A highly faithful repair mechanism

Homologous recombination is a natural safety mechanism that conserves DNA integrity and protects chromosomes from DNA damage such as DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by UV damage, chemical agents, etc. This recombination mechanism is well preserved throughout evolution and across species, and is an essential factor in cell survival.

Homologous recombination has made a significant contribution to genome engineering, as it is the basis of gene targeting and remains the safest and cleanest way to modify a genome. Its most striking characteristic is to enable the replacement of one damaged DNA sequence by an homologous one with a high level of precision.