RNA-guided DNA insertion with CRISPR-associated transposases

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aax9181
• Publication Date: 2019-06-06T23:14:00Z
• Authors: Jonathan Strecker; Alim Ladha; Zachary Gardner; Jonathan L. Schmi...; Kira S. Makarova; Eugene V. Koonin; Feng Zhang
• Keywords: Gene Editing; Mutagenesis, Insertional; 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; DNA Transposable Elements; Transposases; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Cyanobacteria; RNA, Guide, Kinetoplastida; 3. Good health

Beyond adaptive immunity

Prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas systems defend bacterial cells from phage and plasmid infection. Strecker et al. characterized a CRISPR-Cas system that functions beyond adaptive immunity (see the Perspective by Hou and Zhang). Type V-K CRISPR-Cas from cyanobacteria was associated with a Tn7-like transposon and a natural nuclease–deficient effector Cas12k. Cas12k directed the insertion of Tn7-like transposons into target sites via RNA-guided Tn7 transposition. This system was reprogrammed to efficiently and specifically insert DNA both in vitro and into the Escherichia coli genome.

Science , this issue p. 48 ; see also p. 25