CRISPR-Cas adaptive immunity and the three Rs

Biosci Rep. 2017 Jul 16;37(4):BSR20160297. doi: 10.1042/BSR20160297. Print 2017 Aug 31.

Abstract

In this summary, we focus on fundamental biology of Clustered Regularly Interspersed Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-Cas (CRISPR-associated proteins) adaptive immunity in bacteria. Emphasis is placed on emerging information about functional interplay between Cas proteins and proteins that remodel DNA during homologous recombination (HR), DNA replication or DNA repair. We highlight how replication forks may act as 'trigger points' for CRISPR adaptation events, and the potential for cascade-interference complexes to act as precise roadblocks in DNA replication by an invader MGE (mobile genetic element), without the need for DNA double-strand breaks.

Keywords: CRISPR; recombination; replication.

Publication types

  • Editorial

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems / physiology*
  • DNA Repair / physiology*
  • DNA Replication / physiology*
  • DNA, Bacterial / biosynthesis*
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Homologous Recombination / physiology*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial