A TALE of Two Nucleases: Gene Targeting for the Masses?

• DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2011.9993
• Publication Date: 2011-09-19T20:17:11Z
• Authors: Karl J. Clark; Daniel F. Voytas; Stephen C. Ekker
• Keywords: Zinc finger nuclease; Nuclease; Genome Engineering

Genome editing appears poised to enter an exciting new era. Targeted double-stranded breaks due custom restriction enzymes are powerful nucleating events for the induction of local changes in genome. The zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) platform established potential this approach zebrafish, but access high quality reagents has been a major bottleneck field. However, two groups recently report successful somatic and germline gene modification using architecture, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs). TALEN construction is simpler, potentially more reliable, few cases examined, shows fewer off-target effects than corresponding ZFNs. TALENs promise bring targeting majority zebrafish laboratories.