Type III CRISPR complexes from Thermus thermophilus

Acta Biochim Pol. 2016;63(2):377-86. doi: 10.18388/abp.2016_1261. Epub 2016 Jun 14.

Abstract

Pathogen-specific acquired immunity in bacteria is mediated by the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas systems. Thermus thermophilus strain HB8 contains CRISPR systems of several major subtypes (type I, IIIA and IIIB), and has become a widely studied model for CRISPR biology. We have selected two highly expressed CRISPR spacers, crRNA 2.1 and crRNA 2.2, and have enriched endogenous T. thermophilus proteins that co-purify with these crRNAs. Mass spectroscopy indicates that the chromatography protocol enriches predominantly Csm complex subunits, but also Cmr subunits. After several chromatographic steps, size exclusion chromatography indicated a molecular mass of the crRNA associated complex of 265±69 kDa. In agreement with earlier work, crRNAs of different lengths (containing the selected spacers) were observed. Most of these were completely lost when several T. thermophilus csm genes were ablated.

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Base Sequence
  • Chromatography, Gel
  • Chromatography, Ion Exchange
  • Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats*
  • Endonucleases / genetics
  • Endonucleases / isolation & purification*
  • Endonucleases / metabolism
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Molecular Weight
  • RNA, Bacterial / isolation & purification*
  • RNA, Bacterial / metabolism
  • Thermus thermophilus / genetics*
  • Thermus thermophilus / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • Endonucleases