Manipulation of genes could inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection that causes COVID-19 pandemics

Abstract

The year 2020 witnessed an unpredictable pandemic situation due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreaks. This condition can be more severe if the patient has comorbidities. Failure of viable treatment for such viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is due to lack of identification. Thus, modern and productive biotechnology-based tools are being used to manipulate target genes by introducing the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas (CRISPR-associated) system. Moreover, it has now been used as a tool to inhibit viral replication. Hence, it can be hypothesized that the CRISPR/Cas system can be a viable tool to target both the SARS-CoV-2 genome with specific target RNA sequence and host factors to destroy the SARS-CoV-2 community via inhibition of viral replication and infection. Moreover, comorbidities and COVID-19 escalate the rate of mortality globally, and as a result, we have faced this pandemic. CRISPR/Cas-mediated genetic manipulation to knockdown viral sequences may be a preventive strategy against such pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, prophylactic antiviral CRISPR in human cells (PAC-MAN) along with CRISPR/Cas13d efficiently degrades the specific RNA sequence to inhibit viral replication. Therefore, we suggest that CRISPR/Cas system with PAC-MAN could be a useful tool to fight against such a global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. This is an alternative preventive approach of management against the pandemic to destroy the target sequence of RNA in SARS-CoV-2 by viral inhibition.

CRISPR/CasRx Proof-of-Concept for RNA Degradation: A Future Tool against RNA Viruses?

“…Among the various known CRISPR-Cas type VI systems that recognise single-stranded RNA strands, in this study we have evaluated a recently described CRISPR class VI-D system (CRISPR/Cas13d) called CRISPR/CasRx [8], which could have future applications in the design of antiviral tools against human RNA viruses such as influenza [16]. This system uses the CasRx endonuclease, which has been proven to be the most effective endonuclease for RNA editing so far [8][9][10][11][12]16,22]. Some studies have achieved efficiencies of more than 90% in the destruction of RNA with the CasRx endonuclease [8].…”

Immunotherapy and CRISPR Cas Systems: Potential Cure of COVID-19?

“… 180 Furthermore, it has been suggested as a hypothesis that CRISPR in human cells (PAC-MAN) along with CRISPR/Cas13d could break down the specific RNA sequence to inhibit viral replication as a prophylactic strategy. 181 …”

Antibacterial and antiviral high-performance nanosystems to mitigate new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

“…CRISPR-based systems have also been highlighted as an alternative for SARS-CoV-2 inhibition. Viral degradation and inhibition were brought about using Cas13d RNA endonucleases and targeted RNA synthesis using guide RNA [ 36 ]. The siRNA and CRISPR might not directly involve nanoparticles for viral restriction, but they have been identified as nanomachinery working towards virulence address.…”