The two studies are complementary: The study published in
Cell looks at the entire human genome and gives a very broad overview of host factors that are required for infection by the virus. The study published in
Cell Host and Microbe focuses in detail on a smaller subset of host factors and how they interact. Together, the studies reveal previously unknown potential drug targets for vanquishing the virus.
What the Virus Needs From Us
Both studies relied on the genome-editing tool CRISPR/Cas9. This versatile tool allows scientists to make precise cuts in the genome. The MSK, Rockefeller, and NYU scientists used CRISPR to systematically knock out genes in human cells and ask whether the loss of that gene’s function impaired the virus’s ability to infect, reproduce in, and ultimately kill the cells.