Antiviral research and detecting viral nucleic acids based on the CRISPR-Cas technology

Abstract

Viruses constructed from nucleic acids, either deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA), are encased in a protein covering and require a living cell to reproduce. Symptoms of viral infections can range from asymptomatic to severe illness, and their impact has become increasingly apparent in recent years. For instance, globally, the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic alone has resulted in millions of infections and millions of fatalities. Consequently, the development of effective tools for antiviral resistance is an urgent need. Early detection of viral infections can be achieved through nucleic acid detection, while gene editing techniques offer a promising solution for treating and counteracting the harmful effects of viruses, thereby minimizing economic and property loss. The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and associated (CRISPR-associated, Cas) protein system (CRISPR-Cas) is an emerging gene editing tool that has demonstrated remarkable accuracy and efficiency with its rapidly expanding applications. This review delves into the principles and applications of Cas12a, Cas13, and other systems in nucleic acid detection, highlighting the significant contributions of Cas9, Cas12a, Cas13, and other systems in establishing resistance against DNA and/or RNA viral infections, and outlines the strengths and limitations of the CRISPR-Cas system in current applications. Precautions and suggestions for the systems safe application are also presented, with an optimistic outlook for its prospects.