Cited by 50CRISPR and Genetic EngineeringRNA regulation and diseaseRNA Interference and Gene Delivery

The double life of CRISPR–Cas13

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Bot, Jorik F, van der Oost, John, Geijsen, Niels·2022·Current Opinion in Biotechnology

Abstract

Since the discovery of RNA-programmable nucleases from the prokaryotic adaptive immune system CRISPR-Cas, these proteins have seen rapid and widespread adoption for biotechnological and clinical research. A recently discovered system, CRISPR-Cas13, uses CRISPR RNA guides to target RNA. Interestingly, RNA targeting by Cas13 results in cleavage of both target RNA and bystander RNA. This feature has been used to develop innovative diagnostic tools for the detection of specific RNAs. Unlike in vitro detection of RNA using collateral RNA cleavage, however, initial studies of mammalian cells only revealed highly specific target RNA-knockdown activity. Although these findings have been confirmed subsequently, several recent publications do report Cas13-mediated toxicity and collateral RNA cleavage when using Cas13 in eukaryotes. Here, we review these conflicting observations and discuss its potential molecular basis.

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Bot, J. F., van der Oost, J., & Geijsen, N.
Affiliations
Leiden University Medical Center (NL)
Corresponding author
Geijsen, Niels
Venue
Current Opinion in Biotechnology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-12
Volume
78
Pages
102789
ISSN
0958-1669 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4295788291
Cited by
50
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 5
FWCI
1.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Current Opinion in Biotechnology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Novo Nordisk (NNF21CC0073729)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA regulation and disease
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
Keywords
CRISPR-Cas13, RNA knockdown, prokaryotic adaptive immunity
MeSH terms
Gene Editing, Animals, Mammals, RNA, CRISPR-Cas Systems

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