CRISPR Diagnostic Applications: Disease Detection

TOPIC CLASSIFICATION

Subject: Science & Technology - Biotechnology - CRISPR-Based Diagnostics
Sub-topic: CRISPR-Cas Systems (Cas9, Cas12, Cas13, Cas14), CRISPR Diagnostics - SHERLOCK (Cas13), DETECTR (Cas12), STOP-COVID, Specific High-Sensitivity Enzymatic Reporter Unlocking, Nucleic Acid Detection, Point-of-Care Diagnostics, Infectious Disease Detection (COVID-19, Dengue, Zika, Tuberculosis, Malaria, HPV), Cancer Detection, Genetic Disorder Screening, India's Research (DBT, ICMR, CSIR-IGIB, IITs)
Mains GS Paper-III: Science & Technology - biotechnology - CRISPR diagnostics - impact on public health and disease surveillance; GS Paper-II: Health - disease detection and point-of-care diagnostics in rural India.

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EXAMINER REASONING

CRISPR diagnostics represent a revolutionary approach to disease detection - combining the programmability of CRISPR with isothermal amplification to create rapid, field-deployable diagnostic tools. Prelims tests: CRISPR-Cas9 vs Cas12 vs Cas13 (Cas9 - DNA cleavage for gene editing; Cas12 - DNA detection, collateral cleavage; Cas13 - RNA detection, collateral cleavage), SHERLOCK (Cas13) vs DETECTR (Cas12), PAM sequence, guide RNA, isothermal amplification (RPA, LAMP), lateral flow readout, attomolar sensitivity. Mains demands: (a) CRISPR diagnostic mechanism - CRISPR-Cas12 or Cas13 - guide RNA programmed to target specific pathogen DNA/RNA - upon target binding, Cas enzyme activates 'collateral cleavage' - cleaves reporter probes - generating a fluorescence or lateral flow signal,...