Bose Institute team engineers GlowCas9, a glowing CRISPR-Cas9 that lights up during live-cell gene editing

Key facts

• GlowCas9 is a bioluminescent version of Cas9 created by fusing Cas9 with a split nano-luciferase enzyme derived from deep-sea shrimp proteins.
• The glowing signal is produced when the split luciferase pieces reassemble upon correct Cas9 folding, allowing real-time tracking without harming cells.
• GlowCas9 is very stable and maintains its structure and activity at higher temperatures compared to the conventional enzyme.
• GlowCas9 increases the precision of homology-directed repair (HDR), a DNA repair process crucial for fixing hereditary mutations linked to diseases like sickle cell anaemia and muscular dystrophy.
• As a demonstration, the researchers programmed GlowCas9 to insert the DNA sequence corresponding to “ACHARYA” into the genome, honouring Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose, founder of the Bose Institute.