CRISPR-Cas RNA Targeting Using Transient Cas13a Expression in Nicotiana benthamiana

Application of the CRISPR-Cas prokaryotic immune system for single-stranded RNA targeting will have significant impacts on RNA analysis and engineering. The class 2 Type VI CRISPR-Cas13 system is an RNA-guided RNA-nuclease system capable of binding and cleaving target single-stranded RNA substrates in a sequence-specific manner. In addition to RNA interference, the Cas13a system has application from manipulating RNA modifications, to editing RNA sequence, to use as a nucleic acid detection tool. This protocol uses the Cas13a ortholog from Leptotrichia buccalis for transient expression in plant cells providing antiviral defense. We cover all the necessary information for cloning the Cas13 protein, crRNA guide cassette, performing transient Agrobacterium-mediated expression of the necessary Cas13a components and target RNA-virus, visualization of virus infection, and molecular quantification of viral accumulation using quantitative PCR.