New CRISPR editing tool could fix almost all harmful DNA mutations

Scientists have given new hopes for treating people with genetic disorders by inventing a powerful new molecular tool that, in principle, can fix the vast majority of mutations that cause human genetic diseases.

The new gene-editing technique, which is called “prime editing” and is more precise than CRISPR-Cas9, can mend about 89% of the 75,000 or so harmful mutations known to mangle the human genome and lead to conditions such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and a nerve-destroying illness called Tay-Sachs disease. This landmark technique introduces a new era of gene-editing, but scientists caution that more research is needed before it can be safely used in humans.

Source: TheGuardian