Researchers found a minuscule enzyme that could help advance gene-editing therapy.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the discovery of an enhanced gene-editing system, which can deliver targeted gene therapy, a method found by one of their funded research teams. A naturally occurring enzyme, Al3Cas12f, was found to be small enough to fit into adeno-associated virus vectors, which are utilized for gene therapy. This discovery is a significant step, as old CRISPR technology used proteins that were too large for targeted delivery systems, which meant the application had to be done through blood and bone marrow.
“Smart delivery of gene editing systems is a powerful notion with broad clinical implications, and this basic science finding takes us a significant step toward that future,” said Acting Director Erica Brown of NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).
Al3Cas12f was found by researchers to be more stable than enzymes of a similar size, meaning heightened security when interacting with human cells.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For NIH-funded researchers as they work with enzymes to create stronger, stable variants and find all uses for curing diseases.
- For Acting Director Brown and NIH officials as they support scientific teams committed to finding advances in medicine.
Sources: National Institutes of Health,
