‘TREASURE TROVE’ OF NEW CRISPR SYSTEMS HOLDS PROMISE FOR GENOME EDITING

Summary from the TLDR newsletter

Researchers used an algorithm to sort through millions of genomes to find new rare types of CRISPR systems that could eventually be adopted into genome-editing tools. Single-celled bacteria and archaea use CRISPR systems to defend themselves against bacteriophages. The algorithm helped scientists identify the code for an entirely unknown CRISPR system that targets RNA. Researchers will be able to use the algorithm to look for other types of protein across species.