ESM-IF1 tagged posts

AI‑designed gene‑editing enzymes expand the CRISPR toolbox

AI model designs RNA-guided nucleases that surpass natural nuclease abilities, expanding CRISPR toolbox
RNA-guided nuclease TnpB design strategy with an ESM Inverse Folding (ESM-IF1) model. Credit: Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aed6123

Scientists have made many advances using traditional CRISPR technology, especially in medicine, but they are now seeking ways to create genuinely new gene-editing enzymes with properties that have not already evolved naturally. A new study, published in Science, describes a new AI-designed synthetic TnpB enzyme, called SynTnpBs, that has outperformed the natural reference enzyme.

Creating new gene editors
CRISPR tools use a programmable guide RNA to direct an enzyme to a specific target in the genome to edit (cut, insert or correct) DNA. The TnpB enzyme is a compact ancestor of certain CRISPR enzymes, called CRISPR-Cas12 enzymes...

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