Bacterial defense systems have emerged as a rich source of tools for genome engineering, with CRISPR-Cas and retron systems offering distinct yet complementary mechanisms for genetic manipulation
Bacterial defense systems have emerged as a rich source of tools for genome engineering, with CRISPR-Cas and retron systems offering distinct yet complementary mechanisms for genetic manipulation. This seminar explores the diversity of these defense strategies, focusing on the repurposing of CRISPR-associated transposases (CAST) and retrons for genome editing applications. CRISPR-Cas systems, particularly CAST complexes, combine RNA-guided targeting with transposase-mediated DNA integration, enabling precise, programmable insertions without double-stranded breaks. In parallel, retrons—bacterial retroelements composed of a reverse transcriptase and structured RNA—synthesize multicopy single-stranded DNA (msDNA), which we harness as in situ donor templates for homology-directed repair and other recombineering strategies. Our research demonstrates how both CAST and retron-based tools can be deployed independently or in tandem to expand the scope of programmable genome editing, particularly in contexts where traditional CRISPR methods face limitations in specificity, efficiency, or host compatibility. By leveraging the distinct molecular mechanisms of these systems, this study underscores the value of bacterial immune innovations in driving next-generation synthetic biology and therapeutic technologies.
Ponente del seminario: Guillermo Montoya
Fecha del seminario: 04/07/2025 12:00
Lugar del seminario: Salon de Actos