Compact Cas9d Enzyme is a Promising Genome-Editing Tool

A team of researchers led by Professor WANG Yanli from the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has identified a promising new tool for genome editing called Type II-D Cas9 (NsCas9d). Cas9 is the hallmark protein of Type II CRISPR-Cas systems, with Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) the most widely used.

SpCas9 is the most common and effective gene-editing tool, but it is too large for easy delivery into cells. NsCas9d, derived from the Nitrospirae bacterium, is much smaller and could solve this problem.

The study found that NsCas9d is highly effective at cleaving DNA and is comparable to SpCas9 in its activity. It also creates a "sticky-end" feature after cutting the DNA, which can improve the efficiency of gene editing operations like insertions. This discovery not only enhances the understanding of the Cas9 protein but also provides a compact and efficient alternative for future gene editing applications.

For details, read the news article in CAS Newsroom.