This July and August, we are introducing our Researcher Live mini-series on ‘Applications of CRISPR’! Join our third episode on 12th August at 11am BST / 10am GMT for a discussion with Dr Inga Songailiene, Vilnius University. Sign up here to receive email reminders for this series.
What are we going to talk about in this episode?
Under constant evolutionary pressure, bacteria developed a set of DNA and RNA-targeting systems to combat their invaders – bacteriophages. Fundamental research on these resistance mechanisms led to the discovery of molecular tools for genetic engineering, such as restriction enzymes, bacterial argonautes and CRISPR-Cas systems.
Current classification of CRISPR-Cas systems includes 2 classes. Class 1 contains multicomponenent RNP effector complexes (Cascade, Csy, Csm/Cmr complexes) whereas class 2 systems encode a single-subunit effector RNP (Cas9, Cas12, Cas13). However, most of the current applications are developed for class 2 effectors (Cas9, Cas12 and Cas13). In nature multisubunit RNA-guided class 1 CRISPR-Cas systems are the most widespread and diverse. Class 1 complexes target both DNA and RNA molecules. Applications of class 1 systems as an alternative to class 2 are currently emerging. The major applications include gene silencing/activation, large chromosomal deletions or detection of nucleic acids. Furthermore, CRISPR-Cas associated proteins are mostly found near class 1 CRISPR-Cas systems where they can further “boost” bacterial defense against phages. The key functions of class 1 complexes will be discussed in this talk.
Please follow Researcher Live’s profile ‘CRISPR Applications’ for updates on the topic and events!
Series programme:
- 11th July, 4pm BST / 3pm GMT - ‘Introduction to CRISPR, a family of proteins that is revolutionising genome editing’ with Dr Elisa Aguilar-Martinez, University of Manchester
- 19th July, 10am BST/ 9am BST - ‘Using CRISPR/Cas9 to Understand Gene Function in Zebrafish’ with Dr Jordi Cayuso, University of Wolverhampton.
- 12th August, 11am BST/10am GMT – ‘'Introduction to class 1 – CRISPR-Cas multiprotein effectors’' with Dr Inga Songailiene, Vilnius University
If you'd like to present at your own Researcher Live event, please email kristine.lennie@researcher-app.com
10:00 am - 11:00 am GMT+0
Dr Inga Songailiene, Vilnius University
Dr Inga Songailiene is a biochemist at Vilnius university, Lithuania. She defended her PhD thesis “Bacterial defense islands:CRISPR-Cas and toxin-antitoxin systems” in 2021 under supervision of Prof Virginijus Siksnys. In her PhD project she explored the mechanisms of action of type I CRISPR-Cas by single molecule and functional assays and CRISPR-Cas associated toxin-antitoxin systems (m/s, X-ray crystallography). She is interested in bacterial-phage conflicts and fundamental aspects of bacterial defense-related genes. From 2017 she is also teaching a course “CRISPR-Cas biology and applications” for MSc students where she supervises a lab work on genome editing in bacteria. In free time, she enjoys running and watching thrillers.
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