UC researchers have discovered anti-CRISPR (Acr) polypeptides that inhibit activity of a CRISPR-Cas effector polypeptide, for example, Type VI-D CRISPR-Cas effector polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding the Acr polypeptides, and systems and kits comprising the polypeptides and/or nucleic acids encoding the Acr polypeptides. The inhibitor is a small protein from a phage and is capable of strongly inhibiting gene editing in human cells.

UC researchers created a Gasdermin-D deficient mice that carry a CRISPR/Cas9-derived knock-out allele of the mouse Gsdmd gene that involves a 19 bp and a 1 bp (20 bp total) insertion in exon 2. 

The CRISPR-Cas system is now understood to confer bacteria and archaea with acquired immunity against phage and viruses. CRISPR-Cas systems consist of Cas proteins, which are involved in acquisition, targeting and cleavage of foreign DNA or RNA, and a CRISPR array, which includes direct repeats flanking short spacer sequences that guide Cas proteins to their targets.  Class 2 CRISPR-Cas are streamlined versions in which a single Cas protein bound to RNA is responsible for binding to and cleavage of a targeted sequence. The programmable nature of these minimal systems has facilitated their use as a versatile technology that is revolutionizing the field of genome manipulation.  There is a need in the art for additional Class 2 CRISPR/Cas systems (e.g., Cas protein plus guide RNA combinations).     UC Berkeley researchers discovered a new type of CasPhi/12j protein.  Site-specific binding and/or cleavage of a target nucleic acid (e.g., genomic DNA, ds DNA, RNA, etc.) can occur at locations (e.g., target sequence of a target locus) determined by base-pairing complementarity between the Cas12 guide RNA (the guide sequence of the Cas12 guide RNA) and the target nucleic acid.  Similar to CRISPR Cas9, the compact Cas12 enzymes are expected to have a wide variety of applications in genome editing and nucleic acid manipulation.  

Bioorthogonal ligations encompass coupling chemistries that have considerable utility in living systems. Among the numerous bioorthogonal chemistries described to date, cycloaddition reactions between tetrazines and strained dienophiles are widely used in proteome, lipid, and glycan labeling due to their extremely rapid kinetics. In addition, a variety of functional groups can be released after the cycloaddition reaction, and drug delivery triggered by in vivo tetrazine ligation is in human phase I clinical trials. While applications of tetrazine ligations are growing in academia and industry, it has so far not been possible to control this chemistry to achieve the high degrees of spatial and temporal precision necessary for modifying mammalian cells with single-cell resolution.

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Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a new epigenetic editing system that overcomes packaging limitations of viral delivery systems and can be used for multiplexed epigenetic editing of a genome.

Adhesion involves highly complex and hierarchical structures in nature, and by understanding the biological intricacies of such adhesive structures, one can improve engineered adhesives. The role of reversible adhesion in both the natural world and in engineering is to temporarily bind to a surface, providing the opportunity to detach and re-attach as needed. In nature, animals use attachment to enhance their fitness.  In robotics, reversible adhesion enables improved manipulation and locomotion by managing contact at the interface between the robot and its environment.

Researchers at UCI have developed a novel co-design methodology of hardware-software architecture used for protecting Hall sensors found in autonomous vehicles, smart grids, industrial plants, etc…, against spoofing attacks.There are currently no comprehensive measures in place to protecting Hall sensors.