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.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.Essentially, we could create artificial chromosomes which express useful genes or have inverted repeats which deliver siRNA to silence other genes and viruses.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.