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Related Concept Videos

The Antiviral System of Bacteria and Archaea: CRISPR01:23

The Antiviral System of Bacteria and Archaea: CRISPR

CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats is a adaptive immune system found in bacteria and archaea that protects against viral infections. This system enables prokaryotic cells to identify, remember, and neutralize foreign genetic elements, primarily bacteriophages, by storing fragments of the invader’s DNA as a genetic memory.The CRISPR immune response begins during an initial infection. Cas (CRISPR-associated) proteins play a central role in this defense.
CRISPR and crRNAs02:53

CRISPR and crRNAs

Bacteria and archaea are susceptible to viral infections just like eukaryotes; therefore, they have developed a unique adaptive immune system to protect themselves. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) are present in more than 45% of known bacteria and 90% of known archaea.
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
CRISPR01:59

CRISPR

Genome editing technologies allow scientists to modify an organism’s DNA via the addition, removal, or rearrangement of genetic material at specific genomic locations. These types of techniques could potentially be used to cure genetic disorders such as hemophilia and sickle cell anemia. One popular and widely used DNA-editing research tool that could lead to safe and effective cures for genetic disorders is the CRISPR-Cas9 system. CRISPR-Cas9 stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short...
CRISPR01:59

CRISPR

Genome editing technologies allow scientists to modify an organism’s DNA via the addition, removal, or rearrangement of genetic material at specific genomic locations. These types of techniques could potentially be used to cure genetic disorders such as hemophilia and sickle cell anemia. One popular and widely used DNA-editing research tool that could lead to safe and effective cures for genetic disorders is the CRISPR-Cas9 system. CRISPR-Cas9 stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short...
Viral Structure00:56

Viral Structure

Viruses are extraordinarily diverse in shape and size, but they all have several structural features in common. All viruses have a core that contains a DNA- or RNA-based genome. The core is surrounded by a protective coat of proteins called the capsid. The capsid is composed of subunits called capsomeres. The capsid and genome-containing core are together known as the nucleocapsid.
Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

Precise Phage Mutagenesis with NgTET-Assisted CRISPR-Cas Systems
10:52

Precise Phage Mutagenesis with NgTET-Assisted CRISPR-Cas Systems

Published on: October 14, 2025

Persisting viral sequences shape microbial CRISPR-based immunity.

Ariel D Weinberger1, Christine L Sun, Mateusz M Pluciński

  • 1Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America. ariel_weinberger@meei.harvard.edu

Plos Computational Biology
|April 26, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Prokaryotic Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) immune systems show remarkable genomic conservation, maintaining ancestral immunity against viruses. This unexpected stability in CRISPR loci, despite viral mutation and host evolution, provides an evolutionary advantage against persistent viruses.

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Substrate Generation for Endonucleases of CRISPR/Cas Systems
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Substrate Generation for Endonucleases of CRISPR/Cas Systems

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Selection-dependent and Independent Generation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Gene Knockouts in Mammalian Cells
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Selection-dependent and Independent Generation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Gene Knockouts in Mammalian Cells

Published on: June 16, 2017

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Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Precise Phage Mutagenesis with NgTET-Assisted CRISPR-Cas Systems
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Published on: October 14, 2025

Substrate Generation for Endonucleases of CRISPR/Cas Systems
11:53

Substrate Generation for Endonucleases of CRISPR/Cas Systems

Published on: September 8, 2012

Selection-dependent and Independent Generation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Gene Knockouts in Mammalian Cells
11:35

Selection-dependent and Independent Generation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Gene Knockouts in Mammalian Cells

Published on: June 16, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Prokaryotes possess innate immune systems, with Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) offering adaptive immunity.
  • CRISPR systems uniquely incorporate new immunities unidirectionally, storing a history of virus-host coevolution.
  • Studying CRISPR in natural, unculturable organisms is challenging due to their complex population dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To link the genomic dynamics of CRISPR loci to the population dynamics of viruses and hosts in natural microbial communities.
  • To investigate the mechanisms behind conserved CRISPR loci ('trailer-end conservation') and population-level identity ('trailer-end clonality').
  • To understand how CRISPR-mediated immunity evolves in response to persistent viral threats.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a population genetic mathematical model of CRISPR-virus coevolution.
  • Utilized six years of metagenomic sequencing data from an acid-mine drainage system.
  • Employed statistical clustering and model simulations to analyze genomic data and evolutionary dynamics.

Main Results:

  • CRISPR loci in acid-mine drainage communities exhibited base-pair conservation of ancestral immune elements over thousands of microbial generations.
  • Despite rapid viral mutation and host genomic deletion, 'trailer-end conservation' and 'trailer-end clonality' were observed in CRISPR loci.
  • Model simulations explained the lack of host immunological diversity by identifying rapid selective sweeps of highly immune CRISPR lineages.
  • Documented a viral bloom overwhelming a CRISPR system, linked to increased random genomic deletions in CRISPR loci, which purged immunological controls.

Conclusions:

  • Genomic conservation patterns in CRISPR loci are linked to an evolutionary advantage against persistent viruses.
  • Maintaining ancestral immunities allows selection to tune CRISPR-mediated immunity against reemerging viruses.
  • CRISPR systems demonstrate remarkable adaptability and evolutionary resilience in natural microbial ecosystems.