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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Huge virus’s mini-enzymes boost CRISPR’s powers

The viruses called Biggiephages harbour compact enzymes that can target a broad range of DNA sequences.
3D render of a purple enzyme using an orange guide RNA to split apart and cut the strands of a green DNA helix.

A CRISPR–Cas complex (purple and orange) edits a strand of DNA (green). An ultrasmall version of the Cas enzyme that cuts the DNA could make editing easier. Credit: Getty

Unusually small enzymes from extra-large viruses allow the CRISPR–Cas gene-editing system to slip into cells and target a broad range of genetic sequences — a finding that could help manipulate genomes more easily than before.

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Nature 583, 495 (2020)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-02135-5

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