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New Delhi, Mar 17 – A revolutionary diagnostic technology utilizing CRISPR has been developed, offering ultra-sensitive detection of multi-drug-resistant bacteria and other pathogens, even at extremely low concentrations. This advancement, detailed in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), promises to transform rapid diagnostics and infection control.
Led by Professor Rashid Bashir from the University of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering, the research team introduced a novel CRISPR-Cascade system that eliminates the need for nucleic acid amplification, a significant bottleneck in traditional diagnostic methods.
Conventional CRISPR/Cas-based diagnostics rely on guide RNA to bind to pathogen-specific DNA or RNA, activating Cas enzymes that cleave reporter nucleic acids, resulting in fluorescence. However, these methods often struggle to detect pathogens present in low concentrations without prior amplification.
To address this challenge, Professor Bashir and his team developed a dual CRISPR-Cascade system that dramatically enhances detection sensitivity. The system employs two sequential CRISPR/Cas units. The first unit identifies and cleaves pathogen DNA, which in turn activates a secondary CRISPR/Cas complex. This triggers a positive feedback loop, amplifying the detection signal without requiring additional processing steps.
This innovative approach demonstrated remarkable detection capabilities, successfully identifying multi-drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) DNA at concentrations far below the detection limits of existing single-Cas tests, and crucially, without the need for pre-amplification.
The test provides a simple “yes/no” result, effectively detecting specific pathogens in samples containing multiple bloodstream infections. This streamlined approach simplifies the diagnostic process, making it potentially suitable for point-of-care applications.
The researchers believe this advancement could pave the way for next-generation CRISPR-based diagnostic tools that offer real-time pathogen detection within minutes. This could be a game-changer for early disease diagnosis and effective infection control, particularly in combating the spread of drug-resistant bacteria.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is based on the research findings published in PNAS and should not be interpreted as medical advice. Further research and clinical trials are necessary to validate the efficacy and safety of this technology for widespread use. Individual medical conditions should always be addressed by qualified healthcare professionals. This news article is for informational purposes only and does not endorse any specific products or treatments.
