New neural network for more accurate DNA editing

Russian bioinformaticians have proposed a new neural network architecture capable of evaluating how well a guide RNA has been chosen for a gene editing experiment. Their approach will facilitate more efficient DNA modification with the popular CRISPR/Cas method and therefore will help develop new strategies for creating genetically modified organisms and find ways of treating grave hereditary disorders. The study, supported by a Russian Science Foundation grant, was published in the Nucleic Acids Research journal. Genomic editing, and the CRISPR/Cas method in particular, is widely used in various areas of experimental biology, as well as in agriculture and biotechnology. CRISPR/Cas is one of the many weapons bacteria use to combat viruses.