Infectious disease

Cell culture studies suggest inhibiting adenosine kinase, DCK or SLC29A1 could help treat Staphylococcus aureus infection. Screening of a CRISPR single-guide RNA (sgRNA) library in a human lung lymphoblast cell line expressing CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) and treated with the S. aureus-derived cytotoxin deoxyadenosine showed knockout of adenosine kinase, DCK and SLC29A1 increased resistance to the cytotoxin compared with sgRNAs targeting unrelated genes. In the human lung lymphoblast cell line treated with supernatants from S. aureus cultures, knockout of adenosine kinase, DCK or SLC29A1 decreased cell death compared with normal adenosine kinase, DCK or SLC29A1 expression, and a tool compound SLC29A1 inhibitor increased viability compared with no treatment. Next steps could include identifying and testing adenosine kinase and DCK inhibitors in animal models of S. aureus infection...