CasX enzymes comprise a distinct family of RNA-guided genome editors

Jun-Jie (Gogo) Liu, PhD
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Dept. of Molecular Cell Biology | University of California, Berkeley, USA.
Tuesday, January 28, 2020 - 9:00am
MSB 2173
Faculty Recruitment Seminar
Abstract: 
Archaea and bacteria utilize CRISPR-Cas for adaptive immunity against invading nucleic acid. RNA-guided DNA binding and cutting have proven to be transformative tools for genome and epigenome editing across wide-ranging cell types and organisms. Despite extensive effort, just two kinds of CRISPR-Cas nucleases, Cas9 and Cas12a (Cpf1), provide the foundation for this revolutionary technology. Metagenomic analysis of microbial DNA from groundwater samples revealed a new protein, CasX which is a hybrid enzyme containing elements of both Cas9 and Cas12a as well as novel RNA folds and protein domains, establishing this enzyme family as the third CRISPR-Cas system effective for genetic manipulation. The compact size of CasX (<1000 amino acids), DNA cleavage characteristics and derivation from non-pathogenic microorganisms offer important advantages relative to existing genome editing technologies.
Host: 
Dr. Justin Nodwell
Department of Biochemistry Seminar