Co-transcriptional DNA and RNA Cleavage during Type III CRISPR-Cas Immunity

Immune systems must recognize and destroy different pathogens that threaten the host. CRISPR-Cas immune systems protect prokaryotes from viral and plasmid infection utilizing small CRISPR RNAs that are complementary to the invader's genome and specify the targets of RNA-guided Cas nucleases. Ty...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cell Vol. 161; no. 5; p. 1164
Main Authors: Samai, Poulami, Pyenson, Nora, Jiang, Wenyan, Goldberg, Gregory W, Hatoum-Aslan, Asma, Marraffini, Luciano A
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States 21.05.2015
Subjects:
Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
CRISPR-Cas Systems
DNA - genetics
DNA - metabolism
Ribonucleoproteins - metabolism
RNA - genetics
RNA - metabolism
Staphylococcus epidermidis - immunology
Staphylococcus epidermidis - metabolism
Staphylococcus epidermidis - virology
Transcription, Genetic
ISSN:1097-4172, 1097-4172
Online Access:Get more information
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Summary:Immune systems must recognize and destroy different pathogens that threaten the host. CRISPR-Cas immune systems protect prokaryotes from viral and plasmid infection utilizing small CRISPR RNAs that are complementary to the invader's genome and specify the targets of RNA-guided Cas nucleases. Type III CRISPR-Cas immunity requires target transcription, and whereas genetic studies demonstrated DNA targeting, in vitro data have shown crRNA-guided RNA cleavage. The molecular mechanism behind these disparate activities is not known. Here, we show that transcription across the targets of the Staphylococcus epidermidis type III-A CRISPR-Cas system results in the cleavage of the target DNA and its transcripts, mediated by independent active sites within the Cas10-Csm ribonucleoprotein effector complex. Immunity against plasmids and DNA viruses requires DNA, but not RNA, cleavage activity. Our studies reveal a highly versatile mechanism of CRISPR immunity that can defend microorganisms against diverse DNA and RNA invaders.
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ISSN:1097-4172
1097-4172
DOI:10.1016/j.cell.2015.04.027