Advancing CRISPR-Based Solutions for COVID-19 Diagnosis and Therapeutics
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of diagnostic approaches, including RT-qPCR, RAPID, and LFA, have been adopted, with RT-qPCR emerging as the gold standard. However, a significant challenge in COVID-19 diagnostics is the wide range of symptoms presented by patients, necessitating...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| author | Roaa Hadi Abhishek Poddar Shivakumar Sonnaila Venkata Suryanarayana Murthy Bhavaraju Shilpi Agrawal |
| author_facet | Roaa Hadi Abhishek Poddar Shivakumar Sonnaila Venkata Suryanarayana Murthy Bhavaraju Shilpi Agrawal |
| author_sort | Roaa Hadi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of diagnostic approaches, including RT-qPCR, RAPID, and LFA, have been adopted, with RT-qPCR emerging as the gold standard. However, a significant challenge in COVID-19 diagnostics is the wide range of symptoms presented by patients, necessitating early and accurate diagnosis for effective management. Although RT-qPCR is a precise molecular technique, it is not immune to false-negative results. In contrast, CRISPR-based detection methods for SARS-CoV-2 offer several advantages: they are cost-effective, time-efficient, highly sensitive, and specific, and they do not require sophisticated instruments. These methods also show promise for scalability, enabling diagnostic tests. CRISPR technology can be customized to target any genomic region of interest, making it a versatile tool with applications beyond diagnostics, including therapeutic development. The CRISPR/Cas systems provide precise gene targeting with immense potential for creating next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics. One of the key advantages of CRISPR/Cas-based therapeutics is the ability to perform multiplexing, where different sgRNAs or crRNAs can target multiple sites within the same gene, reducing the likelihood of viral escape mutants. Among the various CRISPR systems, CRISPR/Cas13 and CARVER (Cas13-assisted restriction of viral expression and readout) are particularly promising. These systems can target a broad range of single-stranded RNA viruses, making them suitable for the diagnosis and treatment of various viral diseases, including SARS-CoV-2. However, the efficacy and safety of CRISPR-based therapeutics must be thoroughly evaluated in pre-clinical and clinical settings. While CRISPR biotechnologies have not yet been fully harnessed to control the current COVID-19 pandemic, there is an optimism that the limitations of the CRISPR/Cas system can be overcome soon. This review discusses how CRISPR-based strategies can revolutionize disease diagnosis and therapeutic development, better preparing us for future viral threats. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-76dce656d48b4c79ab937c61aebea342 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj-art-76dce656d48b4c79ab937c61aebea3422025-08-20T02:49:49ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092024-10-011321179410.3390/cells13211794Advancing CRISPR-Based Solutions for COVID-19 Diagnosis and TherapeuticsRoaa Hadi0Abhishek Poddar1Shivakumar Sonnaila2Venkata Suryanarayana Murthy Bhavaraju3Shilpi Agrawal4Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USADepartment of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USADepartment of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USASince the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of diagnostic approaches, including RT-qPCR, RAPID, and LFA, have been adopted, with RT-qPCR emerging as the gold standard. However, a significant challenge in COVID-19 diagnostics is the wide range of symptoms presented by patients, necessitating early and accurate diagnosis for effective management. Although RT-qPCR is a precise molecular technique, it is not immune to false-negative results. In contrast, CRISPR-based detection methods for SARS-CoV-2 offer several advantages: they are cost-effective, time-efficient, highly sensitive, and specific, and they do not require sophisticated instruments. These methods also show promise for scalability, enabling diagnostic tests. CRISPR technology can be customized to target any genomic region of interest, making it a versatile tool with applications beyond diagnostics, including therapeutic development. The CRISPR/Cas systems provide precise gene targeting with immense potential for creating next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics. One of the key advantages of CRISPR/Cas-based therapeutics is the ability to perform multiplexing, where different sgRNAs or crRNAs can target multiple sites within the same gene, reducing the likelihood of viral escape mutants. Among the various CRISPR systems, CRISPR/Cas13 and CARVER (Cas13-assisted restriction of viral expression and readout) are particularly promising. These systems can target a broad range of single-stranded RNA viruses, making them suitable for the diagnosis and treatment of various viral diseases, including SARS-CoV-2. However, the efficacy and safety of CRISPR-based therapeutics must be thoroughly evaluated in pre-clinical and clinical settings. While CRISPR biotechnologies have not yet been fully harnessed to control the current COVID-19 pandemic, there is an optimism that the limitations of the CRISPR/Cas system can be overcome soon. This review discusses how CRISPR-based strategies can revolutionize disease diagnosis and therapeutic development, better preparing us for future viral threats.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/21/1794SARS-CoV-2COVID-19CRISPR/CasCRISPR-DxCRISPR-TxGene targeting |
| spellingShingle | Roaa Hadi Abhishek Poddar Shivakumar Sonnaila Venkata Suryanarayana Murthy Bhavaraju Shilpi Agrawal Advancing CRISPR-Based Solutions for COVID-19 Diagnosis and Therapeutics Cells SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 CRISPR/Cas CRISPR-Dx CRISPR-Tx Gene targeting |
| title | Advancing CRISPR-Based Solutions for COVID-19 Diagnosis and Therapeutics |
| title_full | Advancing CRISPR-Based Solutions for COVID-19 Diagnosis and Therapeutics |
| title_fullStr | Advancing CRISPR-Based Solutions for COVID-19 Diagnosis and Therapeutics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Advancing CRISPR-Based Solutions for COVID-19 Diagnosis and Therapeutics |
| title_short | Advancing CRISPR-Based Solutions for COVID-19 Diagnosis and Therapeutics |
| title_sort | advancing crispr based solutions for covid 19 diagnosis and therapeutics |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 CRISPR/Cas CRISPR-Dx CRISPR-Tx Gene targeting |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/21/1794 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT roaahadi advancingcrisprbasedsolutionsforcovid19diagnosisandtherapeutics AT abhishekpoddar advancingcrisprbasedsolutionsforcovid19diagnosisandtherapeutics AT shivakumarsonnaila advancingcrisprbasedsolutionsforcovid19diagnosisandtherapeutics AT venkatasuryanarayanamurthybhavaraju advancingcrisprbasedsolutionsforcovid19diagnosisandtherapeutics AT shilpiagrawal advancingcrisprbasedsolutionsforcovid19diagnosisandtherapeutics |