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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) are essential components of RNA-guided adaptive immune systems that protect bacteria and archaea from viruses and plasmids. In Escherichia coli, short CRISPR-derived RNAs (crRNAs) assemble into a 405 kDa multi-subunit surveillance complex called Cascade (CRISPR-associated complex for antiviral defense). Here, we present the 3.24 A resolution x-ray crystal structure of Cascade. Eleven proteins and a 61-nucleotide crRNA assemble into a sea-horse-shaped architecture that binds double-stranded DNA targets complementary to the crRNA-guide sequence. Conserved sequences on the 3'- and 5'-ends of the crRNA are anchored by proteins at opposite ends of the complex, while the guide sequence is displayed along a helical assembly of six interwoven subunits that present 5-nucleotide segments of the crRNA in pseudo A-form configuration. The structure of Cascade suggests a mechanism for assembly and provides insights into the mechanisms of target recognition.

Crystal structure of the CRISPR RNA-guided surveillance complex from Escherichia coli.,Jackson RN, Golden SM, van Erp PB, Carter J, Westra ER, Brouns SJ, van der Oost J, Terwilliger TC, Read RJ, Wiedenheft B Science. 2014 Aug 7. pii: 1256328. PMID:25103409^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.