Engineered enzyme could improve detection of HIV and other viruses
Researchers at Rice University have engineered a more sensitive version of the Cas13a enzyme to improve the detection of RNA viruses like HIV. This advancement aims to create diagnostic assays capable of identifying extremely low concentrations of viral RNA in blood or environmental samples.
Why it matters
Improved diagnostic sensitivity for RNA viruses could lead to earlier detection and better clinical outcomes for patients with HIV and other viral infections.
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Add to Preferred Sources Seye Oladeji, graduate student and first author, holds up an example of a detection assay. Credit: Rice University/Jared Jones Scientists have long used a powerful gene-editing tool called CRISPR to make precise changes to DNA. But a different version of the technology, known as Cas13a, targets RNA, the genetic material found in viruses such as HIV. Now, researchers at Rice University have developed an improved version of Cas13a that could make it easier to detect HIV and other RNA viruses in blood and environmental samples. The study was published in Cell Chemical Biology .
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