Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
Phage-mediated Delivery of Targeted sRNA Constructs to Knock Down Gene Expression in E. coli
Published on: March 20, 2016
RNA-guided genetic silencing systems in bacteria and archaea
Blake Wiedenheft1, Samuel H Sternberg, Jennifer A Doudna
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 4000 Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815-6789, USA.
Abstract:
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) are essential components of nucleic-acid-based adaptive immune systems that are widespread in bacteria and archaea. Similar to RNA interference (RNAi) pathways in eukaryotes, CRISPR-mediated immune systems rely on small RNAs for sequence-specific detection and silencing of foreign nucleic acids, including viruses and plasmids. However, the mechanism of RNA-based bacterial immunity is distinct from RNAi. Understanding how small RNAs are used to find and destroy foreign nucleic acids will provide new insights into the diverse mechanisms of RNA-controlled genetic silencing systems.
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