Cited by 2,769CRISPR and Genetic EngineeringBacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyRNA regulation and disease

Cas9–crRNA ribonucleoprotein complex mediates specific DNA cleavage for adaptive immunity in bacteria

Open access
Gasiunas, Giedrius, Barrangou, Rodolphe, Horvath, Philippe, Siksnys, Virginijus·2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems provide adaptive immunity against viruses and plasmids in bacteria and archaea. The silencing of invading nucleic acids is executed by ribonucleoprotein complexes preloaded with small, interfering CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) that act as guides for targeting and degradation of foreign nucleic acid. Here, we demonstrate that the Cas9–crRNA complex of the Streptococcus thermophilus CRISPR3/Cas system introduces in vitro a double-strand break at a specific site in DNA containing a sequence complementary to crRNA. DNA cleavage is executed by Cas9, which uses two distinct active sites, RuvC and HNH, to generate site-specific nicks on opposite DNA strands. Results demonstrate that the Cas9–crRNA complex functions as an RNA-guided endonuclease with RNA-directed target sequence recognition and protein-mediated DNA cleavage. These findings pave the way for engineering of universal programmable RNA-guided DNA endonucleases.

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Crossref · 10.1073/pnas.1208507109

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  • DNA binding occurs at a 20-base pair DNA sequence complementary to a 20-nucleotide sequence in the guide RNA and can be readily altered by the experimenter.

    “Importantly, DNA binding occurs at a 20-base pair DNA sequence that is complementary to a 20nucleotide sequence in the guide RNA and can be readily altered by the experimenter 1,20 (Fig. 2).”

    From The promise and challenge of therapeutic genome editing (2020) · cites this paper as [20]

    The section “Cas9-crRNA Cleavage Specificity Is Directed by the crRNA Sequence” reports that 20 nucleotides of mature crRNA complement the protospacer and demonstrates that changing the spacer redirects targeting (page unavailable). But the Discussion states that double-stranded DNA binding requires both crRNA complementarity and an adjacent PAM; the claim omits that necessary condition. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Mutants lacking one of the Cas9 motifs become nicking endonucleases.

    “Interestingly, mutants lacking one of the motifs become nicking endonucleases 16 .”
  • The DNA recognition site must be adjacent to a PAM which triggers Cas9 to make a double-stranded DNA break within the targeted sequence.

    “The DNA recognition site must be adjacent to a short motif (protospacer adjacent motif, PAM) which acts as a switch, triggering Cas9 to make a double-stranded DNA break within the targeted sequence 1,20 .”

    From The promise and challenge of therapeutic genome editing (2020) · cites this paper as [20]

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Authors
Gasiunas, G., Barrangou, R., Horvath, P., & Siksnys, V.
Affiliations
  • Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, LT-02241 Vilnius, Lithuania;
  • DuPont (United States) (US)
  • DuPont (France) (FR)
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2012-09-04
Volume
109
Issue
39
Pages
E2579-86
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W2019670881
Cited by
2,769
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 85 · 2025: 174 · 2024: 203 · 2023: 272 · 2022: 252 · 2021: 299 · 2020: 256 · 2019: 249 · 2018: 211 · 2017: 213 · 2016: 189 · 2015: 156 · 2014: 119 · 2013: 82 · 2012: 4
FWCI
46.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
European Social Fund
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA regulation and disease
Keywords
Cas9, crRNA, CRISPR-Cas, Streptococcus thermophilus, bacterial adaptive immunity, RNA-guided DNA endonuclease, DNA double-strand breaks, site-specific DNA cleavage, programmable nucleases
MeSH terms
Bacterial Proteins, Endonucleases, Ribonucleoproteins, RNA, Bacterial, Streptococcus thermophilus, DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded, DNA Breaks, Single-Stranded

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