Abstract: The invention provides xenonucleic acids and synthetic chimeric xenonucleic acid guide RNA; s(XNA-gRNA) for enhancing crispr mediated genome editing efficiency. The invention also provides methods and compositions for inducing CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing/regulation (e.g., genome editing or gene expression) of a target nucleic acid (e.g., target DNA or target RNA) in a cell. The methods include using single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) that have been chemically modified with xeno nucleic acids which enhance gene regulation of the target nucleic acid in a primary cell for use in ex vivo therapy or in a cell in a subject for use in in vivo therapy. Additionally, provided herein are methods for preventing or treating a genetic disease in a subject by administering a sufficient amount of a sgRNA that has been chemically modified with xeno nucleic acids to correct a mutation in a target gene associated with the genetic disease.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and kits for determining the presence, absence, or level of an infectious agent in a sample. Specifically, the present invention provides methods and kits for detecting or quantifying certain target polynucleotides of the infectious agent. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides for such detection without the need for amplification (e.g., replication) of the target molecule and/or without the need for labor intensive purification procedures. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides positive control and housekeeping gene for normalization and quantatively detection of the copy numbers of infectious agent in a sample. In these or other embodiments, the invention allows for such detection with the desired sensitivity and/or specificity, even where the polynucleotide is present in the sample at low copy number.