Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles Combined with CRISPR/Cas9 System Enable Efficient Inhibition of Pseudorabies Virus

We describe an application where graphene oxide nanoparticles (GONs) enable combined inhibition of Pseudorabies Virus (PRV) through delivery of a CRISPR/Cas9 system for targeted cleaving of a PRV genome and direct interaction with viral particles. The sheeted GONs could load CRISPR plasmid DNA (pDNA) to form a small sized, near-spheroidal GONs-CRISPR complex, which enables CRISPR pDNA efficient intracellular delivery and transient expression under serum conditions. Cell studies showed that GONs-CRISPR could allow rapid cellular uptake, endolysosomes escape, and nucleus transport within 3 h. Virus studies demonstrated that the pure GONs have antiviral activity and GONs-CRISPR could significantly inhibit PRV replication and result in progeny PRV decreasing by approximately 4000 times in infected host cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging showed that GONs-CRISPR could destroy the PRV structures by directly interacting with viral particles. This GONs-based strategy may extend the advanced application of the CRISPR system for antiviral action

Automated summary

This study describes an application of graphene oxide nanoparticles (GONs) for the combined inhibition of Pseudorabies Virus (PRV). The GONs enable targeted cleaving of the PRV genome through delivery of a CRISPR/Cas9 system and direct interaction with viral particles. Cell studies showed that GONs-CRISPR allows efficient intracellular delivery of CRISPR plasmid DNA and significant inhibition of PRV replication, resulting in a decrease in progeny PRV by approximately 4000 times.