Abstract
Clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) loci and their associated proteins (Cas) protect bacteria and archaea from bacteriophages, viruses that infect these organisms. Immunity requires a sequence match between the invasive DNA and phage‐derived sequences that lie between CRISPR repeats, also known as “spacers”. CRISPR loci are transcribed into long precursors that are processed into small CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) by Cas endoribonucleases. Target recognition occurs through base‐pair interactions between the crRNA spacer sequence and the invading nucleic acid and result in the cleavage of the bacteriophage genome. Essential for crRNA processing and targeting are Cas ribonucleoprotein complexes. We will discuss recent advances in the molecular mechanisms of CRISPR targeting and their importance for the evolution of bacteria and their viruses.
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