Harvard scientists develop a genetic modification tool that can counteract CRISPR

Researchers at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering said was created a new genetic modification tool that can help scientists test millions of experiments instantly. They call it the Retron Library Recombineering (RLR) method, and it uses a layer of DNA bacteria called retrons that can form wireless DNA fragments.

When it comes to genetic engineering, CRISPR-Cas9 is the most popular method today. It has been making waves in recent years, giving researchers the tools they would need to be able to reverse DNA changes. It is more accurate than the methods used in the past, and it contains several types of potential programs, including life-saving medicine various diseases.

However, the tool has some serious drawbacks. It can be difficult to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 equipment in the crowd, which remains difficult to train and test, one. Also, the mechanism of action can be toxic to cells, because Cas9 enzymes – the “scissors” that control the cutting of DNA strands – often cut down unwanted leaves.

CRISPR-Cas9 decomposes DNA to incorporate its flexibility into its body during processing. In the meantime, retrons can insert a flexible DNA strand into a regenerating cell, so that the cord can be incorporated into girls’ DNA. In addition, retrons systems can act as “barcodes” or “name tags,” allowing scientists to track people who belong to a group of bacteria. This means that they can be used to repair genes without damaging the local DNA, and can be used for several experiments in one compound.

Scientists at the Wyss Institute tested the RLR on E. coli bacteria and found that 90 percent of people re-infect each other after making several tweaks. He was also able to confirm how useful it could be in large-scale genetic testing. During their tests, they were able to detect changes in antibiotics in E. coli by arranging barcode retrons instead of comparing transitions, making this happen much faster.

The program of learning Fellow author Max Schubert, commented:

“RLR enabled us to do the impossible with CRISPR: we simply cut our bacterial cells, turned them into single-celled DNA, and used them to scan several million at a time. often seen with CRISPR and facilitates the ability of researchers to detect changes at the genome level …

For a long time, CRISPR was simply considered a strange thing for bacteria to do, and to discover how they could use the technology to change the world. Retrons are another form of bacteria that can also help us progress. “

There is also work to be done before the RLR is widely used, including repairs and modifications. The group believes, however, that it can “create new, exciting and unexpected events.”