However, the use of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing allowed the researchers to develop a model for the safe and targeted generation of double-strand breaks, or DSBs, in eukaryotes, and the subsequent assessment of DSB repair pathway choice, entirely in space.
Until now, it's been challenging to study this problem directly in space. In a paper published on Wednesday in PLOS One, the researchers noted that astronauts who are exposed to ionizing radiation are at risk for DNA damage, and that previous studies have shown that conditions in space can often affect the body's choice of repair pathway: non-homologous end joining, or NHEJ, during which insertions or deletions may be added at the break site, versus homologous recombination, or HR, in which the DNA sequence often remains unchanged. The choice of repair pathway can compound the risks of increased radiation exposure during space travel, increasing an astronaut's risk of developing cancer or other health problems, they added. NEW YORK – Researchers at JES Tech, NASA, MiniPCR Bio, MIT, and Boeing Defense, alongside high school students participating in the Genes in Space program have developed a CRISPR-Cas9 assay to be used entirely in space for the study of eukaryotic DNA repair. Advances in Clinical Genomics Profiling.
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