The Expanding Class 2 CRISPR Toolbox: Diversity, licability, and Targeting Drawbacks

Abstract

The class 2 clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas system, one of the prokaryotic adaptive immune systems, has sparked a lot of attention for its use as a gene editing tool. Currently, type II, V, and VI effector modules of this class have been characterized and extensively tested for nucleic acid editing, imaging, and disease diagnostics. Due to the unique composition of their nuclease catalytic center, the effector modules substantially vary in their function and possible biotechnology applications. In this review, we discuss the structural and functional diversity in class 2 CRISPR effectors, and debate their suitability for nucleic acid targeting and their shortcomings as gene editing tools. Show more