CRISPR-Chip: Detection of gene variants in unamplified DNA using graphene field-effect transistors ($) Nature Biomed Engineering     

CRISPR-Chip combines the selectivity of CRISPR-Cas gene recognition with the sensitivity of a graphene-based field-effect transistor. It contains an immobilized complex of catalytically deactivated Cas9/CRISPR and an appropriate guide strand attached to a graphene surface. When this complex recognizes its target sequence, it generates an electrical signal within 15 minutes of applying the sample. What’s remarkable is that this method is extremely sensitive, and does not require DNA amplification. The authors demonstrate its ability to detect deletion mutations of the human dystrophin gene. They don’t address smaller mutants or sequence variations, but it seems likely that those improvements are on the horizon. (Summary by Mary Williams) Nature Biomed Engineering 10.1038/s41551-019-0371-x