Structure and mechanisms of RNA-targeting by CRISPR-Cas13a

This proposal aims to investigate unique structures and mechanisms of CRISPR-Cas13a relevant to its clinical translation into a programmable tool for RNA detection and diagnostics. The overarching goal of the proposed research is to provide the molecular detail necessary for the successful translation of Cas13a into a tractable tool for RNA virus detection and diagnostics. Cas13a is the archetypal RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas system with the greatest potential for development as an inexpensive and accurate diagnostic. Our integrated approach combining structural biology, biochemistry, and high-throughput library-based RNAseq will catalyze the development of Cas13a-based diagnostics for human-infective RNA viruses.