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How has CRISPR-Cas9 been used to remove HIV from infected cells in research?

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CRISPR-Cas9; gene editing — gene editing The CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing complex from the bacterium *Streptococcus pyogenes*.

In research, CRISPR-Cas9 has been utilized as a precise gene editing tool to target and remove HIV genetic material from infected cells.41

The system functions by using a custom-designed guide RNA that directs the Cas9 enzyme to a specific sequence of viral DNA. Once the guide RNA binds to the matching viral genetic material, the Cas9 enzyme introduces a double-stranded break, effectively cleaving and destroying the targeted DNA. By enabling researchers to excise viral sequences from the genome of infected cells, this technology serves as a promising area of investigation for eliminating HIV from tissue reservoirs, which is a critical challenge in the pursuit of a cure for AIDS.2341

While this research is significant, it is important to note that there is currently no clinical cure for HIV infection, and the application of such powerful gene-editing technologies remains a subject of intense ethical and safety scrutiny within the scientific community.413