Tiny DNA circles are key drivers of cancer, study finds
The role of eccDNA in cancer is not a particularly new concept. However, studies like this are important to further elucidate cancer-promoting mechanisms.<p>Additionally, the use of artificial eccDNA holds a lot of promise for genetic enhancement in many forms of life from humans, to livestock, to plants.<p>Essentially, we could create artificial chromosomes which express useful genes or have inverted repeats which deliver siRNA to silence other genes and viruses.<p>Similar to plasmids, except would have much larger payloads and ideally a heritable mechanism, perhaps by tethering against native chromosomes via zinc fingers, viral-encoded protein, or AT-hook motifs.