CRISPR Screening in Metabolic Stress and Cancer

About this Research Topic

Background

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) system has been demonstrated to be an effective molecular biology tool for genome editing and modulating gene expression. Pooled CRISPR screens have recently been developed into a powerful forward genetic approach for unbiasedly deciphering the genetic basis of cellular behavior and identifying drug targets across a wide range of species. Pooled CRISPR screens have been used in research on non-coding RNA function, signal transduction, cellular process regulation and disease development, among others. The application of high-throughput pooled CRISPR screening has not only greatly accelerated the investigation of these research fields but has also unprecedently broadened our understanding of metabolic stresses and cancers, which will eventually lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets and facilitate cancer control.

Based on their working principles, CRISPR-Cas systems can be divided into four types of applications: CRISPR activation (CRISPRa), CRISPR inhibition (CRISPRi), CRISPR knockout (CRISPRko) and CRISPR-mediated base editing, which can result in gene activation, inhibition, loss of gene expression and function. So far, many studies have been published that use these alternative sets of CRISPR-based tools for screening. For example, screenings performed with CRISPRko have identified key nutrient signaling in cancer development and cancer immunity. CRISPRa and CRISPRi screenings, on the other hand, have identified potential metabolic therapeutic targets for cancer treatment. Furthermore, CRISPR editing is a powerful tool for investigating the function of mutation hotspots in cancer.

In this Research Topic, we welcome submissions of Original Research articles, Reviews and Mini-reviews that cover the four types of CRISPR screenings listed above. Subtopics focusing on metabolic stress and cancer development, metabolic reprogramming and cancer immune response, metabolic stress and cancer therapy include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Search for human disease-related genes and their genetic variations based on pooled CRISPR screening, especially the mutation of base with unclear significance in disease-causing genes and analyze gene variations related to polygenic diseases;
- Discussion and solution of the problems related to metastasis, drug resistance, immune evasion, inhibition of apoptosis, metabolic reprogramming, genomic instability, angiogenesis and so on in cancer research based on CRISPR screening;
- Development, optimization and upgrading of CRISPR screening technology;
- Application and research of CRISPR library screening in genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, biomedicine and other fields.

Please note: studies consisting solely of bioinformatic investigation of publicly available genomic/transcriptomic/proteomic data do not fall within the scope of the section unless they are expanded and provide significant biological or mechanistic insight into the process being studied and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.

Keywords: forward genetics, pooled CRISPR screening, CRISPR interference, CRISPR activation, CRISPR knockout, metabolism and cancer

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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