Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40595537›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Deep mutational scanning identifies Cas1 and Cas2 variants that enhance type II-A CRISPR-Cas spacer acquisition.

Raphael Hofmann, Calvin Herman, Charlie Y Mo, Jacob Mathai, Luciano A Marraffini

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Raphael HofmannLaboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA. rhofmann@rockefeller.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9769-6555
Calvin HermanLaboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
Charlie Y MoLaboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-3535-6734
Jacob MathaiLaboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
Luciano A MarraffiniLaboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA. marraffini@rockefeller.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9163-0969

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A remarkable feature of CRISPR-Cas systems is their ability to acquire short sequences from invading viruses to create a molecular record of infection. These sequences, called spacers, are inserted into the CRISPR locus and mediate sequence-specific immunity in prokaryotes. In type II-A CRISPR systems, Cas1, Cas2 and Csn2 form a supercomplex with Cas9 to integrate viral sequences. While the structure of the integrase complex has been described, a detailed functional analysis of the spacer acquisition machinery is lacking. We developed a genetic system that combines deep mutational scanning (DMS) of Streptococcus pyogenes cas genes with a method to select bacteria that acquire new spacers. Here, we show that this procedure reveals key interactions at the Cas1-Cas2 interface critical for spacer integration, identifies Cas variants with enhanced spacer acquisition and immunity against phage infection, and provides insights into the molecular determinants of spacer acquisition, offering a platform to improve CRISPR-Cas-based applications.

Indexed as

Bacterial ProteinsCRISPR-Associated ProteinsCRISPR-Cas SystemsEndonucleasesStreptococcus pyogenesBacteriophagesClustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic RepeatsMutationBacterial ProteinsCRISPR-Associated ProteinsEndonucleases

Identifiers

PMID40595537
PMCPMC12216489

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.