Cutting Once Is Harder Than It Sounds: Your Guide to Minimizing Off-Target Effects

By Balázs Csoma, Hungarian Research Network CRISPR nucleases are remarkably precise molecular tools for cutting DNA. But “remarkably precise” does not mean “perfectly specific.” In reality, CRISPR nucleases occasionally make mistakes and cleave DNA sequences that only resemble the intended target. These unintended cuts cause the dreaded off-target effects that can wreck experiments and, in clinical settings , raise serious safety concerns.