Anti-CRISPR Proteins and Their Application to Control CRISPR Effectors in Mammalian Systems

CRISPR-Cas effectors are powerful tools for genome and transcriptome targeting and editing. Naturally, these protein-RNA complexes are part of the microbial innate immune system, which emerged from the evolutionary arms race between microbes and phages. This coevolution has also given rise to so-called anti-CRISPR (Acr) proteins that counteract the CRISPR-Cas adaptive immunity. Acrs constitutively block cognate CRISPR-Cas effectors, e.g., by interfering with guide RNA binding, target …