Figure 1.

Key Nucleic Acid (NA)-Based Technologies Targeting Coronavirus (CoV).

Several key NA-based strategies against CoV, including antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), siRNA, RNA-targeting clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR-Cas) systems, and mRNA vaccines were discussed in this review. In particular, ASOs, siRNAs, and CRISPR-Cas technologies can be used as anti-CoV therapeutics through sequence-specific targeting of the RNA viral genome or host cellular genes involved in crucial viral activities (also see Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4). Once mRNA vaccines are delivered into the host cells, the mRNAs can be translated into viral proteins that subsequently trigger immune responses (also see Figure 5). Abbreviation: RISC, RNA-induced silencing complex.