All people interested in science probably already heard about the editor of the genome of CRISPR. It has repeatedly used for making changes in the genetic code in a number of other similar experiments. However, as reported by Engadget, a group of scientists under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Duni found an unexpected application of known technology. They were able to use CRISPR as a tool for diagnosis.
Immediately it is worth noting that, as a rule, when talking about editing the genome, is the use of CRISPR-Cas9. Scientists in their work used the CRISPR technology-Cas12a, which is characterized in that the additional job cuts are close to the investigated area of single stranded DNA. This feature used to detect two types of a virus of papilloma of the person responsible for the development of certain cancers.
The new system is called DETECTR, and it works as follows: when CRISPR-Cas12a finds the changed site of viral DNA in the infected cell, it cuts the fragment of the nucleic acid with a fluorescent tag. The emitted luminescence can be fixed, and thus it is possible to see the presence of the virus in the cell. According to the authors of the technology, the accuracy of detecting infected RNA is 92-100%. In addition, another group of scientists led by Dr. Feng Zhang was able in this way to adapt the use of CRISPR (namely versions of the Cas13 and Csm6) to detect oncogenic mutations, viruses, zika and Dengue in the sample of blood.
Scientists find unusual use of the editor CRISPR genome
Vladimir Kuznetsov