Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 14, 2025
14:49
Application of CRISPR Interference CRISPRi for Gene Silencing in Pathogenic Species of Leptospira
Published on: August 14, 2021
5.2K
Precise virulence inactivation using a CRISPR-associated transposase for combating Enterobacteriaceae gut pathogens
Carlotta Ronda1,2, Tyler Perdue1,3, Logan Schwanz1,4
1Department of System Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Nature Biomedical Engineering
|July 18, 2025
Summary
This study introduces BACTRINS, a novel microbiome engineering platform for precise gene editing. It efficiently inactivates harmful gut pathogens and integrates therapeutic payloads, transforming infections into protective commensal relationships.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Synthetic Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Microbiome editing is crucial for targeted therapeutic interventions.
- Existing methods lack precision and efficiency in complex microbial communities.
- Developing in situ engineering platforms is essential for microbiome therapeutics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce BACTRINS, an in situ microbiome engineering platform.
- To achieve efficient and precise genomic insertion and gene knockout.
- To develop a novel live bacterial therapeutic for gut infections.
Main Methods:
- Utilized conjugation-mediated delivery of CRISPR-associated transposases for RNA-guided genomic integration.
- Engineered a system for simultaneous payload insertion and target gene knockout.
- Applied the system to an Enterobacteriaceae Shiga toxin-producing pathogen in a murine model.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated high-efficiency Shiga gene inactivation.
- Successfully integrated a nanobody therapeutic payload to disrupt pathogen attachment.
- Showed improved survival rates in a murine infection model after a single dose.
Conclusions:
- BACTRINS enables precise microbiome engineering with therapeutic payloads.
- The platform can transform toxigenic pathogens into commensal protectors.
- This establishes a new class of live bacterial therapeutics for reducing gut infections.
Related Concept Videos
02:53CRISPR and crRNAs
17.4K
Bacteria and archaea are susceptible to viral infections just like eukaryotes; therefore, they have developed a unique adaptive immune system to protect themselves. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) are present in more than 45% of known bacteria and 90% of known archaea.
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
17.4K
01:28CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing
258
The CRISPR-Cas system serves as a bacterial defense mechanism against invading genetic elements such as viruses and plasmids, forming the foundation for its adaptation as a powerful genome-editing tool. Originally discovered in prokaryotes, this system has been repurposed to revolutionize genetic engineering across a wide range of organisms, including plants, animals, and humans. The core component, Cas9, is an endonuclease derived from Streptococcus pyogenes, capable of introducing...
258
01:59CRISPR
53.0K
Genome editing technologies allow scientists to modify an organism’s DNA via the addition, removal, or rearrangement of genetic material at specific genomic locations. These types of techniques could potentially be used to cure genetic disorders such as hemophilia and sickle cell anemia. One popular and widely used DNA-editing research tool that could lead to safe and effective cures for genetic disorders is the CRISPR-Cas9 system. CRISPR-Cas9 stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced...
53.0K
01:23The Antiviral System of Bacteria and Archaea: CRISPR
129
CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats is a adaptive immune system found in bacteria and archaea that protects against viral infections. This system enables prokaryotic cells to identify, remember, and neutralize foreign genetic elements, primarily bacteriophages, by storing fragments of the invader’s DNA as a genetic memory.The CRISPR immune response begins during an initial infection. Cas (CRISPR-associated) proteins play a central role in this...
129
02:53Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation
6.1K
Because the DNA segments are cut and reorganized in a direction-specific manner, site-specific recombination has emerged as an efficient genetic engineering technique. Flippase and Cyclization recombinases or Flp and Cre, respectively, are two members of the tyrosine recombinase family derived from bacteriophages, that are used to mediate site-specific DNA insertions, deletions, and targeted expression of proteins in mammalian cell lines.
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
6.1K