CRISPR-Cas systems for diagnosing infectious diseases

Infectious diseases pose a significant global health challenge, necessitating the development of rapid and sensitive diagnostic tools for effective patient management and disease control. However, current diagnostic methods are time-consuming, expensive, and require specialized laboratory settings and trained personnel, limiting their availability in resource-limited areas and for large-scale screenings during outbreaks. This review highlights the potential of CRISPR-based technologies as point-of-care nucleic acid detection methods and deployable diagnostic platforms to address these limitations and aid in identifying and containing outbreaks and epidemics.

The review provides an overview of different classes and types of CRISPR-Cas systems, including their mechanisms and functions, and discusses the pros and cons of using these systems for developing molecular diagnostic tests. Various Cas proteins, such as Cas3, Cas9, Cas12, Cas13, and Cas14, have been utilized to create highly accurate and sensitive diagnostic tools. These tools can be combined with signal amplification technologies and detection methods like fluorescence, potentiometry, colorimetry, and lateral flow assays.

Notably, advanced CRISPR-based platforms like SHERLOCK/v2, DETECTR, CARMEN, and CRISPR-Chip have demonstrated the ability to detect extremely low amounts of pathogenic nucleic acids with specificity comparable to PCR but with simpler technical requirements. The development of CRISPR-based diagnostic tools holds great promise in revolutionizing molecular diagnostics, making them more affordable and accessible worldwide.

Given the burden of socially significant diseases, frequent outbreaks, and recent epidemics like MERS, SARS, and COVID-19, as well as the emergence of zoonotic viruses, such as the African Swine Fever Virus, there is an urgent need for the development and distribution of rapid diagnostic tools. CRISPR-based technologies present an unprecedented opportunity to reshape epidemiological surveillance and molecular diagnostics, enabling faster and more accessible testing worldwide.

Kostyusheva, A., Brezgin, S., Babin, Y., Vasilyeva, I., Glebe, D., Kostyushev, D., & Chulanov, V. (2022). CRISPR-Cas systems for diagnosing infectious diseases. Methods (San Diego, Calif.), 203, 431–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymeth.2021.04.007