CRISPR — a widespread system that provides acquired resistance against phages in bacteria and archaea

@article{Sorek2008CRISPRA,
  title={CRISPR — a widespread system that provides acquired resistance against phages in bacteria and archaea},
  author={Rotem Sorek and Victor Kunin and P. Bernt Hugenholtz},
  journal={Nature Reviews Microbiology},
  year={2008},
  volume={6},
  pages={181-186}
}
Arrays of clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) are widespread in the genomes of many bacteria and almost all archaea. These arrays are composed of direct repeats that are separated by similarly sized non-repetitive spacers. CRISPR arrays, together with a group of associated proteins, confer resistance to phages, possibly by an RNA-interference-like mechanism. This Progress discusses the structure and function of this newly recognized antiviral mechanism. 
View on Nature
digital.library.unt.edu
605 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
22
Background Citations
232
Methods Citations
15
Results Citations
6

605 Citations

Citation Type

Citation Type

CRISPR-Cas: an adaptive immunity system in prokaryotes
TLDR
The CRISPR-Cas system functions by integrating fragments of alien DNA between the repeats and employing their transcripts to degrade the DNA of the respective invading elements via an RNA interference-like mechanism.
CRISPR/Cas system and its role in phage-bacteria interactions.
TLDR
Recent progress made in the CRISPR/Cas system is described, which participates in a constant evolutionary battle between phages and bacteria through addition or deletion of spacers in host cells and mutations or deletion in phage genomes.
CRISPR/Cas systems in archaea
TLDR
Spacer sequences fromarchaeal genomes are used to infer gene exchange events among archaeal species and genera and to demonstrate that at least in this domain of life CRISPR indeed has an anti-viral role.
The CRISPR System Protects Microbes against Phages, Plasmids Palindromic DNA repeat sequences immunize microorganisms against phages and plasmids, while also directing their evolution
TLDR
Although phages outnumber their bacterial prey 10-fold, bacteria persist, sometimes relying on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) of DNA sequence as a defense mechanism.
CRISPR-based adaptive and heritable immunity in prokaryotes.
Characterizing Metal-Dependent Nucleases of CRISPR-Cas Prokaryotic Adaptive Immunity Systems.
TLDR
Nuclease assays that are useful for characterizing the substrate-specific function of CRISPR-associated protein Cas2 are described and methods for characterization the stoichiometry and affinity between Cas2 and divalent metal ions using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) are provided.
RNA-guided genetic silencing systems in bacteria and archaea
TLDR
Understanding how small RNAs are used to find and destroy foreign nucleic acids will provide new insights into the diverse mechanisms of RNA-controlled genetic silencing systems.
CRISPR interference: RNA-directed adaptive immunity in bacteria and archaea
TLDR
The mechanisms of CRISPR interference and its roles in microbial physiology and evolution are reviewed and potential applications of this novel interference pathway are discussed.
RNA in defense: CRISPRs protect prokaryotes against mobile genetic elements.
TLDR
The current understanding of the CRISPR/Cas system in prokaryotes is discussed, functional similarities and differences with RNAi in eukaryotes are described, and the mechanism's three distinct stages are discussed.
CRISPR: A Bacterial Immunity System Based on Small RNAs
TLDR
The CRISPR system has been proven to confer adaptive and inheritable immunity against foreign nucleic acid and resembles the RNA interference phenomenon of eukaryotes, an important control and defense tool with widespread applications in research and medical developments.
...
1
2
3
4
5
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 54 REFERENCES
CRISPR Provides Acquired Resistance Against Viruses in Prokaryotes
TLDR
It is found that, after viral challenge, bacteria integrated new spacers derived from phage genomic sequences, and CRISPR provided resistance against phages, and resistance specificity is determined by spacer-phage sequence similarity.
The Repetitive DNA Elements Called CRISPRs and Their Associated Genes: Evidence of Horizontal Transfer Among Prokaryotes
TLDR
A mechanism by which this HGT has occurred is suggested, namely, that the CRISPR loci can be carried between cells on megaplasmids ≥40 kb in length.
Rapidly evolving CRISPRs implicated in acquired resistance of microorganisms to viruses.
TLDR
It is discovered that evolution of the CRISPR regions in two distinct Leptospirillum group II bacteria occurs fast enough to promote individuality in otherwise nearly clonal populations, reinforcing the importance of phage-host interactions in shaping microbial ecology and evolution over very short time scales.
Phage Response to CRISPR-Encoded Resistance in Streptococcus thermophilus
TLDR
It is shown through the analyses of 20 mutant phages that virulent phages are rapidly evolving through single nucleotide mutations as well as deletions, in response to CRISPR1.
Diversity, Activity, and Evolution of CRISPR Loci in Streptococcus thermophilus
TLDR
A novel Streptococcus thermophilus locus is characterized, and its ability to integrate novel spacers in response to bacteriophage is experimentally demonstrated, and it is hypothesized that the level of diversity is correlated with relative CRISPR activity and proposed that the activity is highest for CRISpr1, followed by CRIS PR3, while CRISP2 may be degenerate.
CRISPR elements in Yersinia pestis acquire new repeats by preferential uptake of bacteriophage DNA, and provide additional tools for evolutionary studies.
TLDR
The authors have sequenced a total of 109 alleles of the three Y. pestis CRISPRs and they describe 29 new spacers, most being specific to one isolate, and it appears that addition of new motifs to a common ancestral element is the most frequent event.
A putative viral defence mechanism in archaeal cells.
TLDR
Analysis of all the current data on archaeal repeat clusters provides some new insights into their diverse structures, transcriptional properties and mode of structural development.
Intervening Sequences of Regularly Spaced Prokaryotic Repeats Derive from Foreign Genetic Elements
TLDR
It is shown that CRISPR spacers derive from preexisting sequences, either chromosomal or within transmissible genetic elements such as bacteriophages and conjugative plasmids, implying a relationship betweenCRISPR and immunity against targeted DNA.
Identification of genes that are associated with DNA repeats in prokaryotes
TLDR
A novel family of repetitive DNA sequences that is present among both domains of the prokaryotes but absent from eukaryotes or viruses is studied, characterized by direct repeats, varying in size from 21 to 37 bp, interspaced by similarly sized non‐repetitive sequences.
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindrome repeats (CRISPRs) have spacers of extrachromosomal origin.
TLDR
The authors suggest that the spacer elements are the traces of past invasions by extrachromosomal elements, and hypothesize that they provide the cell immunity against phage infection, and more generally foreign DNA expression, by coding an anti-sense RNA.
...
1
2
3
4
5
...