CRISPR/Cas in Viral Research 2024

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Immunology, Vaccines, and Antivirals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 1789

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Medical Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
Interests: gene targeting; CRISPR-Cas; host genes; virus; antiviral strategy; hiv; crispr; SARS-CoV-2; HIV; Cas9; Cas12a; transient; RNP; HIV-host interaction; lentiviral vectors; TRIM5α; human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1); C-peptide; miRNA

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A decade ago, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) were discovered and used for gene editing in mammalian cells. This revolutionary system has since found various applications in understanding, combating, and even engineering viruses. After that, many iterative gene targeting tools that reformed based on CRISPR/Cas have been widely developed, including base editor, prime editing, SHERLOCK, DETECTR, PAC-MAN, ABACAS, pfAGO, IscB proteins, OMEGA, and Fanzor et al. However, only a few of them have been used in viral research. In fact, these gene targeting tools would have played pivotal roles in several viral areas, such as viral genome editing, antiviral defense, viral pathogenesis, vaccine development, viral detection/diagnostics, viral evolution, and viral resistance. Overall, CRISPR/Cas has the potential to transform viral research by enabling precise genetic modifications, offering new insights into viral pathogenesis, and enhancing our ability to combat viral threats. As technology advances, CRISPR/Cas is expected to remain a key player in antiviral research, promising progress in the fight against infectious diseases. This Special Issue seeks to gather comprehensive research findings on CRISPR/Cas and related technologies in viral studies, encompassing all virus species. We welcome original research studies, methodologies, bioinformatics, and reviews related to the use of CRISPR/Cas in viral research.

Dr. Shuliang Chen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • CRISPR/Cas
  • gene targeting and antiviral defense
  • viral genome editing
  • viral detection and diagnostic
  • viral pathogenesis
  • vaccine development and antiviral drug discovery
  • viral evolution

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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12 pages, 5227 KiB  
Article
On-Site and Visual Detection of the H5 Subtype Avian Influenza Virus Based on RT-RPA and CRISPR/Cas12a
by Xu Zhou, Siwen Wang, Yue Ma, Yongping Jiang, Yanbing Li, Jianzhong Shi, Guohua Deng, Guobin Tian, Huihui Kong and Xiurong Wang
Viruses 2024, 16(5), 753; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16050753 - 10 May 2024
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Abstract
Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) of the H5 subtype rank among the most serious pathogens, leading to significant economic losses in the global poultry industry and posing risks to human health. Therefore, rapid and accurate virus detection is crucial for the prevention and control [...] Read more.
Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) of the H5 subtype rank among the most serious pathogens, leading to significant economic losses in the global poultry industry and posing risks to human health. Therefore, rapid and accurate virus detection is crucial for the prevention and control of H5 AIVs. In this study, we established a novel detection method for H5 viruses by utilizing the precision of CRISPR/Cas12a and the efficiency of RT-RPA technologies. This assay facilitates the direct visualization of detection results through blue light and lateral flow strips, accurately identifying H5 viruses with high specificity and without cross-reactivity against other AIV subtypes, NDV, IBV, and IBDV. With detection thresholds of 1.9 copies/μL (blue light) and 1.9 × 103 copies/μL (lateral flow strips), our method not only competes with but also slightly surpasses RT-qPCR, demonstrating an 80.70% positive detection rate across 81 clinical samples. The RT-RPA/CRISPR-based detection method is characterized by high sensitivity, specificity, and independence from specialized equipment. The immediate field applicability of the RT-RPA/CRISPR approach underscores its importance as an effective tool for the early detection and management of outbreaks caused by the H5 subtype of AIVs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CRISPR/Cas in Viral Research 2024)
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9 pages, 1226 KiB  
Brief Report
PfAgo-Based Zika Virus Detection
by Yuhao Chen, Xianyi Zhang, Xuan Yang, Lifang Su, Weiran Chen, Jixiang Zhao, Yunhong Hu, Yuan Wang, Ying Wu and Yanming Dong
Viruses 2024, 16(4), 539; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16040539 - 30 Mar 2024
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Abstract
As a mosquito-borne flavivirus, Zika virus (ZIKV) has been identified as a global health threat. The virus has been linked to severe congenital disabilities, including microcephaly and other congenital malformations, resulting in fatal intrauterine death. Therefore, developing sensitive and specific methods for the [...] Read more.
As a mosquito-borne flavivirus, Zika virus (ZIKV) has been identified as a global health threat. The virus has been linked to severe congenital disabilities, including microcephaly and other congenital malformations, resulting in fatal intrauterine death. Therefore, developing sensitive and specific methods for the early detection and accurate diagnosis of the ZIKV is essential for controlling its spread and mitigating its impact on public health. Herein, we set up a novel nucleic acid detection system based on Pyrococcus furiosus Argonaute (PfAgo)-mediated nucleic acid detection, targeting the non-structural protein 5 (NS5) region of the ZIKV genome (abbreviated ZIKV-PAND). Without preamplification with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the minimum detection concentration (MDC) of ZIKV-PAND was about 10 nM. When introducing an amplification step, the MDC can be dramatically decreased to the aM level (8.3 aM), which is comparable to qRT-PCR assay (1.6 aM). In addition, the diagnostic findings from the analysis of simulated clinical samples or Zika virus samples using ZIKV-PAND show a complete agreement of 100% with qRT-PCR assays. This correlation can aid in the implementation of molecular testing for clinical diagnoses and the investigation of ZIKV infection on an epidemiological scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CRISPR/Cas in Viral Research 2024)
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