Method of the Year 2011: Gene-editing nucleases - by Nature Video

Gene-editing nucleases can make targeted and precise changes to an organism's genome. This has opened up new possibilities for the study of gene function, as well as the treatment of disease. While gene-editing nucleases have been in use since the mid-1990s, in the form of zinc finger nucleases, the more recent discovery of TALENs (transcriptor-like effector nucleases) has created new interest. In this video, Nature Methods technology editor Monya Baker explains how gene-editing nucleases work and why they were chosen as Nature Methods 'Method of the Year' for 2011.

More on the 2011 'Method of the Year' here: http://www.nature.com/nmeth/focus/moy2011/

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• talens
• gene-editing nuclease
• nature methods
• zinc finger
• molecular biology
• nature
• zinc finger nuclease
• gene editing nuclease
• Nature (journal)

[caneycrew]

There is also proximity- the nucleases won't cut unless they form a heterodimer (2 parts coming together to form an active enzyme). Therefore, it takes both "arms" of the TALEN binding specifically to generate the specific cut.

[VeritYandMusiC]

@ayounb thanks for the answer.

[ayounb]

@VeritYandMusiC the cuts are quite precise, endonucleases work almost exactly like restriction enzymes used to cut DNA at specic spots (for e.g.as used in praternity tests). The only trouble they have is how to get the proteins to remain attached to specific DNA sites. other than that the cuts itself are precise

[VeritYandMusiC]

Are the two parts that cut each strand connected or are they separate? How precise is the cut? Can it be engineerd to cut only in one place?

[javitothescientist]

i think he means sequence

[miphsch]

@IQ20000Berta I do not entirely understand what you mean by structure, but I don't thnink there is a special reason. After all it should be an illustrative video.