Interdependencies Between the Adaptation and Interference Modules Guide Efficient CRISPR-Cas Immunity

CRISPR-Cas is a common adaptive RNA-guided prokaryotic immunity mechanism that limits the spread of mobile genetic elements such as phages and plasmids. A CRISPR-Cas system is composed of two seemingly independent modules. Cas proteins from the adaptation module are responsible for recording prior encounters with mobile genetic elements by incorporating fragments of foreign DNA into CRISPR array. Small protective RNAs generated after CRISPR array transcription are used by the interference module Cas proteins to locate complementary nucleic acids and destroy them. Here, we discuss how the activities and substrate preferences of these two functional modules must be tightly coordinated to provide efficient defence against foreign DNA.

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