Use of cellular CRISPR (clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) spacer-based microarrays for detection of viruses in environmental samples.

ABSTRACT: It is currently difficult to detect unknown viruses in any given environment. The recent discovery of CRISPR (clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) loci within bacterial and archaeal cellular genomes may provide an alternative approach to detect new viruses. It has been shown that the spacer sequences between the direct repeat units of the CRISPR loci are often derived from viruses and likely function as guide sequences to protect the cell from viral infection. The spacer sequences within the CRISPR loci may therefore serve as a record of the viruses that have replicated within the cell. We have cataloged the CRISPR spacer sequences from cellular metagenomic data from high-temperature (>80°C), acidic (pH < 4) hot spring environments located in Yellowstone National Pa

SUBMITTER: Snyder JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2976250 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature