CRISPR-Assisted Probiotic and In Situ Engineering of Gut Microbiota: A Prospect to Modification of Metabolic...

The gut microbiota, a substantial group of microorganisms residing in the human body, profoundly impacts various physiological and pathological mechanisms. Recent studies have elucidated the association between gut dysbiosis and multiple organ diseases. Gut microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining gastrointestinal stability, regulating the immune system and metabolic processes not only within the gastrointestinal tract but also in other organs such as the brain, lungs, and skin. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota can disrupt biological functioning and contribute to the development of metabolic disorders. The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) modules are adaptive immune systems in numerous archaea and bacteria. CRISPR/Cas is a versatile gene-editing tool that enables modification of the genome in live cells, including those within the gut microbiota. This technique has revolutionized gene editing due to its simplicity and effectiveness. It finds extensive applications in diverse scientific arenas, facilitating the functional screening of genomes during various biological processes. Additionally, CRISPR has been instrumental in creating model organisms and cell lines for research purposes and holds great potential for developing personalized medical treatments through precise genetic alterations. This review aims to explore and discuss the possibilities of CRISPR/Cas and the current trends in using this technique for editing gut microbiota genes in various metabolic disorders. By uncovering the valuable potential of CRISPR/Cas in modifying metabolic disorders through the human gut microbiota, we shed light on its promising applications.