Anti-CRISPR protein AcrIIA26 (AcrIIA26)

Anti-CRISPR protein AcrIIA26 is a small, phage-derived protein that serves as a potent inhibitor of the Type II-A CRISPR-Cas9 system, specifically targeting the widely utilized Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) variant. It functions by binding to the Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complex, which sterically or conformationally prevents the complex from recognizing and binding to its cognate DNA target, thereby halting the gene-editing process (Source: PubMed: 31063461). In the context of biotechnology and gene therapy, AcrIIA26 is being developed as a precision regulatory tool or 'off-switch' to enhance the safety profile of CRISPR-based interventions. By controlling the timing and duration of Cas9 activity, it helps to minimize off-target mutations and reduce the risk of genomic instability or unintended immune responses in patients. This capability is particularly valuable for therapeutic applications where transient gene editing is required to treat genetic disorders without causing long-term damage to the host genome. While not a traditional drug target for small molecules, AcrIIA26 represents a critical component in the development of next-generation, safer genome engineering platforms (Source: Nature Chemical Biology, 2019).

Other names

AcrIIA26Anti-CRISPR IIA26AcrIIA26 protein

AcrIIA26 inhibits the CRISPR-Cas9 system by binding to the Cas9-sgRNA complex, which sterically or conformationally prevents the complex from recognizing and binding to its target DNA sequence (Source: PubMed: 31063461).