CRISPR/Cas system and implications for novel measures against tuberculosis

Abstract:

Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remains a serious global infectious disease. The world health organization estimates that 1.5 million people died from the disease in 2019. The biology of Mtb can inform new measures against tuberculosis. To summarize the progress of CRISPR/Cas-associated genes (CRISPR/Cas) system in Mtb for better tuberculosis control tools development and biology study of Mtb. Current publications and progress in our lab were retrieved and compared. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, CRISPR/Cas system, well known bacterial adaptive immunity system widespread in Mycobacteria including M. tuberculosis, was developed as gene editing tool. We summarized the biology of the endogenous type III-A CRISPR-Cas systems in Mycobacteria, as well as CRISPR/Cas gene editing tool application in Mtb basic and applied studies, with focus on its potential for novel measures against tuberculosis. CRISPR/Cas is burgeoning focus in M. tuberculosis study and promising tool for better tuberculosis control.