New Gene-Editing Tool Targets Mutations with Unmatched Precision

Summary: A breakthrough tool called Helicase-Assisted Continuous Editing (HACE) allows scientists to create precise genetic mutations in specific genes without affecting the rest of the genome. By combining helicase enzymes with CRISPR technology, HACE introduces mutations into targeted DNA sequences, advancing our ability to study gene functions and disease mechanisms. The tool has already identified drug resistance mutations in cancer-related genes and splicing defects in blood cancers, showcasing its potential for therapeutic discovery.

Gene mutations have consequences both good and bad — from resistance to conditions like diabetes to susceptibility to certain cancers.

In order to study these mutations, scientists need to introduce them directly into human cells. But changing genetic instructions inside cells is complex. The human genome comprises 3 billion base pairs of DNA divided across tens of thousands of genes.

To that end, Harvard researchers have created a tool that allows them to rapidly create mutations only in particular genes of interest without disturbing the rest of the genome. Described in Science, their tool, called Helicase-Assisted Continuous Editing (HACE), can be deployed to predetermined regions of the genome in intact, living cells.

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