A Hunt for the SARS-CoV-2 Virus: CRISPR's role in COVID

It has been two and a half years since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared (the Corona Virus Disease of 2019) COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. Millions of lives were lost. Numerous people, even though alive, are bearing the brunt of the infection directly or indirectly to date. In a fast-moving technological world where every setback has a solution, the helplessness the world faces with the COVID-19 infection is sickening. Vaccines have come bringing light to the currently suffering pandemic world, but still, the disease is prevalent in every corner of the world.

Scientists are working on potential techniques and technologies to prevent or treat this viral infection. One such is gene editing technology. They have also come up with successful outputs in dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The gene-editing tool, the CRISPR's flexibility, and sensibility have helped researchers from detection to treatment of COVID-19.

Rapid and accurate detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is necessary to control the spread and the outbreak. Researchers from various countries are achieving such detection with the help of CRISPR. CRISPR-based COVID-19 detection strategies are cost-effective, time efficient, and do not require posh instruments.

In a COVID-19 detection study, a highly-sensitive CRISPR/Cas12a-based electrochemical detection system known as CRISPR-SPCE is inexpensive and specific. It gives an ultrasensitive detection as low as 0.27copies/µL.
In another ongoing research, instead of nasopharyngeal swabs, saliva sampling, and some shelf-stable reagents, a CRISPR-based test for COVID-19 is being done at low cost.
A CRISPR-based technology known as mCARMEN helps in the rapid differentiation between Delta, Omicron, and other variants of COVID-19. The test was conducted in the Massachusetts Public Health department and helped the hospitals with specific treatment options for the patients depending on the variant.
Scientists from China have developed a CRISPR-based lateral flow assay that is highly sensitive and quickly detects the virus. The output showed 100% consistency with a 0.25copy/µL detection limit.
In another study, Thailand researchers analyzed how the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron variants could show a mismatch to the previously reported primers and crRNAs used in the CRISPR-Cas system. Above 40% of primer sets and 15% of crRNAs were found to be mismatched. This data helps in selecting the primers and crRNAs for COVID detection.
CRISPR-based antibody detection assay formulated by a team of Chinese scientists that detects antiviral antibodies was said to be 10,000 times more sensitive than the conventional immune assays.

CRISPR/Cas toolbox studied in the development of vaccines exhibits the betterment of the results against COVID-19 infection.

Laboratory of Genomics Research and UC Berkeley is developing a CRISPR-based DNA vaccine adjuvant for COVID-19. It helps to shorten the vaccine development time for the current and future viral menaces.
CRISPR-based recombineering led to the SARS-CoV-2 molecular clones in yeast. It addresses unclonable corona viral genomes possible to clone in bacterial plasmids. In the long run, it helps in developing attenuated viral vaccine prospects.

Detection and vaccine enhancers aside, CRISPR/Cas system plays a functional role in the treatment. Treatment and prevention areas with the help of CRISPR are in their initial stages. But it has great potential compared to other conventional therapies.

A team of researchers from Duke University has used CRISPR technology wherein a particular CRISPR/Cas13 mRNA inserted develops an uninhabitable environment for the virus in the lungs. It minimizes the lungs' viral load and calms the immune storm.
A Customized combination of immunotherapeutics and CRISPR/CAS systems is studied to stop the viral disease progression.