Researchers discovered that cleaving the gene editor used in traditional CRISPR technology creates a more precise tool that can be turned on and off, with significantly less chance of causing unwanted genome mutations. Their new tool is thought to potentially correct about half of disease-causing mutations.

New method reduces off-target edits by over 70 percent

Hongzhi Zeng, lead author of the study, said in a statement: “Our team set out to create a much more advanced version that can be turned on and off as needed, providing an unprecedented level of security and accuracy. This tool has the potential to correct almost half of the disease-causing point mutations in our genome.” He stated:

Traditional CRISPR technology, which is a gene editing method, causes some unwanted off-target gene editing when used. Traditional CRISPR uses either an adenine base editor (ABE) or cytosine base editor (CBE) to create point mutations at desired sites. Researchers developed a new tool by splitting ABE into two separate proteins. Thus, the new split gene editing tools were found to have benefits in addition to remaining active for a shorter period of time than the original, intact ABE.

Regarding the research, which was successfully tested on mice, Zeng said, “Compared with an intact base editor, our version reduces off-target editing by over 70 percent and increases the accuracy of on-target editing.” said.