Genome-wide correlation analysis suggests different roles of CRISPR-Cas systems in the acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes in diverse species.

ABSTRACT: CRISPR-Cas systems are widespread in bacterial and archaeal genomes, and in their canonical role in phage defence they confer a fitness advantage. However, CRISPR-Cas may also hinder the uptake of potentially beneficial genes. This is particularly true under antibiotic selection, where preventing the uptake of antibiotic resistance genes could be detrimental. Newly discovered features within these evolutionary dynamics are anti-CRISPR genes, which inhibit specific CRISPR-Cas systems. We hypothesized that selection for antibiotic resistance might have resulted in an accumulation of anti-CRISPR genes in genomes that harbour CRISPR-Cas systems and horizontally acquired antibiotic resistance genes. To assess that question, we analysed correlations between the CRISPR-Cas, anti-CRISPR and antibi

SUBMITTER: Shehreen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6452267 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature