scholarly journals CRISPR-Cas Technology: Emerging Applications in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 1171
Author(s):  
Sahar Serajian ◽  
Ehsan Ahmadpour ◽  
Sonia M. Rodrigues Oliveira ◽  
Maria de Lourdes Pereira ◽  
Siamak Heidarzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Clinical Microbiology ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
Zinc Finger Nucleases ◽  
Homing Endonucleases ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Novel Technologies ◽  
Resistant Strains ◽  
Drug Resistant Strains

Through the years, many promising tools for gene editing have been developed including zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), and homing endonucleases (HEs). These novel technologies are now leading new scientific advancements and practical applications at an inimitable speed. While most work has been performed in eukaryotes, CRISPR systems also enable tools to understand and engineer bacteria. The increase in the number of multi-drug resistant strains highlights a necessity for more innovative approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of infections. CRISPR has given scientists a glimmer of hope in this area that can provide a novel tool to fight against antimicrobial resistance. This system can provide useful information about the functions of genes and aid us to find potential targets for antimicrobials. This paper discusses the emerging use of CRISPR-Cas systems in the fields of clinical microbiology and infectious diseases with a particular emphasis on future prospects.

scholarly journals Exploiting DNA Endonucleases to Advance Mechanisms of DNA Repair

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 530
Author(s):  
Marlo K. Thompson ◽  
Robert W. Sobol ◽  
Aishwarya Prakash
Keyword(s):  
Dna Repair ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Genome Stability ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
Adaptive Immune System ◽  
Zinc Finger Nucleases ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Target Sequence ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Low Cytotoxicity

The earliest methods of genome editing, such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFN) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), utilize customizable DNA-binding motifs to target the genome at specific loci. While these approaches provided sequence-specific gene-editing capacity, the laborious process of designing and synthesizing recombinant nucleases to recognize a specific target sequence, combined with limited target choices and poor editing efficiency, ultimately minimized the broad utility of these systems. The discovery of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat sequences (CRISPR) in Escherichia coli dates to 1987, yet it was another 20 years before CRISPR and the CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins were identified as part of the microbial adaptive immune system, by targeting phage DNA, to fight bacteriophage reinfection. By 2013, CRISPR/Cas9 systems had been engineered to allow gene editing in mammalian cells. The ease of design, low cytotoxicity, and increased efficiency have made CRISPR/Cas9 and its related systems the designer nucleases of choice for many. In this review, we discuss the various CRISPR systems and their broad utility in genome manipulation. We will explore how CRISPR-controlled modifications have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms of genome stability, using the modulation of DNA repair genes as examples.

scholarly journals What is the mechanism for persistent coexistence of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae ?

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (47) ◽  
pp. 905-919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Colijn ◽  
Ted Cohen ◽  
Christophe Fraser ◽  
William Hanage ◽  
Edward Goldstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Streptococcus Pneumoniae ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Multiple Infection ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
Resistant Strains ◽  
Neutral Models ◽  
Drug Resistant Strains ◽  
And Control

The rise of antimicrobial resistance in many pathogens presents a major challenge to the treatment and control of infectious diseases. Furthermore, the observation that drug-resistant strains have risen to substantial prevalence but have not replaced drug-susceptible strains despite continuing (and even growing) selective pressure by antimicrobial use presents an important problem for those who study the dynamics of infectious diseases. While simple competition models predict the exclusion of one strain in favour of whichever is ‘fitter’, or has a higher reproduction number, we argue that in the case of Streptococcus pneumoniae there has been persistent coexistence of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains, with neither approaching 100 per cent prevalence. We have previously proposed that models seeking to understand the origins of coexistence should not incorporate implicit mechanisms that build in stable coexistence ‘for free’. Here, we construct a series of such ‘structurally neutral’ models that incorporate various features of bacterial spread and host heterogeneity that have been proposed as mechanisms that may promote coexistence. We ask to what extent coexistence is a typical outcome in each. We find that while coexistence is possible in each of the models we consider, it is relatively rare, with two exceptions: (i) allowing simultaneous dual transmission of sensitive and resistant strains lets coexistence become a typical outcome, as does (ii) modelling each strain as competing more strongly with itself than with the other strain, i.e. self-immunity greater than cross-immunity. We conclude that while treatment and contact heterogeneity can promote coexistence to some extent, the in-host interactions between strains, particularly the interplay between coinfection, multiple infection and immunity, play a crucial role in the long-term population dynamics of pathogens with drug resistance.

Gene editing as a promising approach for respiratory diseases

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yichun Bai ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
Zhenlei Su ◽  
Yana Ma ◽  
Chonghua Ren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
Gene Mutations ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Zinc Finger Nucleases ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Chronic Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Difficulty Breathing

Respiratory diseases, which are leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the world, are dysfunctions of the nasopharynx, the trachea, the bronchus, the lung and the pleural cavity. Symptoms of chronic respiratory diseases, such as cough, sneezing and difficulty breathing, may seriously affect the productivity, sleep quality and physical and mental well-being of patients, and patients with acute respiratory diseases may have difficulty breathing, anoxia and even life-threatening respiratory failure. Respiratory diseases are generally heterogeneous, with multifaceted causes including smoking, ageing, air pollution, infection and gene mutations. Clinically, a single pulmonary disease can exhibit more than one phenotype or coexist with multiple organ disorders. To correct abnormal function or repair injured respiratory tissues, one of the most promising techniques is to correct mutated genes by gene editing, as some gene mutations have been clearly demonstrated to be associated with genetic or heterogeneous respiratory diseases. Zinc finger nucleases (ZFN), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) and clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) systems are three innovative gene editing technologies developed recently. In this short review, we have summarised the structure and operating principles of the ZFNs, TALENs and CRISPR/Cas9 systems and their preclinical and clinical applications in respiratory diseases.

scholarly journals The Role of Gene Editing in Neurodegenerative Diseases

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 364-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hueng-Chuen Fan ◽  
Ching-Shiang Chi ◽  
Yih-Jing Lee ◽  
Jeng-Dau Tsai ◽  
Shinn-Zong Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Zinc Finger Nucleases ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Pathological Feature ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Parkinson’S Diseases ◽  
The Impact

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), at least including Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s diseases, have become the most dreaded maladies because there are no precise diagnostic tools or definite treatments for these debilitating diseases. The increased prevalence and a substantial impact on the social–economic and medical care of NDs propel governments to develop policies to counteract the impact. Although the etiologies of NDs are still unknown, growing evidence suggests that genetic, cellular, and circuit alternations may cause the generation of abnormal misfolded proteins, which uncontrolledly accumulate to damage and eventually overwhelm the protein-disposal mechanisms of these neurons, leading to a common pathological feature of NDs. If the functions and the connectivity can be restored, alterations and accumulated damages may improve. The gene-editing tools including zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats–associated nucleases (CRISPR/CAS) have emerged as a novel tool not only for generating specific ND animal models for interrogating the mechanisms and screening potential drugs against NDs but also for the editing sequence-specific genes to help patients with NDs to regain function and connectivity. This review introduces the clinical manifestations of three distinct NDs and the applications of the gene-editing technology on these debilitating diseases.

scholarly journals Genome editing for blood disorders: state of the art and recent advances

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Romito ◽  
Rajeev Rai ◽  
Adrian J. Thrasher ◽  
Alessia Cavazza
Keyword(s):  
Gene Editing ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Zinc Finger Nucleases ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Blood Disorders ◽  
Flexible Tool ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Made In

Abstract In recent years, tremendous advances have been made in the use of gene editing to precisely engineer the genome. This technology relies on the activity of a wide range of nuclease platforms — such as zinc-finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and the CRISPR–Cas system — that can cleave and repair specific DNA regions, providing a unique and flexible tool to study gene function and correct disease-causing mutations. Preclinical studies using gene editing to tackle genetic and infectious diseases have highlighted the therapeutic potential of this technology. This review summarizes the progresses made towards the development of gene editing tools for the treatment of haematological disorders and the hurdles that need to be overcome to achieve clinical success.

Genome Editing Toolbox

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. SCI-11-SCI-11
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Scharenberg
Keyword(s):  
Genome Engineering ◽  
Gene Knockout ◽  
Zinc Finger Nucleases ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Homing Endonucleases ◽  
Gene Repair ◽  
Dna Breaks ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Core Technology

Abstract Nucleases capable of making targeted breaks in genomic DNA are a core technology required for genome engineering, an emerging field of technology for making precise alterations in cellular genomes. Over the past ten years, four major platforms have emerged for generation of nucleases able to make targeted DNA breaks with a high degree of efficiency and specificity: homing endonucleases, zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like (TAL) effector nucleases, and RNA-guided nucleases. This talk will cover the biochemistry and platform-specific attributes of each type of nuclease, along with evolution/improvements in nucleases and related technologies and aspects of the practical implementation of nuclease technology for gene knockout and gene repair in primary hematopoietic cells. Disclosures Scharenberg: Pregenen Inc.: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Cellectis therapeutics: Consultancy.

Homing endonucleases: DNA scissors on a mission

Genome ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 55 (8) ◽  
pp. 553-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Hafez ◽  
Georg Hausner
Keyword(s):  
Zinc Finger Nucleases ◽  
Homing Endonucleases ◽  
Gene Repair ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Group I ◽  
Gene Knockouts ◽  
Or Gene ◽  
Triplex Forming Oligonucleotide ◽  
Self Splicing ◽  
Specific Sequences

Buried within the genomes of many microorganisms are genetic elements that encode rare-cutting homing endonucleases that assist in the mobility of the elements that encode them, such as the self-splicing group I and II introns and in some cases inteins. There are several different families of homing endonucleases and their ability to initiate and target specific sequences for lateral transfers makes them attractive reagents for gene targeting. Homing endonucleases have been applied in promoting DNA modification or genome editing such as gene repair or “gene knockouts”. This review examines the categories of homing endonucleases that have been described so far and their possible applications to biotechnology. Strategies to engineer homing endonucleases to alter target site specificities will also be addressed. Alternatives to homing endonucleases such as zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, triplex forming oligonucleotide nucleases, and targetrons are also briefly discussed.

scholarly journals Advances in Genome Editing With CRISPR Systems and Transformation Technologies for Plant DNA Manipulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satya Swathi Nadakuduti ◽  
Felix Enciso-Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Zinc Finger Nucleases ◽  
Target Range ◽  
Homing Endonucleases ◽  
Plant Gene ◽  
Wide Range

The year 2020 marks a decade since the first gene-edited plants were generated using homing endonucleases and zinc finger nucleases. The advent of CRISPR/Cas9 for gene-editing in 2012 was a major science breakthrough that revolutionized both basic and applied research in various organisms including plants and consequently honored with “The Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2020.” CRISPR technology is a rapidly evolving field and multiple CRISPR-Cas derived reagents collectively offer a wide range of applications for gene-editing and beyond. While most of these technological advances are successfully adopted in plants to advance functional genomics research and development of innovative crops, others await optimization. One of the biggest bottlenecks in plant gene-editing has been the delivery of gene-editing reagents, since genetic transformation methods are only established in a limited number of species. Recently, alternative methods of delivering CRISPR reagents to plants are being explored. This review mainly focuses on the most recent advances in plant gene-editing including (1) the current Cas effectors and Cas variants with a wide target range, reduced size and increased specificity along with tissue specific genome editing tool kit (2) cytosine, adenine, and glycosylase base editors that can precisely install all possible transition and transversion mutations in target sites (3) prime editing that can directly copy the desired edit into target DNA by search and replace method and (4) CRISPR delivery mechanisms for plant gene-editing that bypass tissue culture and regeneration procedures including de novo meristem induction, delivery using viral vectors and prospects of nanotechnology-based approaches.

scholarly journals Update of Regulatory Options of New Breeding Techniques and Biosafety Approaches among Selected Countries: A Review

2020 ◽  
pp. 18-35
Author(s):  
Silas Obukosia ◽  
Olalekan Akinbo ◽  
Woldeyesus Sinebo ◽  
Moussa Savadogo ◽  
Samuel Timpo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Zinc Finger Nucleases ◽  
Intermediate Step ◽  
Homing Endonucleases ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Associated Proteins ◽  
Genomic Editing ◽  
New Breeding Techniques ◽  
Breeding Techniques

A new set of breeding techniques, referred to as New Breeding Techniques developed in the last two decades have potential for enhancing improved productivity in crop and animal breeding globally. These include site directed nucleases based genomic editing procedures-CRISPR and Cas associated proteins, Zinc Finger Nucleases, Meganucleases/Homing Endonucleases and Transcription- Activator Like-Effector Nucleases for genome editing and other technologies including- Oligonucleotide-Directed Mutagenesis, Cisgenesis and intragenesis, RNA-Dependent DNA methylation; Transgrafting, Agroinfiltration, Reverse breeding. There are ongoing global debates on whether the processes of and products emerging from these technologies should be regulated as genetically modified organisms or approved as conventional products. Decisions on whether to regulate as GMOs are based both on understanding of the molecular basis of their development and if the GMO intermediate step was used. For example- cisgenesis, can be developed using Agrobacterium tumefaciens methods of transformation, a process used by GMO but if the selection is properly conducted the intermediate GMO elements will be eliminated and the final product will be identical to the conventionally developed crops. Others like Site Directed Nuclease 3 are regulated as GMOs in countries such as United State of America, Canada, European Union, Argentina, Australia. Progress in genome editing research, testing of genome edited bacterial blight resistant rice, development of Guidelines for regulating new breeding techniques or genome editing in Africa is also covered with special reference to South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. Science- and evidence-based approach to regulation of new breeding techniques among regulators and policy makers should be strongly supported.

scholarly journals Genome Editing Technologies as Cellular Defense Against Viral Pathogens

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingzi Zhang ◽  
Mo Li
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Zinc Finger Nucleases ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Chronic Infections ◽  
Emerging Viruses ◽  
Novel Therapy ◽  
Viral Pathogens

Viral infectious diseases are significant threats to the welfare of world populations. Besides the widespread acute viral infections (e.g., dengue fever) and chronic infections [e.g., those by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV)], emerging viruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), pose great challenges to the world. Genome editing technologies, including clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins, zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), have played essential roles in the study of new treatment for viral infectious diseases in cell lines, animal models, and clinical trials. Genome editing tools have been used to eliminate latent infections and provide resistance to new infections. Increasing evidence has shown that genome editing-based antiviral strategy is simple to design and can be quickly adapted to combat infections by a wide spectrum of viral pathogens, including the emerging coronaviruses. Here we review the development and applications of genome editing technologies for preventing or eliminating infections caused by HIV, HBV, HPV, HSV, and SARS-CoV-2, and discuss how the latest advances could enlighten further development of genome editing into a novel therapy for viral infectious diseases.

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