Simplified Prime Editing

The basic description of Prime Editing is rewriting DNA. Prime Editing is known as the “search and replace technique” because it was created to identify, remove, and replace mutated genes. Simply put, the “bad” DNA strands are cut out of the DNA and replaced with an edited strand to complete it. Technically put, there are a few components needed to be able to pull off Prime Editing.

Beginning with pegRNA ( prime editing guide RNA), it identifies the target DNA and encodes the new information wanted to replace the target DNA. After this the Cas9 enzyme cuts the target DNA section allowing an opening for the new DNA. Then comes reverse transcription, a.k.a reverse transcriptase enzyme, which generates new DNA from the RNA sequence. Once all of this is complete the cellular endonuclease seals the newly edited DNA into the position where the original DNA used to be. However since RNA only edited one strand the other side of the DNA strand is still the original. So, again the Cas9 enzyme cuts out the unedited strand and replaces it with a copy of the newly edited strand, therefore completing the edit.

Prime Editing is important because it can repair mutated DNA strands, thus curing some genetic diseases. The precision of Prime Editing allows for minute details to be corrected efficiently. Even though Prime Editing is not perfect it still may be able to provide a solution to some genetic issues.

CRISPR and Prime editing do the same things, however prime editing does it more efficiently. Scientists found that when using CRISPR unintentional errors were happening frequently. The reason for these errors is because when CRISPR edits a DNA strand it takes a complete chunk out of a DNA sequence. So when the cell tried to repair itself, it often ended in incorrect insertions, deletions or even harmful mutations. While using Prime Editing scientists have run into far fewer issues than those. Prime Editing only removes one side of a DNA sequence to edit a mutated gene. This method poses less problems when the cell looks to repair itself.

The future holds a lot for Prime Editing as it can become an essential tool in the medical field. It offers a precise way to edit genetic diseases out of someone’s DNA. Effectively preventing issues from happening in the future