New scissors for cutting chromosomes
Restriction enzymes have been the workhorses of genetic engineering for nearly 20 years now. These enzymes which cut DNA at very specific sites, have made possible the astounding progress in gene cloning and sequencing. But indispensable as they are, these scissors have their limitations. Even the best among them, the rare cutters, chop big chunks of DNA into too many pieces for easy handling. The problem is becoming particular acute now that researchers are gearing up to map and sequence the very large genomes of humans and other complex organisms. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have come up with a simple solution to this long-standing problem in genetic engineering. They have created a new type of scissors that will cut a huge piece of DNA exactly where they want and no place else. Their technique promises to become a new tool for dissecting large genomes.
- OSTI ID:
- 6414531
- Journal Information:
- Science (Washington, D.C.); (USA), Vol. 249:4965; ISSN 0036-8075
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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