Once Cas9 nucleases are guided to the target DNA and create a double strand break 3-4 bases upstream from the PAM sequences, there are two ways the double strand break (DSB) can be repaired. If there is no donor DNA present, resolution will occur by error-prone non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), resulting in an indel that effectively knocks out protein function. Alternatively, if donor DNA sequences are available, the DSB is repaired by homology directed repair (HDR) for precise knock-in of the target gene.
