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Cited by 186

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 5 of the 5 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Structures of CRISPR Cas3 offer mechanistic insights into Cascade-activated DNA unwinding and degradation

Open access
Huo, Yanwu, Nam, Ki Hyun, Ding, Fang, Lee, Heejin, Wu, Lijie, Xiao, Yibei, Farchione, M Daniel, Zhou, Sharleen, Rajashankar, Kanagalaghatta, Kurinov, Igor, Zhang, Rongguang, Ke, Ailong·2014·Nature Structural & Molecular Biology

Abstract

CRISPR drives prokaryotic adaptation to invasive nucleic acids such as phages and plasmids, using an RNA-mediated interference mechanism. Interference in type I CRISPR-Cas systems requires a targeting Cascade complex and a degradation machine, Cas3, which contains both nuclease and helicase activities. Here we report the crystal structures of Thermobifida fusca Cas3 bound to single-stranded (ss) DNA substrate and show that it is an obligate 3′-to-5′ ssDNase that preferentially accepts substrate directly from the helicase moiety. Conserved residues in the HD-type nuclease coordinate two irons for ssDNA cleavage. We demonstrate ATP coordination and conformational flexibility of the SF2-type helicase domain. Cas3 is specifically guided toward Cascade-bound target DNA by a PAM sequence, through physical interactions with both the nontarget substrate strand and the CasA protein. The sequence of recognition events ensures well-controlled DNA targeting and degradation of foreign DNA by Cascade and Cas3.

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Metadata

Authors
Huo, Y., Nam, K. H., Ding, F., Lee, H., Wu, L., Xiao, Y., Farchione, M. D., Zhou, S., Rajashankar, K., Kurinov, I., Zhang, R., & Ke, A.
Venue
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
Published
2014-08-17
Volume
21
Issue
9
Pages
771-777
ISSN
  • 1545-9985 (ISSN-L)
  • 1545-9993
OpenAlex
W1996555720
Cited by
186
References
5
FWCI
6.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
green

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Structures of CRISPR Cas3 offer mechanistic insights into Cascade-activated DNA unwinding and degradation. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1038/nsmb.2875
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Huo, Y., Nam, K. H., Ding, F., Lee, H., Wu, L., Xiao, Y., Farchione, M. D., Zhou, S., Rajashankar, K., Kurinov, I., Zhang, R., & Ke, A. (2014). Structures of CRISPR Cas3 offer mechanistic insights into Cascade-activated DNA unwinding and degradation. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb.2875

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