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Prime editing
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<p>Prime editing is a 'search-and-replace' <a href="/facts/Genome_editing/NX2XDX4P">genome editing</a> technology in <a href="/facts/Molecular_biology/YgqU35ub">molecular biology</a> by which the genome of living organisms may be modified. The technology directly writes new genetic information into a targeted DNA site. It uses a <a href="/facts/Fusion_protein/LCzaDz15">fusion protein</a>, consisting of a catalytically impaired <a href="/facts/Cas9/gDhwlw7I">Cas9</a> <a href="/facts/Endonuclease/t9Y0d883">endonuclease</a> fused to an engineered <a href="/facts/Reverse_transcriptase/Vc1lGk8P">reverse transcriptase</a> enzyme, and a prime editing guide RNA (pegRNA), capable of identifying the target site and providing the new genetic information to replace the target DNA nucleotides. It mediates targeted <a href="/facts/Insertion_(genetics)/LC827MUs">insertions</a>, <a href="/facts/Deletion_(genetics)/6TRPY0ys">deletions</a>, and base-to-base conversions without the need for <a href="/facts/Double_strand_breaks/hsURuYYq">double strand breaks</a> (DSBs) or donor DNA templates. </p><p>The technology has received mainstream press attention due to its potential uses in medical genetics. It utilizes methodologies similar to precursor genome editing technologies, including <a href="/facts/CRISPR%2fCas9-mediated_genome_editing/VqRDofqC">CRISPR/Cas9</a> and <a href="/facts/Genome_editing/NX2XDX4P">base editors</a>. Prime editing has been used on some animal models of genetic disease and plants. </p>