Cutting it close: CRISPR-associated endoribonuclease structure and function

Megan L Hochstrasser; Jennifer A Doudna

doi:10.1016/j.tibs.2014.10.007

Cutting it close: CRISPR-associated endoribonuclease structure and function

Trends Biochem Sci. 2015 Jan;40(1):58-66. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2014.10.007. Epub 2014 Nov 18.

Authors

Megan L Hochstrasser¹, Jennifer A Doudna²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
² Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. Electronic address: doudna@berkeley.edu.

PMID: 25468820
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2014.10.007

Abstract

Many bacteria and archaea possess an adaptive immune system consisting of repetitive genetic elements known as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins. Similar to RNAi pathways in eukaryotes, CRISPR-Cas systems require small RNAs for sequence-specific detection and degradation of complementary nucleic acids. Cas5 and Cas6 enzymes have evolved to specifically recognize and process CRISPR-derived transcripts into functional small RNAs used as guides by interference complexes. Our detailed understanding of these proteins has led to the development of several useful Cas6-based biotechnological methods. Here, we review the structures, functions, mechanisms, and applications of the enzymes responsible for CRISPR RNA (crRNA) processing, highlighting a fascinating family of endonucleases with exquisite RNA recognition and cleavage activities.

Keywords: CRISPR–Cas; Cas5; Cas6; crRNA; endoribonuclease; structure and function.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Bacteria / genetics
Bacteria / immunology
CRISPR-Associated Proteins / chemistry*
CRISPR-Associated Proteins / genetics
CRISPR-Associated Proteins / metabolism
CRISPR-Cas Systems / genetics*
Endoribonucleases / chemistry*
Endoribonucleases / genetics
Endoribonucleases / metabolism
Protein Conformation
Protein Folding
RNA / chemistry
RNA / genetics
RNA Interference
Structure-Activity Relationship*
Substrate Specificity

Substances

CRISPR-Associated Proteins
RNA
Endoribonucleases