Science
A quick squeeze helps CRISPR turn skin cells into neurons more efficiently
Source: Phys.org · Published
Human cells hold about two meters (6.6 feet) of DNA, folded and compacted to fit inside a nucleus. That packing is essential for life, but it creates a problem for scientists. Some of the genes that control a cell's identity are buried so deep in tightly packed DNA that gene-targeting tools such as CRISPR activation, or CRISPRa, struggle to reach them.
Key points
- Human cells hold about two meters (6.6 feet) of DNA, folded and compacted to fit inside a nucleus.
- That packing is essential for life, but it creates a problem for scientists.
- Some of the genes that control a cell's identity are buried so deep in tightly packed DNA that gene-targeting tools such as CRISPR activation, or CRISPRa, struggle to reach them.
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