[The application of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology in viral infection diseases].

The RNA-guided Cas9 nuclease from microbial clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) adaptive immune system has been used to facilitate efficient genome engineering in eukaryotic cells. The specific targeted genome is recognized and cut by gRNA-directed CRISPR/Cas9 complex, specifically by the endonuclease Cas9. The targeted gene locus could be repaired either by homology-directed repair or nonhomologous end joining, thus achieving a desired editing outcome. Viruses infect cells through specific receptors, and then the viral genome is transcribed, replicated and translated to complete its life cycle. As a result, some DNA virus and retrovirus genomes are integrated into the cellular genome. Gene therapy is a new trend to treat viral infected diseases. Given its designable sequence-specific editing of the targeted genome, CRISPR/Cas9 has tremendous potential in treating persistent and latent viral infections. In this review, we summarize the mechanism and progresses of CRISPR/Cas9, and also highlight its therapeutic application in infectious diseases.