Biology and Applications of CRISPR Systems: Harnessing Nature's Toolbox for Genome Engineering

Addison V Wright; James K Nuñez; Jennifer A Doudna

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2015.12.035

Biology and Applications of CRISPR Systems: Harnessing Nature's Toolbox for Genome Engineering

Cell. 2016 Jan 14;164(1-2):29-44. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.12.035.

Authors

Addison V Wright¹, James K Nuñez¹, Jennifer A Doudna²

Affiliations

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

PMID: 26771484
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.12.035

Abstract

Bacteria and archaea possess a range of defense mechanisms to combat plasmids and viral infections. Unique among these are the CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR associated) systems, which provide adaptive immunity against foreign nucleic acids. CRISPR systems function by acquiring genetic records of invaders to facilitate robust interference upon reinfection. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the diverse mechanisms by which Cas proteins respond to foreign nucleic acids and how these systems have been harnessed for precision genome manipulation in a wide array of organisms.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Archaea / genetics*
Archaea / immunology
Archaea / virology
Bacteria / genetics*
Bacteria / immunology
Bacteria / virology
CRISPR-Associated Proteins / metabolism*
CRISPR-Cas Systems*
DNA, Viral / genetics
Endonucleases / chemistry
Endonucleases / genetics
Endonucleases / metabolism
Genetic Engineering / methods*
Humans
Plants / genetics

Substances

CRISPR-Associated Proteins
DNA, Viral
Endonucleases

Grants and funding

Howard Hughes Medical Institute/United States