CRISPR-based adaptive and heritable immunity in prokaryotes.

Journal article

The recently discovered CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat) defense system protects bacteria and archaea against mobile genetic elements. This immunity system has the potential to continuously adjust its reach at the genomic level, implying that both gain and loss of information is inheritable. The CRISPR system consists of typical stretches of interspaced repetitive DNA (CRISPRs) and associated cas genes. Three distinct stages are recognized in the CRISPR defens...

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Authors: van der Oost, J; Jore, M; Westra, E; Lundgren, M; Brouns, S

• Journal: Trends in biochemical sciences
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 401-407
• Publication date: 2009-08-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2009.05.002
• ISSN: 0968-0004
• Language: English
• Keywords: Models, Molecular; Inverted Repeat Sequences; DNA Transposable Elements; Protein Binding; RNA, Bacterial; Bacterial Proteins; Base Sequence; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Mutagenesis, Insertional; Prokaryotic Cells