"Nature" first published the genome editor Cpf1 protein structure

Release date: 2017-08-08

Researchers around the world are working to perfect this gene editing technology to make it more accurate and efficient. To achieve this, they are also concerned with other specific DNA-cleaving proteins, such as Cpf1, which can be directly localized to specific locations in the genome.

The research team at the University of Copenhagen's Novo Nordisk Foundation Protein Research Institute (NNF-CPR) successfully observed and described how the new genome editing system Cpf1 works. This protein belongs to the Cas family, which cleaves double-stranded DNA and initiates the genome modification process. The latest study was published in the journal Nature on July 5.

Guillermo Montoya is a researcher in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology and he is the head of the project. "For maximum precision in identifying target DNA sequences, it will allow us to modify and edit genome instructions more safely," explains Montoya.

In this latest article, the Montoya team used X-ray crystallography to explain the molecular mechanisms underlying Cpf1 control.

"X-ray diffraction is one of the main biophysical methods for elucidating the structure of biomolecules. The crystal structure of Cpf1 protein was observed at atomic resolution by X-rays. We have seen all its components. The main advantage of Cpf1 is its high specificity. Sexual and DNA-cleavage patterns, which create staggered ends, rather than blunt-ended breaks like Cas9, which facilitates the insertion of DNA sequences."

"This high-precision protein recognizes DNA sequences like GPS, and is powerful and easy to manipulate compared to other proteins," Montoya added.

These properties make it particularly suitable for hereditary diseases and cancer treatment.

The research team has collaborated with French biotechnology company Celletics on the use of a wide variety of nucleases (some of which can cleave engineered sites at specific sites in the genome) for leukemia treatment.

New technologies can also be used to modify drug synthesis and biofuel production microbes to produce human-derived metabolites, supplemented by Montoya.

Many companies are interested in this new technology, most of which comes from the field of microbial manipulation, but it is not yet disclosed due to confidentiality agreements.

Original title

Erratum: Structure of the Cpf1 endonuclease R-loop complex after target DNA cleavage

Source: Biopass