New CRISPR-Powered Device Detects Genetic Mutations in Minutes

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To demonstrate CRISPR-Chip’s sensitivity, the team used the device to detect two common genetic mutations in blood samples from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients.

Conboy, co-author of the paper, says CRISPR-Chip could be an especially useful device for DMD screening, as the severe muscle-wasting disease can be caused by mutations throughout the massive dystrophin gene — one of the longest in the human genome — and spotting mutations can be costly and time-consuming using PCR-based genetic testing.

“As a practice right now, boys who have DMD are typically not screened until we know that something is wrong, and then they undergo a genetic confirmation,” said Conboy, who is also working on CRISPR-based treatments for DMD.

“With a digital device, you could design guide RNAs throughout the whole dystrophin gene, and then you could just screen the entire sequence of the gene in a matter of hours. You could screen parents, or even newborns, for the presence or absence of dystrophin mutations — and then, if the mutation is found, therapy could be started early, before the disease has actually developed,” Conboy said.

Rapid genetic testing could also be used to help doctors develop individualized treatment plans for their patients, Murthy said. For example, genetic variations make some people unresponsive to expensive blood thinners, like Plavix.

“If you have certain mutations or certain DNA sequences, that will very accurately predict how you will respond to certain drugs,” Murthy said.

Finally, because the CRISPR-Chip can be used to monitor whether CRISPR binds to specific DNA sequences, it could also be used to test the effectiveness of CRISPR-based gene-editing techniques. For example, it could be used to verify that guide RNA sequences are designed correctly, Aran said.

“Combining modern nanoelectronics with modern biology opens a new door to get access to new biological information that was not accessible before,” Aran said.

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