The research interests of Šikšnys include structure-function relationships ofenzymes involved innucleic acids metabolism. Šikšnys and members of his laboratory perform biochemical, biophysical and structural studies of proteins involved inbacterial antiviral defense, includingrestriction endonucleases andCRISPR-Cas systems. Šikšnys has co-authored more than 90 scientific publications and filled 5 patent applications.For more than two decades Šikšnys’ lab was focused onrestriction endonucleases. Together with colleagues fromUK,Poland,Germany and other countries, Šikšnys has performed biochemical studies of more than 20restriction endonucleases, and solved approximately one third (~15 out of ~50) of currently availablerestriction endonuclease tertiary structures, some of them in collaboration with theNobel Prize laureateRobert Huber.
Since 2007 Šikšnys focused on mechanistic studies ofCRISPR-Cas, the newly discovered bacterial antiviral systems, and was among the first to demonstrate programmable DNA cleavage by theCas9 protein.[6][7][8][9] According to Šikšnys, his article was not even considered as serious by the editor board of the academic journal and was not sent to the reviewers, therefore the time needed to be recognized as first was lost.[10] Martin Schlak reported that Šikšnys submitted his article describing DNA cleavage by Cas9 toCell Reports on 18 April 2012. After its rejection without peer review, he sent it toPNAS one month later, and it took several months for review and publication. In the meantime,Jennifer Doudna andEmmanuelle Charpentier had published their findings inScience where their findings were reviewed and accepted within two weeks.[11]
The genome editing technology based onCas9 was licensed toDuPont.[12][13]
^"Šikšnys Virginijus".Lietuva, T. IV (Biografijos R-Ž, Papildymai A-Ž) [Lithuania, vol. IV (Biographies R-Z)] (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras. 2015. p. 483.ISBN978-5-420-01758-6.
^"Šikšnys Virginijus"."Asmenybės. 1990–2015 m. "Lietuvos pasiekimai": apžvalgų ir biografijų rinkinys, T. II [Personalitties. 1990–2015."Lithuania achievements": reviews and biographies set, vol. II] (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Leidybos idėjų centras. 2015. p. 1036.ISBN978-609-95578-4-7.
^Šikšnys, Virginijus (16 June 2018)."Imam genų žirkles, iškerpam klaidą, ligos nelieka".Laisvės TV / Freedom TV (in Lithuanian). 12:22 minutes in. LaisvėsTV. <...>Tai mes tą savo straipsnį išsiuntėm į redakciją pirmieji, bet laimės ten daug nebuvo. Viena redakcija pasakė, kad mes net recenzentam nesiųsim. Nusiuntėm į kitą redakciją – tai jis (straipsnis) pragulėjo kažkur ant redaktoriaus stalo labai ilgai. Na ir taip galų gale išsiuntėm į trečią žurnalą ir trečias žurnalas po kelių mėnesių jį išspausdino. Bet, aišku, Berklio universiteto mokslininkams sekėsi geriau – jie išsiuntė straipsnį į žurnalą Science – jį priėmė ir išspausdino per 2 savaites. Nors iš tikro jie tą straispnį išsiuntė pora mėnesių vėliau nei mes. Retrieved30 June 2018.<...>Well, we were who had sent the article first, but had not much of luck. One editorial office told us they would not send the article to the reviewers. We had sent the article to another journal – and the article was kept too long, maybe on some desk of the editor. So finally we sent it to the third journal and it was published few months later. Meanwhile the scientists from the University of Berkeley had a better luck – they have sent the article later than we and it was accepted and published in 2 weeks. But actually they have sent the article few months later than we.
^Cohen, Jon (4 June 2018). "With prestigious prize, an overshadowed CRISPR researcher wins the spotlight".Science. American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).doi:10.1126/science.aau3736.ISSN0036-8075.S2CID158427487.
