CRISPR-associated endonuclease Cas12a

UniProtKB accession:  U2UMQ6

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UniProtKB description:  CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat), is an adaptive immune system that provides protection against mobile genetic elements (viruses, transposable elements and conjugative plasmids). CRISPR clusters contain sequences complementary to antecedent mobile elements and target invading nucleic acids. CRISPR clusters are transcribed and processed into CRISPR RNA (crRNA). Recognizes a short motif in the CRISPR repeat sequences (the 5' PAM or protospacer adjacent motif, TTTN in this organism) to help distinguish self versus nonself, as targets within the bacterial CRISPR locus do not have PAMs (PubMed:26422227). Has dsDNA endonuclease activity, results in staggered 4-base 5' overhangs 19 and 22 bases downstream of the PAM on the non-targeted and targeted strand respectively (PubMed:26422227). Non-target strand cleavage by the RuvC domain is probably a prerequisite of target strand cleavage by the Nuc domain (PubMed:27114038). In this CRISPR system correct processing of pre-crRNA requires only this protein and the CRISPR locus (By similarity).