Chinese Researchers Achieve Megabase-Scale Genome Editing

Led by Prof. Gao Caixia from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, experts have developed two new genome editing technologies, collectively known as Programmable Chromosome Engineering (PCE) systems, that enable precise and large-scale DNA manipulations on a scale ranging from kilobases to megabases in both plants and animals. The findings of the study are published in Cell.

Scientists have made major improvements to the widely used Cre-Lox system. However, its application is hindered by limitations concerning unwanted DNA changes, activity optimization, and residual Lox sites. To address these, the researchers developed new Lox site variants that prevent reversible recombination activity, used AiCE (AI-informed Constraints for protein Engineering) to enhance Cre's multimerization interface, and developed Re-pegRNA to ensure seamless modifications.

These breakthroughs led to the creation of two programmable platforms, PCE and RePCE, which flexible programming of insertion positions and orientations for different Lox sites in both plant and animal cells. The team used this method to develop herbicide resistant rice by precisely editing a 315-kb segment of DNA. This new method will allow scientists to insert, delete, or rearrange large sections of DNA with precision, advancing genetic engineering in agriculture.

For more information, read the article from the Chinese Academy of Sciences website.