Overview
- The University of Florida team, whose Nature Biotechnology paper appeared Friday, reports a Cas12 platform called ΨDNA that uses DNA guides to home in on RNA.
- The design adds a short 3′ DNA handle and a stem loop that mimic the usual CRISPR scaffold, and cryo‑EM images show AsCas12a can flex to hold a DNA guide on an RNA target.
- In human cells, the system knocked down native RNA by 70% to 95% by stalling ribosomes and recruiting RNase H1, and it produced fewer off‑target hits than Cas13d.
- In clinical samples, the method detected hepatitis C virus RNA with 100% accuracy, suggesting a strong fit for simple, low‑cost diagnostic tests.
- Researchers are refining guide rules and testing multiplex control and ex vivo uses such as organ repair, with broader clinical use still awaiting animal data, delivery solutions, and regulatory review.