Aptamer-CRISPR/Cas as a tool in point-of-care testing of infectious diseases

Aptamers and the CRISPR/Cas system have become the cornerstones of target detections due to their numerous advantages. Aptamers enable direct recognition of non-nucleic acid targets, such as pathogens and antigens, while CRISPR/Cas system drives signal amplification and rapid detection. The combined aptamer-CRISPR/Cas system can overcome the limitations of traditional target detection by realizing field-deployable, highly sensitive, specific, versatile, and rapid assays. Given the increasing number of different aptamer-CRISPR/Cas systems developed recently, particularly for infectious diseases, we provide a comprehensive overview of these platforms designed for detecting significant viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, Monkeypox virus, Hepatitis B virus and bacteria that include Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella. Current challenges that impede the deployment of aptamer-CRISPR/Cas for point-of-care pathogen detection were also mapped, including primary barriers such as clinical matrix effect and stability. Several strategies to mitigate these issues were also set forth, predominantly the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning to accelerate the transition of aptamer-CRISPR/Cas system to the clinical translation and commercialization phase, paving the way towards widespread implementation in global health.