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Researchers Identify Newer and More Precise System For Genome Editing

Posted by samzenpus on from the cut-and-splice dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Scientists have identified a new advanced molecular system for human genome editing with potential to increase power and precision of genome engineering. The team, including the scientist who first harnessed the CRISPR-Cas9 system for mammalian genome editing, described the features of the new system and demonstrated that it can be engineered to edit the genomes of human cells.

2 of 33 comments (clear)

  1. This is amazing news by Ambassador+Kosh · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I would bet that Editas and other companies switch over to this almost immediately. The problem with Cas9 is the blunt ends and that makes it much harder to do highly specific genome editing but it does work. This method looks vastly better and just as easy to work with. It is hard to explain why the creation of sticky ends is so much better. The old method would be like sawing a piece of wood straight through and the new method a cut half way through, a horizontal cut and then completes it the rest of the way down so you have an overhang. The overhang makes the method far more precise for hooking up new sequences.

    I can't wait for us to finally start curing genetic diseases at the source. Biotechnology is progressing so quickly right now and many of the things we have already created are amazing but I don't think this is even the tip of the iceburg yet. Once we can cure genetic problems that will deal with a huge amount of health problems that humans have and these techniques are actually cheap. CRISPR is easy to do and easy to replicate.

    It is going to be an interesting next few decades coming up. :)

    --
    Computer modeling for biotech drug manufacturing is HARD! :)
    1. Re:This is amazing news by Ambassador+Kosh · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You should have looked at my signature. :)

      I have already done some genetic engineering and I am going to be doing a lot more of it in the future since that is part of my profession. There are risks and there will be mistakes but not trying won't help anymore. Imagine how long it would have taken us to make jet airplanes if we didn't even try to learn how to fly until we where completely sure?

      There are drugs today that raise cancer survival rates from 5% to 95%. There are diseases caused by a single defective gene that we can cure. Heck we can now build a robotic arm that has a sense of touch and wire it to your BRAIN. 10 years ago the state of the art was still a danged hook.

      Technology is changing quickly and biotech/nanotech developments are going to allow us to cure problems we never even imagined would be cureable. Long term I hope to work for Google's biotech company and work on solving human aging.

      The best reason ever to climb a mountain is "because it is there" and I feel the same way about this. We have an opportunity that is unlike any other in human history and we can make a real difference and we should find out how to do it safely and accurately. I hope that in 20 years you will be able to go to a doctor and get a security patch shot that upgrades your tumor supressor genes, grants immunity to a wide range of viruses, improves your regeneration capabilities and your lifespan. That is my goal and that is what I am working towards.

      --
      Computer modeling for biotech drug manufacturing is HARD! :)