CRISPR-Cas systems target endogenous genes to impact bacterial physiology and alter mammalian immune responses

CRISPR-Cas systems are an immune defense mechanism that is widespread in archaea and bacteria against invasive phages or foreign genetic elements. In the last decade, CRISPR-Cas systems have been a leading gene-editing tool for agriculture (plant engineering), biotechnology, and human health (e.g., diagnosis and treatment of cancers and genetic diseases), benefitted from unprecedented discoveries of basic bacterial research. However, the functional complexity of CRISPR systems is far beyond the original scope of immune defense. CRISPR-Cas systems are implicated in influencing the expression of physiology and virulence genes and subsequently altering the formation of bacterial biofilm, drug resistance, invasive potency as well as bacterial own physiological characteristics. Moreover, increasing evidence supports that bacterial CRISPR-Cas systems might intriguingly influence mammalian immune responses through targeting endogenous genes, especially those relating to virulence; however, unfortunately, their underlying mechanisms are largely unclear. Nevertheless, the interaction between bacterial CRISPR-Cas systems and eukaryotic cells is complex with numerous mysteries that necessitate further investigation efforts. Here, we summarize the non-canonical functions of CRISPR-Cas that potentially impact bacterial physiology, pathogenicity, antimicrobial resistance, and thereby altering the courses of mammalian immune responses.