CRISPR-based technologies: prokaryotic defense weapons repurposed.

CRISPR-based technologies: prokaryotic defense weapons repurposed.
Trends Genet. 2014 Feb 17;
Authors: Terns RM, Terns MP
Abstract
To combat potentially deadly viral infections, prokaryotic microbes enlist small RNA-based adaptive immune systems (CRISPR-Cas systems) that protect through sequence-specific recognition and targeted destruction of viral nucleic acids (either DNA or RNA depending on the system). Here, we summarize rapid progress made in redirecting the nuclease activities of these microbial immune systems to bind and cleave DNA or RNA targets of choice, by reprogramming the small guide RNAs of the various CRISPR-Cas complexes. These studies have demonstrated the potential of Type II CRISPR-Cas systems both as efficient and versatile genome-editing tools and as potent and specific regulators of gene expression in a broad range of cell types (including human) and organisms. Progress is also being made in developing a Type III RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas system as a novel gene knockdown platform to investigate gene function and modulate gene expression for metabolic engineering in microbes.
PMID: 24555991 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Trends in Genetics : TIG - February 17, 2014 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Terns RM, Terns MP Tags: Trends Genet Source Type: research