Double kill : the DNase and RNase activity of CRISPR-Cas type III systems

Since the discovery of CRISPR-Cas immune systems astonishing progress has been made on revealing their mechanistic foundations. Due to the immense potential as genome engineering tools, research has mainly focused on a subset of Cas nucleases that target DNA. In addition, however, distinct types of RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas systems have been identified. The focus of my PhD thesis is on the interference and recognition mechanisms of the RNA targeting type III systems, their biological relevance and their potential for applications. The DNA substrate cleavage mechanism is studied and discussed as well.