The CRISPR gene editing technology has been popularly used together with
Cas9, a protein that works like a snipping tool. Another protein, the CPf1,
is now showing greater promise in editing human cells because of its smaller
size and simplicity.

Scientists from the Univerity of Texas reported in Science Advances that
CRISPR-Cpf1 can be used to correct mutations associated with Duchenne
muscular dystrophy, a disease that leads to muscular degeneration. They used
the CRISPR-Cpf1 in human heart muscle cells and successfully prevented the
progress of the disease. In mice with such disease, the genetic tool
successfully reversed an inflammatory symptom.

The researchers stressed that CRISPR-Cpf1 could be a powerful tool in
finding a cure for human diseases linked to various mutations.



[advances.sciencemag.org]