Utah State University's own Brendon Guinn, an undergraduate researcher, has made waves with his revelations that bacteria, much like larger organisms, are susceptible to viral infections. According to USU Today, Guinn explained how these "simple yet powerful" entities are not helpless against their viral predators, explaining that bacteria have their form of an immune system known as CRISPR.
Guinn, a biochemistry major at USU, has been studying Type IV CRISPR systems, a lesser-known sibling of the more famous CRISPR-Cas9, which has gained notoriety for its use in gene editing. In an interview obtained by USU Today, Guinn noted, "A lot of people know about CRISPR-Cas9, which has been used in breakthrough treatment of sickle cell anemia," before mentioning the destructive tendencies of CRISPR-Cas12a2, "which, unlike CRISPR-Cas9, completely destroys the DNA in an infected cell."
Guinn, who started in Dr. Ryan Jackson's lab with humble beginnings, washing lab equipment once a week, gradually worked his way up to more significant projects and responsibilities. His work in the lab, including a summer fellowship, has been supported by various grants, such as the College of Science Undergraduate Research Minigrant and the USU Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities grant. "With each assignment, they gave me more responsibilities, until I was ready to take on a project of my own," said Guinn as per USU Today.
Brendon Guinn will present his research along with about 30 other USU scholars in Salt Lake City on Feb. 20, as part of the 2025 Undergraduate Research Day. This annual event, initiated in 2000, showcases to state legislators the significant contributions these scholars make through their research to local communities. "CRISPR systems are simple yet powerful genome editors capable of chopping up the DNA of threatening phages,” Guinn stated, as obtained by USU Today, showcasing the impact bacteria's defenses could have on future scientific endeavors.
