Researchers identified new CRISPR genes, including Type VII, expanding possibilities for genetic engineering applications. In the article published in the well-appreciated Nature journal, the researchers report they used an algorithm called FLSHclust to analyze millions of genomes and discovered 188 previously unseen genes associated with CRISPR. Among these, they identified an entirely unknown CRISPR system that targets RNA. The use of FLSHclust represents a significant advance, allowing for the exploration of diverse CRISPR systems in nature. The study’s findings open up new possibilities for understanding the mechanisms of CRISPR systems and exploring their potential applications in genetic engineering, expanding the toolkit available for researchers in the field.
