CRISPR-based genomic tools for the manipulation of genetically intractable microorganisms

Rebecca S Shapiro; Alejandro Chavez; James J Collins

doi:10.1038/s41579-018-0002-7

CRISPR-based genomic tools for the manipulation of genetically intractable microorganisms

Nat Rev Microbiol. 2018 Jun;16(6):333-339. doi: 10.1038/s41579-018-0002-7.

Authors

Rebecca S Shapiro^{1

2

3}, Alejandro Chavez⁴, James J Collins^{5

6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Engineering, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Synthetic Biology Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
² Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
³ Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
⁴ Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
⁵ Department of Biological Engineering, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Synthetic Biology Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. jimjc@mit.edu.
⁶ Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. jimjc@mit.edu.
⁷ Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA. jimjc@mit.edu.

PMID: 29599458
DOI: 10.1038/s41579-018-0002-7

Abstract

Genetic manipulation of microorganisms has been crucial in understanding their biology, yet for many microbial species, robust tools for comprehensive genetic analysis were lacking until the advent of CRISPR-Cas-based gene editing techniques. In this Progress article, we discuss advances in CRISPR-based techniques for the genetic analysis of genetically intractable microorganisms, with an emphasis on mycobacteria, fungi and parasites. We discuss how CRISPR-based analyses in these organisms have enabled the discovery of novel gene functions, the investigation of genetic interaction networks and the identification of virulence factors.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Bacteria / genetics*
CRISPR-Cas Systems*
DNA, Bacterial / genetics
Genetic Engineering
Genome, Bacterial*
Genomics / methods*

Substances

DNA, Bacterial