As the editor of the genome of CRISPR in bacteria

The famous editor of the genome of the CRISPR-Cas9 is already quite well established as a medical tool to treat diseases. And we repeatedly reported about them on the pages of our portal, so follow us on Telegram, so that nothing is missed. However, the range of applications of this wonderful invention can be much wider. For example, recently a group of scientists from Canada have developed a new method of delivery tool for editing the DNA directly in a microorganism. This will allow you to effectively target specific strains of bacteria (including antibiotic-resistant superbugs), which previously could not be achieved.

Editor genome never ceases to amaze

As the editor of the genome capable of killing microbes

Scientists from the University of Western Ontario has developed a new delivery method called CRISPR, which will help to deliberately destroy bacteria. In the future, it can be considered as an alternative to traditional antibiotics, which in recent years are losing their effectiveness due to the rapid adaptability of bacteria.

The delivery of any therapeutic agent, including CRISPR, is very complicated. — says one of the authors Professor Bogumil Karas. One of the main reasons I love this work is that the results now have a wide range of possible applications in the real world. In addition to the possibility of developing antimicrobial agents of the next generation, which would be effective even for bacteria that are resistant to all known antibiotics, this technology can also be used to help “good” bacteria to produce compounds for the treatment of diseases.

But how is this possible? According to the editors of the journal Nature Communications, it’s pretty simple. Unless, of course, edit the DNA can be considered a simple task. However, the principle of exposure to the bacteria based on how the editor of the genome. CRISPR at “cutting” of DNA determines where you want to manipulate due to the so-called “palindromic repeats”. It, if not to go into details, certain sections of DNA that begin with a certain nucleotides (structural units of DNA) and ends with another. And when programmed into the CRISPR palindromic repeat is recognized by the editor, then editing happens.

The use of CRISPR for killing bacteria is not a new idea, because that’s what NASA in fact have to do is to change the structure of DNA. As well as bacteria — single-celled organisms with a single DNA, changes inevitably leads to death. The problem has always been how to deliver CRISPR in bacteria.

The process of transferring the editor genome from one bacteria to another

Delivery system CRISPR uses the natural ability of bacteria to replicate, called bacterial conjugation. This unidirectional transfer of part of genetic material by direct contact between two bacterial cells. Thus, the editor of the genome is initially placed into a bacterial cell of the human microbiome (for example, in microflora of the intestine). Since CRISPR is initially “tuned” to particular bacteria, it does not cause micropolar any harm. At the same time, when an enemy appears in the body, it begins to interact with other bacteria and by transferring the DNA receives and CRISPR, which recognizes the “target” and destroys it at the gene level.

See also: using the genome editor managed to achieve immunity to poison

The opening makes it possible, according to scientists, it is much better to cope with bacteria resistant to antibiotics. For example, Staphylococcus aureus (Staph A) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in recent years began to form resistant to antibiotic therapy strains called superbugs. And they have a new way to operate especially effectively.


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