Noncanonical crRNAs derived from host transcripts enable multiplexable RNA detection by Cas9

Cellular RNAs guide CRISPR-Cas9 The Cas9 nuclease widely used for genome editing is derived from natural bacterial defense systems that protect against invading viruses. Cas9 is directed by RNA guides to cut matching viral DNA. Jiao et al. discovered that RNA guides can also originate from cellular RNAs unassociated with viral defense (see the Perspective by Abudayyeh and Gootenberg). They rendered this process programmable, linking the presence of virtually any RNA to cutting of matching DNA by Cas9. This capability is the basis of a new CRISPR diagnostic method developed by the authors that can detect many biomarkers at once. Named LEOPARD, this method can detect, for example, RNAs from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and other viruses, thereby translating a new CRISPR discovery into a powerful diagnostic tool. Science , abe7106, this issue p. 941 ; see also abi9335, p. 914