"Serendipitous Discovery Triples CRISPR Efficiency"

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have developed a method to enhance the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing without using viral material for the delivery of the genetic template. The method employs interstrand crosslinks to stimulate homology-directed repair, increasing the efficiency threefold without raising mutation frequencies. These crosslinks were found to boost the cell’s natural repair mechanisms and improve the likelihood of successful gene editing. The discovery was a happy accident, and the method will find the most use in ex-vivo gene editing applications, such as disease research and preclinical work.