Genome editing

Genome editing, or genome engineering, or gene editing, is a type of genetic engineering in which DNA is inserted, deleted, modified or replaced in the genome of a living organism. Unlike early genetic engineering techniques that randomly insert genetic material into a host genome, genome editing targets the insertions to site-specific locations. The basic mechanism involved in genetic manipulations through programmable nucleases is the recognition of target genomic loci and binding of effector DNA-binding domain (DBD), double-strand breaks (DSBs) in target DNA by the restriction endonucleases (FokI and Cas), and the repair of DSBs through homology-directed recombination (HDR) or non-homologous end joining (NHEJ).

The development of CRISPR gene editing in 2015 improved the efficiency, specificity, and practicality of large-scale genome editing.

Since 2015, genome editing has been experimentally investigated on non-viable human embryos. In 2019, the first humans were born from genome-edited embryos using the CRISPR technique, as a result of the controversial He Jiankui affair.

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