Cas9
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyCharacterization of a Type II-A CRISPR-Cas System in Streptococcus mutansCRISPR-Cas is one of the mechanisms used by bacteria to defend against viral predation. Increasing our knowledge of the biology and diversity of CRISPR-Cas systems will also improve our understanding of virus-bacterium interactions. As CRISPR-Cas systems acquiring novel immunities under laboratory conditions are rare, Streptococcus mutans strain P42S provides an...
Observation | Therapeutics and PreventionNonclassical Biofilms Induced by DNA Breaks in Klebsiella pneumoniaeMany pathogenic bacteria can form biofilm matrices that consist of complex molecules such as polysaccharides, proteins, and DNA. These biofilms help the bacteria to infect and colonize a host. Such biofilms may attach and develop on the surfaces of indwelling medical devices or other supportive environments. This study found that following double-strand breaks in their DNA, ...
Editor's Pick Resource Report | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyA Universal, Genomewide GuideFinder for CRISPR/Cas9 Targeting in Microbial GenomesWith the explosion in our understanding of human and environmental microbial diversity, corresponding efforts to understand gene function in these organisms are strongly needed. CRISPR/Cas9 technology has revolutionized interrogation of gene function in a wide variety of model organisms. Efficient CRISPR guide design is required for systematic gene targeting. However, existing tools are not adapted for the broad needs of microbial...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyOptimizing Systems for Cas9 Expression in Toxoplasma gondiiToxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that causes life-threatening disease in immunocompromised patients and affects the developing fetus when contracted during pregnancy. Closely related species cause malaria and severe diarrhea, thereby constituting leading causes for childhood mortality. Despite their importance to global health, this family of parasites...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyAn Efficient, Rapid, and Recyclable System for CRISPR-Mediated Genome Editing in Candida albicansCandida albicans is the major fungal pathogen of humans and is the subject of intense biomedical and discovery research. Until recently, the pace of research in this field has been hampered by the lack of efficient methods for genome editing. We report the development of a highly efficient and flexible genome editing system for use with...