PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

New resource makes gene editing technology even more user-friendly

2015-07-17
(Press-News.org) Researchers at Harvard University and the University of California, San Diego, have developed a new user-friendly resource to accompany the powerful gene editing tool called CRISPR/Cas9, which has been widely adopted to make precise, targeted changes in DNA. This breakthrough has the potential to facilitate new discoveries in gene therapies and basic genetics research. The research was published in the July 13 issue of Nature Methods.

The study describes an approach to simplify a laborious part of the gene editing process using the CRISPR/Cas9 system: choosing the best components to match specific gene targets.

"We've taken a step towards making the CRISPR/Cas9 system more robust," said Prashant Mali, an assistant professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, and a co-first author of the study.

CRISPR/Cas9 is a relatively new genome engineering tool that can target a particular segment of DNA in living cells -- such as a gene mutation -- and replace it with a new genetic sequence. This technology ultimately has applications in gene therapies for genetic disorders such as sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis.

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has two components: a short "guide RNA" with a sequence matching a particular gene target, and a large protein called Cas9 that cuts DNA precisely at that target. Herein lies the beauty of the CRISPR/Cas9 system: to target another region of the genome, researchers can simply change the guide RNA sequence to match the new gene target.

However, finding the best guide RNA match for a specific gene target is a labor-intensive process. This is because multiple guide RNA sequences can serve as potential matches for each gene target. As a result, researchers might need to test numerous candidates of guide RNAs before finding the most active guide RNA.

Matchmaking software for faster guide RNA selection

To decipher what makes certain guide RNAs better than others, the team conducted what they called a "library-on-library" approach, in which they evaluated a library containing thousands of guide RNAs against a library containing thousands of corresponding gene targets. The team analyzed the data from the library-on-library approach to determine patterns among the guide RNAs that were the most active. Using the data and patterns from these thousands of gene targeting experiments, the team developed a new matchmaking software that predicts and ranks the best guide RNA matches for any given gene target.

"From these experiments, we were able to find features in the guide RNAs that worked and in those that didn't work. We built a computational model that accounts for all these different features. The end product is an interactive software for users to find guide RNAs that are predicted to be highly specific and highly active for their gene targets," said Raj Chari, a research fellow working in the lab of Professor George Church in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, and a co-first author of the study.

"We hope to minimize the time and work in finding the most successful guide RNA sequence for a gene target, which will be helpful for finding new gene therapies," said Chari.

"Overall, this new method offers a simple approach to assess a large number of guide RNAs in a short amount of time. We believe this will be a useful resource for the community towards designing improved genome engineering experiments," added Mali.

INFORMATION:

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grant P50HG005550), a Banting Fellowship from the Canadian Institutes of Research, University of California San Diego startup funds, and a Burroughs Wellcome Career Award.

The team was led by George Church, HMS Robert Winthrop Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. Mark Moosburner, a Ph.D. student in the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UC San Diego, was also a member of the research team.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Coaches can be a strong influence in preventing football injuries, say researchers

2015-07-17
ROSEMONT, IL - Teaching coaches about injury prevention and contact restrictions pays off, say researchers who tracked injury rates among youth football players during the 2014 season. "With an estimated three million youth aged 7 to 14 years old playing tackle football each year, preventing injuries is key. Our study showed that kids who received a comprehensive education from a coach had fewer injuries," said lead author Zachary Y. Kerr, PhD, MPH of the Datalys Center for Injury Research and Prevention. Kerr and his team had athletic trainers evaluate and track ...

U of M study explains why hemp and marijuana are different

2015-07-17
Genetic differences between hemp and marijuana determine whether Cannabis plants have the potential for psychoactivity, a new study by University of Minnesota scientists shows. "Given the diversity of cultivated forms of Cannabis, we wanted to identify the genes responsible for differences in drug content," says U of M plant biologist George Weiblen. While marijuana is rich in psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), hemp produces mostly a non-euphoric cannabidiol (CBD), but the genetic basis for this difference was a matter of speculation until now. The study was published ...

Nanowires give 'solar fuel cell' efficiency a tenfold boost

2015-07-17
A solar cell that produces fuel rather than electricity. Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and FOM Foundation today present a very promising prototype of this in the journal Nature Communications. The material gallium phosphide enables their solar cell to produce the clean fuel hydrogen gas from liquid water. Processing the gallium phosphide in the form of very small nanowires is novel and helps to boost the yield by a factor of ten. And does so using ten thousand times less precious material. The electricity produced by a solar cell can be used ...

New catalyst for selective oxidation of methanol to dimethoxymethane under mild conditions

2015-07-17
This article describes the effect of the preparation method of binary oxide supports (TiO2-Al2O3) on catalytic performance of V2O5/TiO2-Al2O3 catalysts for methanol selective oxidation to dimethoxymethane (DMM). The optimized catalyst exhibits a methanol conversion of 48.9% and a high DMM selectivity of 89.9% at 393 K, superior to V2O5/TiO2 and V2O5/Al2O3 catalysts. Reported by Prof. Gong Jinlong of Tianjin University, the research article titled "Selective Oxidation of Methanol to Dimethoxymethane over V2O5/TiO2-Al2O3 Catalysts" was published on Science Bulletin June ...

A new satellite time transfer method based on two-way common-view comparison

2015-07-17
Time synchronization between ground and satellites is a key technology for satellite navigation system. With dual-channel satellite, a method called Two-Way Common-View (TWCV) satellite time transfer for Compass system is proposed in recent study. The title of the paper related to the study is "The method and experiment analysis of two-way common-view satellite time transfer for compass system", which is written by LIU Li from Beijing Satellite Navigation Center and published in SCIENCE CHINA Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy 2015, 58. The researcher combines both characteristics ...

Physicians testified for tobacco companies against plaintiffs with cancer, Stanford study finds

2015-07-17
Despite scientific evidence to the contrary, a small group of otolaryngologists have repeatedly testified, on behalf of the tobacco industry, that heavy smoking did not cause the cancer in cases of dying patients suing for damages, according to a study by a Stanford University School of Medicine researcher. "I was shocked by the degree to which these physicians were willing to testify, in my opinion in an unscientific way, to deny a dying plaintiff -- suffering the aftermath of a lifetime of smoking -- of a fair trial," said Robert Jackler, MD, professor and chair of ...

Some like it sweet, others not so much: It's partly in the genes

2015-07-17
PHILADELPHIA (July 17, 2015) - A new study from the Monell Center and collaborating institutions suggests that a single set of genes affects a person's perception of sweet taste, regardless of whether the sweetener is a natural sugar or a non-caloric sugar substitute. "Eating too much sugar is often seen as a personal weakness. However, our work suggests that part of what determines our perception of sweetness is inborn in our genetic makeup," said study author Danielle Reed, PhD, a behavioral geneticist at Monell. "Just as people born with a poor sense of hearing may ...

Research shows how to reduce the cost of modern investment strategies

2015-07-17
New research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) shows how investors can significantly reduce the cost of implementing portfolio strategies - in some cases by more than 90 per cent. The study, published today in the journal Financial Review, shows that many modern investment strategies often lead to low returns or even lose money in practice, as they are prone to large trading costs. Such costs include bid-ask spreads, brokerage fees and capital gain taxes and can dramatically affect investment returns, turning an otherwise winning strategy into a losing one. Many ...

Carbon dioxide pools discovered in Aegean Sea

Carbon dioxide pools discovered in Aegean Sea
2015-07-16
The location of the second largest volcanic eruption in human history, the waters off Greece's Santorini are the site of newly discovered opalescent pools forming at 250 meters depth. The interconnected series of meandering, iridescent white pools contain high concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and may hold answers to questions related to deepsea carbon storage as well as provide a means of monitoring the volcano for future eruptions. "The volcanic eruption at Santorini in 1600 B.C. wiped out the Minoan civilization living along the Aegean Sea," said Woods Hole Oceanographic ...

Genetic markers linking risk for type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's identified

2015-07-16
Certain patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) may have specific genetic risk factors that put them at higher risk for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to a study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published recently in Molecular Aspects of Medicine. Under the leadership of Giulio Maria Pasinetti, MD, PhD, Saunders Family Chair and Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director of Biomedical Training in the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers at J.J. Peters Bronx VA Medical Center, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Osteoporosis treatment benefits people older than 80

Consuming more protein may protect patients taking anti-obesity drug from muscle loss

Thyroid treatment may improve gut health in people with hypothyroidism

Combination of obesity medication tirzepatide and menopause hormone therapy fuels weight loss

High blood sugar may have a negative impact on men’s sexual health

Emotional health of parents tied to well-being of children with growth hormone deficiency

Oxytocin may reduce mood changes in women with disrupted sleep

Mouse study finds tirzepatide slowed obesity-associated breast cancer growth

CMD-OPT model enables the discovery of a potent and selective RIPK2 inhibitor as preclinical candidate for the treatment of acute liver injury

Melatonin receptor 1a alleviates sleep fragmentation-aggravated testicular injury in T2DM by suppression of TAB1/TAK1 complex through FGFR1

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals Shen-Bai-Jie-Du decoction retards colorectal tumorigenesis by regulating the TMEM131–TNF signaling pathway-mediated differentiation of immunosuppressive dendritic ce

Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B Volume 15, Issue 7 Publishes

New research expands laser technology

Targeted radiation offers promise in patients with metastasized small cell lung cancer to the brain

A high clinically translatable strategy to anti-aging using hyaluronic acid and silk fibroin co-crosslinked hydrogels as dermal regenerative fillers

Mount Sinai researchers uncover differences in how males and females change their mind when reflecting on past mistakes

CTE and normal aging are difficult to distinguish, new study finds

Molecular arms race: How the genome defends itself against internal enemies

Tiny chip speeds up antibody mapping for faster vaccine design

KTU experts reveal why cultural heritage is important for community unity

More misfolded proteins than previously known may contribute to Alzheimer’s and dementia

“Too much going on”: Autistic adults overwhelmed by non-verbal social cues

What’s driving America’s deep freezes in a warming world?

A key role of brain protein in learning and memory is deciphered by scientists

Heart attacks don’t follow a Hollywood script

Erin M. Schuman wins 2026 Nakasone Award for discovery on neural synapse function and change during formation of memories

Global ocean analysis could replace costly in-situ sound speed profiles in seafloor positioning, study finds

Power in numbers: Small group professional coaching reduces rates of physician burnout by nearly 30%

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage: A comprehensive review of CCUS-EOR

New high-temperature stable dispersed particle gel for enhanced profile control in CCUS applications

[Press-News.org] New resource makes gene editing technology even more user-friendly