The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has starkly exposed our significantly limited ability to promptly identify and respond to emergent biological threats. Consequently, there is an urgent need to advance biotechnological methods for addressing both known and unforeseen biological hazards. Recently, the CRISPR/Cas system has revolutionized genetic engineering, enabling precise and efficient synthetic biology applications. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental principles underlying the CRISPR/Cas system and assess the advantages and limitations of various CRISPR/Cas-based techniques applicable to the detection of, defense against, and treatment of viral infections. These techniques include viral diagnostics, the development of antiviral vaccines, B cell engineering for antibody production, viral activation/interference, and epigenetic modifications. Furthermore, this review delves into the challenges and bioethical considerations associated with use of the CRISPR/Cas system. With the continuous evolution of technology, the CRISPR/Cas system holds considerable promise for addressing both existing and unforeseen biological threats.Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering, Volume 26 is May 2024. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

中文翻译：

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CRISPR/Cas 技术：独特的合成生物学基因组编辑工具，改变病毒诊断、防御和治疗的范式

COVID-19 大流行的出现赤裸裸地暴露了我们迅速识别和应对突发生物威胁的能力极其有限。因此，迫切需要改进生物技术方法来解决已知和不可预见的生物危害。最近，CRISPR/Cas系统彻底改变了基因工程，实现了精确高效的合成生物学应用。因此，本综述旨在全面介绍 CRISPR/Cas 系统的基本原理，并评估各种基于 CRISPR/Cas 的技术在病毒感染检测、防御和治疗方面的优势和局限性。这些技术包括病毒诊断、抗病毒疫苗的开发、用于抗体生产的 B 细胞工程、病毒激活/干扰和表观遗传修饰。此外，本综述深入探讨了与使用 CRISPR/Cas 系统相关的挑战和生物伦理考虑因素。随着技术的不断发展，CRISPR/Cas 系统在解决现有和不可预见的生物威胁方面具有巨大的前景。《生物医学工程年度评论》第 26 卷的预计最终在线出版日期为 2024 年 5 月。请参见 http://www .annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates 了解修订后的估计。