Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Version of CRISPR/Cas3 More Impactful Gene-Editing Tool

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 23 Apr 2019
A less precise but more impactful version of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing tool was described in a recent paper.

CRISPR/Cas9 is regarded as the cutting edge of molecular biology technology. More...
CRISPRs (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) are segments of prokaryotic DNA containing short repetitions of base sequences. Each repetition is followed by short segments of "spacer DNA" from previous exposures to a bacterial virus or plasmid. Since 2013, the CRISPR/Cas9 system has been used in research for gene editing (adding, disrupting, or changing the sequence of specific genes) and gene regulation. By delivering the Cas9 enzyme and appropriate guide RNAs (sgRNAs) into a cell, the organism's genome can be cut at any desired location. The conventional CRISPR/Cas9 system from Streptococcus pyogenes is composed of two parts: the Cas9 enzyme, which cleaves the DNA molecule and specific RNA guides that shepherd the Cas9 protein to the target gene on a DNA strand.

Investigators at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY, USA) reported in the April 8, 2019, online edition of the journal Molecular Cell that they had worked with a somewhat different version of the CRISPR tool, CRISPR/Cas3. Cas3 from Thermobifida fusca was found to be guided specifically towards Cascade-bound target DNA in the presence of an optimal Protospacer Adjacent Motif (PAM) sequence, and through physical interactions with the CasA component of the Cascade and the non-complementary strand of the ds-DNA substrate. This means that after using the CRISPR mechanism to identify the target DNA, the Cas 3 nuclease erased DNA continuously, for up to 100 kilobases with 13%–60% editing efficiency.

For research purposes, CRISPR/Cas3 could be used to screen for non-coding genetic elements and erase long sequences of DNA. Once erased, it would be possible to determine what functions were missing in an organism, and identify the role of that genetic element. A clinical use could be to identify and delete the entire genome of pathogenic viruses.

“My lab spent the past ten years figuring out how CRISPR/Cas3 works. I am thrilled that my colleagues and I finally demonstrated its genome-editing activity in human cells,” said contributing author Dr. Ailong Ke, professor of molecular biology and genetics at Cornell University. “Our tools can be made to target these viruses very specifically and then erase them very efficiently. In theory, it could provide a cure for these viral diseases.”

Related Links:
Cornell University


Gold Member
Flocked Fiber Swabs
Puritan® Patented HydraFlock®
POC Helicobacter Pylori Test Kit
Hepy Urease Test
New
Gel Cards
DG Gel Cards
New
Silver Member
Rapid Test Reader
DIA5000
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: New research points to protecting blood during radiation therapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The test could streamline clinical decision-making by identifying ideal candidates for immunotherapy upfront (Xiao, Y. et al. Cancer Biology & Medicine July 2025, 20250038)

Blood Test Predicts Immunotherapy Efficacy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking targeted therapies, making immunotherapy a promising yet unpredictable option. Current biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression or tumor... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: New diagnostics could predict a woman’s risk of a common sexually transmitted infection (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

New Markers Could Predict Risk of Severe Chlamydia Infection

Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted infection that can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and other reproductive complications when it spreads to the upper genital tract.... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: The sensor can help diagnose diabetes and prediabetes on-site in a few minutes using just a breath sample (Photo courtesy of Larry Cheng/Penn State)

Graphene-Based Sensor Uses Breath Sample to Identify Diabetes and Prediabetes in Minutes

About 37 million U.S. adults live with diabetes, and one in five is unaware of their condition. Diagnosing diabetes often requires blood draws or lab visits, which are costly and inconvenient.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.