Genome engineering involves directly modifying an organism's DNA to produce a desired outcome. The ability to precisely alter genomic DNA sequences has given rise to new gene editing technologies that can efficiently and specifically modify target genes in the genome. These advances now allow researchers and scientists to precisely alter DNA at the nucleotide level and modify entire genomes.

Some of the earliest Genome Engineering approaches relied on chemicals or radiation to randomly mutate DNA in an attempt to achieve desired genetic changes. Methods like chemical mutagenesis utilize toxic chemicals that would broadly damage DNA throughout the genome, often resulting in unpredictable and unspecific mutations. Similarly, radiation treatments exposed DNA to high-energy radiation like X-rays and gamma rays to induce a variety of mutations. While useful for creating genetic variability, these approaches lacked specificity and control over the exact location and type of mutations introduced.

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