference between CRISPR and restriction enzymes?

CRISPR and restriction enzymes are two types of techniques that play key roles in gene modifications because of their ability to cut DNA at some place in the middle of the strand, rather than cutting the bases off the end.  

These are the main differences between CRISPR and restriction enzymes.

CRISPR

• Is a naturally occurring prokaryotic immune defense mechanism that confers resistance to foreign genetic elements.
• Is a highly advanced system that allows very precise cuts.
• Gene editing takes only a few days.
• Is recently being used for eukaryotic gene editing and modification.

Restriction Enzymes

• Act as biological scissors that produce a double-stranded cut in the DNA on recognizing a specific sequence of nucleotides.
• Are more primitive and produce cuts that are less precise.
• Can only cut at a particular site that’s programmed into the protein structure.