What are the Key Technologies Used in Genome Editing?
CRISPR-Cas9
The most widely used genome editing tool is CRISPR-Cas9, which stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9. This technology uses a guide RNA to direct the Cas9 enzyme to a specific DNA sequence, where it makes a cut. This cut can be repaired in a way that introduces mutations or corrects existing ones.
TALENs
Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALENs) are another genome editing tool that uses custom-designed proteins to bind to specific DNA sequences. TALENs are highly specific and can be used to introduce double-strand breaks in DNA, which are subsequently repaired by the cell's machinery.
ZFNs
Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs) are engineered DNA-binding proteins that facilitate targeted editing of the genome by creating double-strand breaks at specific locations. ZFNs are composed of a DNA-binding domain and a DNA-cleaving domain, allowing precise genome modifications.
