Rice University engineers CRISPR enzyme for enhanced RNA virus detection

Researchers at Rice University have engineered a modified Cas13a CRISPR enzyme that demonstrates a hundredfold increase in sensitivity for detecting RNA. The study, published in Cell Chemical Biology, addresses a long-standing challenge in diagnostics: creating an enzyme that is both highly sensitive to small amounts of RNA and stable enough to withstand harsh conditions, such as high temperatures.

By using cryo-electron microscopy to analyze the enzyme's three-dimensional structure, the team identified specific regions for modification. This engineering approach allowed them to boost performance without sacrificing the stability inherent in the original enzyme, which was derived from the bacterium Thermoclostridium caenicola.

The enhanced enzyme is capable of targeting RNA strands from various viruses, including HIV, SARS-CoV-2, influenza, Ebola, Zika, hepatitis C, and respiratory syncytial virus. The researchers successfully used the engineered protein to identify synthetic, noninfectious HIV samples, suggesting the technology could be integrated into commercial diagnostic tools like lateral flow tests and RT-qPCR.