Open Access

REVIEW

Advances in CRISPR-based gene editing technology and its application in nucleic acid detection

LIUJIE CHEN^1,#, LILI DUAN^1,2,#, JIA LI^1,2, JUN CHEN^1,2, DUANFANG LIAO³, NONGYUE HE⁴, KAI LI^1,3, ZHENG HU^1,2,*

1 Translational Medicine Institute, the First People’s Hospital of Chenzhou, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Chenzhou, 423000, China
2 The First Clinical College of Xiangnan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiangnan University, Chenzhou, 423000, China
3 National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, China
4 State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China

* Corresponding Author: ZHENG HU. Email:
# These authors contributed equally to this work

BIOCELL 2025, 49(1), 21-43. https://doi.org/10.32604/biocell.2024.056698

Received 28 July 2024; Accepted 27 September 2024; Issue published 24 January 2025

Abstract

Nucleic acid analysis is a key technique that enables accurate detection of various microorganisms. Conventional nucleic acid testing typically requires access to specialized laboratories, equipment, and trained personnel, which hinders the widespread use of on-site testing for DNA and RNA targets. However, integrating gene editing technology with traditional nucleic acid detection methods, especially isothermal amplification technology, can help overcome the limitations associated with on-site testing. This combination can accomplish precise and swift detection of nucleic acid sequences, offering a robust tool for on-site detection. The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR/Cas) technology, which comprises the CRISPR system and Cas effector proteins, is a powerful tool that is advancing the field of nucleic acid detection. Specifically, Cas12, Cas13, and Cas14 proteins have emerged as straightforward, effective, precise, sensitive, and cost-effective methods for in vitro nucleic acid detection because of their “collateral cleavage” characteristics. When combined with the “collateral cleavage” ability of Cas protein and isothermal amplification, CRISPR/Cas systems have great potential to advance nucleic acid detection. This article summarizes the research progress of different CRISPR/Cas systems and their applications in nucleic acid detection and future perspectives.

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Keywords

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