Scientists Discover Hundreds of New CRISPR Systems in Prokaryotic Genomes
CRISPR technology has revolutionized genetic manipulation in laboratory studies and agriculture, and it has recently been approved for use in treating genetic diseases in humans. Now, a group of researchers has developed a new tool to search genomes for CRISPR-Cas-like systems, and the results are incredibly promising.
The CRISPR-Cas system has now been found to be incredibly diverse and flexible with over 188 new CRISPR-Cas systems discovered. Many of these systems are rare and have only appeared in the genome in the past 10 years, emphasizing the need for continual addition of environmental samples to data repositories.
These newly discovered CRISPR systems bring with them exciting possibilities. Some of the Cas enzymes found have never-before-seen domains, and some appear to be fusions with known genes. Scientists have also identified proteins with varying functions linked to CRISPR arrays, indicating the mix-n-match nature of the evolution of these systems.
The research not only found novel proteins associated with CRISPR arrays, but also discovered other RNA-guided systems that are not associated with cas enzymes. The functionality of these RNA-guided systems is still unknown, but there is speculation that they are involved in defense similar to CRISPR.
Overall, the research provides a new “catalog of RNA-guided proteins that expand our understanding of the biology and evolution of these systems and provide a starting point for the development of new biotechnologies.” The results reveal the vastness and untapped potential of Earth’s biodiversity and serve as a resource for future exploration.
The study is published in the journal Science and its findings open up a world of possibilities for the future of genetic manipulation and research.