SPbPU Develops CRISPR-Cas Diagnostic Platform for Rapid Pathogen Detection
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University has developed a diagnostic platform that leverages CRISPR-Cas technology to detect a broad spectrum of infectious diseases quickly and reliably. This advancement was shared with socialbites.ca under the Priority-2030 program managed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.
CRISPR-Cas represents a natural defense mechanism used by bacteria to fend off viral invaders. Over time, bacteria have preserved fragments of viral DNA in their genomes as part of their adaptive immune strategies. Today, CRISPR-Cas tools are widely used in gene therapy to correct damaged genes. The SPbPU research team chose to repurpose this system to create tests that identify pathogens present in the human body.
The diagnostic platform relies on fluorescent probes, organic compounds that emit a visible signal when the Cas12 protein recognizes a specific piece of a virus’s genetic material in a given sample. When a virus invades a cell, it pairs its DNA with other viral DNA stored within the cell. If the cell detects a familiar virus, the Cas protein acts to cut the matching DNA, thwarting the infection.
The method is adaptable for detecting a wide range of viruses and bacteria, including influenza, measles, smallpox, chickenpox, typhoid fever, hepatitis, diphtheria, SARS-CoV-2, and other pathogens.
Programming the system takes some time, but once set up, it can identify a pathogen in 10 to 20 minutes. Scientists note that this is longer than rapid tests but far faster and more accurate than PCR-based methods. Crucially, the process does not require specialized equipment or highly trained personnel. A simple sample is added to a reagent mix, and infection is detected within a standard test tube.
Experts emphasize that many current pathway diagnostic techniques demand specialized instruments and can yield results after a relatively long wait. There is also a risk of false positives or false negatives with some tests. The reported false-negative rate varies depending on the method and conditions but can be substantial in certain scenarios. The CRISPR-Cas approach is argued to offer greater precision, potentially increasing the reliability of diagnostic outcomes and reducing uncertainty in result interpretation. This perspective is shared by Natalia Morozova, project manager and researcher at the Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, in discussions about the technology. [cite: Socialbites.ca]