A noncontiguous code for RNA-guided DNA recognition at the origin of CRISPR-Cas.
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Viral Interference Programmable Repeat (VIPR) systems reveal a noncontiguous RNA code for DNA recognition, shedding light on the origin of CRISPR-Cas immunity.
- Why it matters: Understanding how RNA-guided DNA recognition evolved is crucial for comprehending adaptive immunity mechanisms and developing novel biotechnologies. This work addresses the gap in knowledge about the earliest CRISPR-Cas effectors and their origins.
- What they did: The study identified VIPR systems, including ancestral Vipr proteins and vrRNAs with GGY/NN motifs, and demonstrated their ability to recognize DNA via a noncontiguous, gapped code, enabling programmable phage defense.
- The result: Findings suggest that ancient viral warfare shaped adaptive immunity, and the noncontiguous coding logic may inform future engineering of RNA-guided DNA targeting systems.