New gene editor harnesses jumping genes for precise DNA integration

Phys.org  June 12, 2019
Researchers at Columbia University have developed a technology called INTEGRATE, which harnesses bacterial jumping genes to reliably insert any DNA sequence into the genome without cutting DNA. Rather than introduce DNA breaks and rely on the cell to repair the break, as done in CRISPR, INTEGRATE directly inserts a user-defined DNA sequence at a precise location in the genome. The technique should enable a vast range of new gene editing opportunities in biotechnology, gene and cell therapies, engineered crops, and biologics. The INTEGRATE technology offers a fresh new approach with the same programmability and ease of use as CRISPR-Cas9, but without the adverse effects associated with DNA breaks…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE 

Proposed model for RNA-guided DNA integration using the INTEGRATE system Credit: Sam Sternberg/Columbia University Irving Medical Center