Patent Pending
Molecular self-assembly with scaffolded DNA origami offers a route for folding nucleic acid molecules in user-defined ways, to generate DNA nanostructures. DNA nanostructures have a single-stranded DNA that is folded into distinct shapes via oligonucleotides termed “staples.” Engineered nuclease systems can be used to cleave a target DNA at a specified location. Examples of engineered nuclease systems include TALENs, zinc finger nucleases, mega-nucleases, and CRISPR-Cas systems. Introduction of a break in a nucleic acid (e.g. genome) can facilitate the introduction of a donor nucleic acid.
UC Berkeley researchers have discovered compositions comprising a gene-editing polypeptide, a single-stranded donor DNA, and one or more staple oligonucleotides which can be used for gene editing.