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De novo design of potent CRISPR-Cas13 inhibitors

Taveneau, C.; Chai, H. X.; D'Silva, J.; Bamert, R. S.; Hayes, B. K.; Calvert, R. W.; Curwen, D. J.; Munder, F.; Martin, L. L.; Barr, J. J.; Grinter, R.; Knott, G. J.

2024-12-06 biochemistry
10.1101/2024.12.05.626932 bioRxiv
Show abstract

CRISPR-Cas systems are transformative tools for gene editing which can be tuned or controlled by anti-CRISPRs (Acrs) - phage derived inhibitors that regulate CRISPR-Cas activity. However, Acrs that are capable of inhibiting biotechnologically relevant CRISPR systems are relatively rare and challenging to discover. To overcome this limitation, we describe a highly successful, rapid, and generalisable approach that leverages de novo protein design to develop new-to-nature proteins for controlling CRISPR-Cas activity. Using CRISPR-Cas13 as a representative example, we demonstrate that AI-designed anti-CRISPRs (AIcrs) are capable of highly potent and specific inhibition of CRISPR-Cas13 proteins. We present a comprehensive workflow for design validation and demonstrate AIcrs functionality in controlling CRISPR-Cas13 activity in bacteria. The ability to design bespoke inhibitors of Cas effectors will contribute to the ongoing development of CRISPR-Cas tools in diverse applications across research, medicine, agriculture, and microbiology.

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