gene editing

noun

variants: or genome editing

Definition of gene editing

: the use of biotechnological techniques to make changes to specific DNA sequences in the genome of a living organism Fundamental research into the ways by which bacteria defend themselves against viruses has recently led to the development of powerful new techniques that make it possible to perform gene editing—that is, precisely altering genetic sequences—in living cells, including those of humans, at much higher accuracy and efficiency than ever before possible.— David Baltimore et al. The era of straightforward genome editing raises ethical questions that will need to be addressed by scientists and society at large.— Jennifer A. Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier —often hyphenated when used before another noun a gene-editing technique called CRISPR

Examples of gene editing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web To conduct these trials, the team used the gene editing tool CRISPR and also found that maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) does not have influence on cancer growth. — Alex Zhavoronkov, Phd, Forbes, 2 June 2021 Even the European Union is rethinking its approach on gene editing. — Erik Stokstad, Science | AAAS, 26 May 2021 An Israeli startup, eggXYt Ltd., relies on gene editing to make male embryos emit a fluorescent shine when exposed to certain types of light. — Jon Emont, WSJ, 13 May 2021 With the advent of the gene editing technology Crispr, these are now also conceivable. — Elizabeth Kolbert, Wired, 13 Mar. 2021 In contrast, gene editing alters a species’ own genes without permanently adding any new genetic material. — Erik Stokstad, Science | AAAS, 26 May 2021 Editas Medicine of Cambridge, Mass., is testing Crispr gene editing in retinitis pigmentosa patients with a different gene mutation. — Amy Dockser Marcus, WSJ, 24 May 2021 How Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna helped launch the gene editing revolution. — The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2021 Certainly, developing safe CRISPR gene editing is no trivial matter. — Natalie De Souza, The New York Review of Books, 29 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gene editing.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.