CRISPR-Cas9 has emerged as a revolutionary tool that enables precise and efficient modifications of the genetic material. This review provides a comprehensive overview of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and its applications in genome editing. We begin by describing the fundamental principles of CRISPR-Cas9 technology, explaining how the system utilizes a single guide RNA (sgRNA) to direct the Cas9 nuclease to specific DNA sequences in the genome, resulting in targeted double-stranded breaks. In this review, we provide in-depth explorations of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and its applications in agriculture, medicine, environmental sciences, fisheries, nanotechnology, bioinformatics, and biotechnology. We also highlight its potential, ongoing research, and the ethical considerations and controversies surrounding its use. This review might contribute to the understanding of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and its implications in various fields, paving the way for future developments and responsible applications of this transformative technology.

Context: Lung cancer is a type of cancer that causes the most deaths worldwide. The most common type of lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Sea urchin (Arbacia lixula) has high potential as an anti-NSCLC agent. Aims: To analyze the anticancer activity of peptides from A. lixula coelomic fluid in inhibiting the activity of NSCLC-related proteins. Methods: Peptide modeling was performed using the PEP-FOLD3 web server. Proteins that have a crucial role in NSCLC progression were determined using KEGG pathway database. 3D protein structures such as EGFR, PI3K, BRAF V600E, and JAK3 were taken from the RCSB PDB database. Docking was performed using Autodock Vina software. Docking results analysis was carried out using Discovery Studio 2019 software. Results: Some peptides bind to the active sites with low binding affinity. Peptide 10 binds to the active site of the EGFR with a binding affinity of -9 kcal/mol. Peptide 5 binds to the active sites of PI3K and BRAF V600E with binding affinity of -8.2 and -8.1 kcal/mol, respectively. Peptide 11 binds to the active site of JAK3 with a binding affinity of -8.1 kcal/mol. All of these peptides have lower binding affinity than ATP as the native ligand. Besides, these peptides also produce more hydrogen bonds than ATP, so they are predicted to be more stable. Conclusions: Peptides 10, 5, and 11 have high potential as anti-NSCLC agents because they can inhibit the activity of proteins that play an essential role in the growth of NSCLC, namely EGFR, PI3K, BRAF V600E, and JAK3 through the competitive ATP inhibitor mechanism.

Kaempferia galanga included in the Zingiberaceae family is one of the potential medicinal plants with aromatic rhizome. In traditional medicine in Asian countries, this plant is widely used by local practitioners. This plant is widely cultivated in most Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Ethyl-para-methoxycinnamate and ethyl-cinnamate are found as the main compounds in hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol extracts of K. galanga. This plant is traditionally used as an expectorant, stimulant, diuretic, carminative, and antipyretic remedy. In addition, K. galanga is used for treatment of diabetes, hypertension, cough, asthma, joint fractures, rheumatism, urticaria, vertigo, and intestinal injuries. Therefore, this study aimed to give a sneak peek view on galangal’s ethnobotany, toxicology, pharmacology, and phytochemistry.

Context: The COVID-19 outbreak is caused by the transmission and infection of SARS-CoV-2 at the end of 2019. It has led many countries to implement lockdown policies to prevent the viral spreading. Problems arise in a COVID-19 patient because of viral infection that leads to a systemic response in the immune system, specifically due to cytokine storm. Moreover, the antiviral drugs that have not been found. Indonesia had a variety of traditional medicines, such as is ‘jamu’. It consists of a mixture of natural ingredients such as Moringa oleifera Lam. and Curcuma longa L. Aims: To identify the activity of dual inhibitors as antiviral and anti-inflammatory agents from herbal combination compounds. Methods: Sample was collected from PubChem (NCBI, USA) and Protein Data Bank (PDB), then drug-likeness analysis using Lipinski rule of five in SCFBIO web server and bioactive probability analysis of bioactive compounds were conducted by PASS web server. Furthermore, the blind docking method was performed using PyRx 0.8 software to determine the binding activity and molecular interaction by PoseView web server and PyMol software v2.4.1 (Schrödinger, Inc, USA). Results: Cryptochlorogenic acid and curcumin have been computationally proven as dual inhibitors for antivirals by inhibiting Mpro SARS-CoV-2 and as anti-inflammatory through inhibition of NFKB1 activity. However, the results are merely computational so that it must be validated through a wet lab research. Conclusions: The combination of Moringa oleifera Lam. and Curcuma longa L. is predicted to have antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity through dual inhibitor mechanism played by cryptochlorogenic acid and curcumin.