CRISPR-ENABLED ANTIMICROBIAL STRATEGIES: REDEFINING PRECISION THERAPY AGAINST MULTIDRUG RESISTANT PATHOGENS

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become one of the most serious global public health threats, driven by the rapid emergence and dissemination of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. The declining effectiveness of conventional antibiotics necessitates the development of innovative therapeutic strategies capable of selectively targeting resistant microorganisms while preserving beneficial microbiota. CRISPR-Cas technology has emerged as a promising precision antimicrobial platform with the potential to transform infectious disease management. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms, delivery platforms, therapeutic applications, emerging innovations, safety considerations, translational barriers, and future prospects of CRISPR-enabled antimicrobial strategies for combating MDR bacterial infections. This review evaluated recent peer-reviewed literature on CRISPR-Cas systems, AMR, genome editing, precision medicine, delivery technologies, and translational research. The available evidence was synthesized to assess current advances, therapeutic potential, existing limitations, and future opportunities for CRISPR-based antimicrobial interventions. CRISPR-enabled antimicrobial strategies demonstrate remarkable specificity by selectively eliminating multidrug-resistant bacteria, disrupting resistance genes, targeting virulence factors, inhibiting biofilm formation, and restoring antibiotic susceptibility. Advances in bacteriophage-mediated delivery, nanoparticle-based carriers, programmable RNA-targeting systems, artificial intelligence-assisted guide RNA design, synthetic biology, and personalized precision medicine have further expanded their clinical potential. Nevertheless, challenges related to delivery efficiency, off-target editing, bacterial escape mechanisms, biosafety, regulatory approval, and large-scale manufacturing remain significant translational barriers. Overall, CRISPR-based antimicrobial therapy represents a transformative approach to precision infectious disease management, with continued technological innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and robust clinical validation expected to facilitate its safe, effective, and clinically accessible implementation against multidrug-resistant pathogens.