中国科学院微生物研究所李明课题组近日取得一项新成果。经过不懈努力，他们揭示了CRISPR-Cas调控嵌入的抗噬菌体防御系统的表达。该研究于2026年7月22日发表于国际一流学术期刊《自然》杂志上。

研究团队发现了CRISIS（CRISPR监督免疫系统），这是一种广泛的调控范式，I型CRISPR-Cas基因座嵌入并转录调节多种先天防御。小的非规范CRISPR RNA （crRNA）样RNA引导I-C CRISPR相关的抗病毒防御复合物（级联）效应复合物抑制多种免疫盒的启动子，包括复合多系统细胞，使其具有抗病毒活性的基础表达，同时减轻与过度激活相关的适应度成本，如宿主生长损伤或有益质粒的排除。当CRISPR-Cas被突变或抗CRISPR蛋白破坏时，这些嵌入式防御系统的转录就会爆发，以牺牲宿主的适应性为代价，导致更高水平的先天免疫。总的来说，适应性CRISPR-Cas系统将不同的先天免疫系统编排成一个分层的防御网络，包括原核生物的“免疫卫士”策略。

据悉，细菌利用多种防御系统来抵御有害的外来DNA，如噬菌体，但这些系统如何相互协调仍然知之甚少。

附：英文原文

Title: CRISPR–Cas regulates expression of embedded anti-phage defence systems

Author: Shu, Xian, Wang, Rui, Zhou, Xufei, Cheng, Feiyue, Ma, Jiayue, Li, Zhihua, Li, Xin, Wu, Tuozhan, Wu, Aici, Xue, Qiong, Liu, Chao, Zhao, Huiwei, Cao, Xifeng, Wang, Lin, Zhang, Shouyue, Zhang, Yan, Li, Ming

Issue&Volume: 2026-07-22

Abstract: Bacteria utilize diverse defence systems to protect against harmful foreign DNA such as bacteriophages1,2, but how these systems coordinate with each other remains poorly understood. Here we uncover CRISIS (CRISPR-supervised immune system), a widespread regulatory paradigm whereby type I CRISPR–Cas loci embed and transcriptionally modulate diverse innate defences. Small non-canonical CRISPR RNA (crRNA)-like RNAs guide the I-C CRISPR-associated complex for antiviral defence (Cascade) effector complex to inhibit promoters of diverse immune cassettes—including composite multi-system clusters—enabling their basal expression for antiviral activity while mitigating fitness costs associated with hyperactivation, such as host growth impairment or exclusion of beneficial plasmids. When CRISPR–Cas is compromised by mutation or anti-CRISPR proteins, there is a burst in transcription of these embedded defence systems, leading to higher-level innate immunity at the expense of host fitness. Together, adaptive CRISPR–Cas systems orchestrate diverse innate immune systems into a layered defence network, comprising a prokaryotic ‘immunity guard’ strategy.

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10833-9

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10833-9

期刊信息

Nature：《自然》，创刊于1869年。隶属于施普林格·自然出版集团，最新IF：69.504

官方网址：http://www.nature.com/

投稿链接：http://www.nature.com/authors/submit_manuscript.html