CellSep 23, 2018

How CRISPR-Cas13d Uses RNA to Cut Other RNA: The Structural Mechanism

CRISPR Gene Editing Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 25, 2026

Abstract

Cryoelectron microscopy structures of Cas13d revealed resolutions of 3.4 Å for the binary complex and 3.3 Å for the ternary complex.

Cas13d is a ribonuclease that uses guide RNAs to target and cleave specific RNA sequences.
The study provides detailed structural insights into the compact architecture of Cas13d.
Conformational dynamics observed in Cas13d may influence how it scans RNA.
Biochemical and cellular analyses contribute to understanding the RNA-guided targeting mechanism of Cas13d.
The findings may assist in designing more effective technologies for transcriptome engineering.

Simplified

CRISPR-Cas endonucleases directed against foreign nucleic acids mediate prokaryotic adaptive immunity and have been tailored for broad genetic engineering applications. Type VI-D CRISPR systems contain the smallest known family of single effector Cas enzymes, and their signature Cas13d ribonuclease employs guide RNAs to cleave matching target RNAs. To understand the molecular basis for Cas13d function and explain its compact molecular architecture, we resolved cryoelectron microscopy structures of Cas13d-guide RNA binary complex and Cas13d-guide-target RNA ternary complex to 3.4 and 3.3 Å resolution, respectively. Furthermore, a 6.5 Å reconstruction of apo Cas13d combined with hydrogen-deuterium exchange revealed conformational dynamics that have implications for RNA scanning. These structures, together with biochemical and cellular characterization, provide insights into its RNA-guided, RNA-targeting mechanism and delineate a blueprint for the rational design of improved transcriptome engineering technologies.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View Full Text ↗

How CRISPR-Cas13d Uses RNA to Cut Other RNA: The Structural Mechanism

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the crispr gene editing brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the crispr gene editing brief