Architecture of a DNA-guided Cas12a.

Rodrigo Fregoso Ocampo, Carlos Orosco, Boyu Huang, Madeline S West, Bay Parker, Piyush K Jain, David W Taylor

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Nature structural & molecular biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

Update of
Architecture of a DNA-guided Cas12a.2026

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Rodrigo Fregoso Ocampo *Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-0951-8975

Carlos Orosco *Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-4865-2300

Boyu HuangDepartment of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2646-7656

Madeline S WestDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-6299-5145

Bay ParkerDepartment of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.

Piyush K JainDepartment of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. Jainp@ufl.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7153-442X

David W TaylorDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. dtaylor@utexas.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6198-1194

Funding

Discovery and engineering of CRISPR/Cas systemsR35GM147788 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · PI Piyush K Jain · 2022 to 2026

$1.8M

A rapid CRISPR-based self-testing platform for early detection of HIVR61AI181016 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · PI Piyush K Jain · 2024 to 2026

$1.3M

NIAID NIH HHS R61 AI181016NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM147788

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

CRISPR-Cas systems have largely been restricted to RNA-guided nucleases. Here, we present the cryo-electron microscopy structure of Acidaminococcus sp. Cas12a bound to a pseudo-DNA (ΨDNA) guide and RNA target, revealing how Cas12a can accomplish DNA-guided RNA recognition. The ΨDNA hairpin bridges the recognition and nuclease lobes, mimicking a PAM-proximal duplex and positioning the spacer to allow formation of a canonical RNA-DNA heteroduplex along the recognition lobe. This provides a structural framework for its activity and provides a potential blueprint for future engineering.

Identifiers

PMID42717063

DOI10.1038/s41587-026-03120-5

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.