This Chinese technology can revolutionize gene-editing: Here's how
What's the story
A team of Chinese researchers has developed a revolutionary gene-editing tool capable of precisely manipulating millions of base pairs, the fundamental units of DNA. The breakthrough was led by Gao Caixia at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell.
Potential impact
PCE systems can accurately edit large DNA fragments
The new genome editing technologies, dubbed programmable chromosome engineering (PCE) systems, can accurately edit large DNA fragments. This is especially beneficial for higher organisms like plants. Professor Yin Hao from Wuhan University's medical research institute called this development "very significant progress" and believes it will pave the way for future advancements in genetic engineering in biomedicine and agriculture.
Research transformation
Potential to revolutionize research in agricultural seed cultivation
The PCE systems have the potential to revolutionize research in emerging fields like agricultural seed cultivation and synthetic biology. A CAS branch institute in Beijing noted that by manipulating genomic structural variation, this technology could "open up new avenues for crop trait improvement and genetic disease treatment." This advancement could also speed up the development of artificial chromosomes with promising applications in synthetic biology.