Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41131151›Full record

ArticleNature biotechnology2025

Discovery and engineering of retrons for precise genome editing.

Jesse D Buffington, Hung-Che Kuo, Kuang Hu, You-Chiun Chang, Kamyab Javanmardi, Brittney Voigt, Yi-Ru Li, Mary E Little, Sravan K Devanathan, Blerta Xhemalçe and 2 more

Abstract read
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Article in Nature biotechnology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Structure and mechanism of antiphage retron Eco2.Nature structural & molecular biology · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Jesse D Buffington *Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Hung-Che Kuo *Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Kuang Hu *Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
You-Chiun Chang *Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Kamyab JavanmardiDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Brittney VoigtDepartments of Nutrition and Pediatrics, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1255-0141
Yi-Ru LiDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-3173-125X
Mary E LittleDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Sravan K DevanathanDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Blerta XhemalçeDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0517-9607
Ryan S GrayDepartments of Nutrition and Pediatrics, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Ilya J FinkelsteinDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. ilya@finkelsteinlab.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9371-2431

Funding

Towards a Mechanistic Undestanding of Adolscent Idiopathic ScoliosisR01AR072009 · NIAMS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI Ryan Scott Gray · 2017 to 2026
$3.9M
NIAMS NIH HHS R01 AR072009Welch Foundation F-1808
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Retrons can produce multicopy single-stranded DNA in cells through self-primed reverse transcription. However, their potential for inserting genetic cargos in eukaryotes remains largely unexplored. Here we report the discovery and engineering of highly efficient retron-based gene editors for mammalian cells and vertebrates. Through bioinformatic analysis of metagenomic data and functional screening, we identify retron reverse transcriptases that are highly active in mammalian cells. Rational design further improves the editing efficiency to levels comparable with conventional single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide donors but from a genetically encoded cassette. Retron editors exhibit robust activity with Cas12a nuclease and Cas9 nickase, expanding the genomic target scope and bypassing the need for a DNA double-stranded break. Using a rationally engineered retron editor, we incorporate a split GFP epitope tag for live-cell imaging. Lastly, we develop an all-RNA delivery strategy to enable DNA-free gene editing in cells and vertebrate embryos. This work establishes retron editors as a versatile and efficient tool for precise gene editing.

Identifiers

PMID41131151

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.