Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42079440›Full record

ReviewmLife2026

Recent advances in noncanonical inhibition mechanisms of anti-CRISPR proteins.

Lingguang Yang, Rongjun Luo, Wei Zhou, Peipei Yin, Yue Feng, Yi Zhang

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in mLife, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Lingguang YangYichun University Center for Innovative Technologies in Gene-Based Precision Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy Yichun University Yichun China.
Rongjun LuoYichun University Center for Innovative Technologies in Gene-Based Precision Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy Yichun University Yichun China.
Wei ZhouBloomage Biotechnology Co. Ltd. Jinan China.
Peipei YinYichun University Center for Innovative Technologies in Gene-Based Precision Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy Yichun University Yichun China.
Yue FengState Key Laboratory of Green Biomanufacturing, College of Life Science and Technology Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1576-1385
Yi ZhangState Key Laboratory of Green Biomanufacturing, College of Life Science and Technology Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8702-6005

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The CRISPR-Cas system constitutes an adaptive immune mechanism in prokaryotes that defends against mobile genetic elements. Within the perpetual co-evolutionary arms race between bacteria and their viral predators, bacteriophages encode anti-CRISPR (Acr) proteins that use sophisticated molecular strategies to sabotage CRISPR-Cas function. While canonical Acr proteins rely on steric blockade of Cas effectors, recent discoveries reveal unprecedented noncanonical mechanisms spanning CRISPR immunity stages. This review synthesizes recent mechanistic advances in this field since 2023, highlighting the expansion of noncanonical inhibition mechanisms beyond type I to include types II, V, and VI, as well as novel Acr interventions targeting multiple functional stages, such as spacer acquisition, translation-coupled inhibition, complex assembly/disassembly, and R-loop DNA binding. Structural insights demonstrate how Acr proteins achieve substoichiometric inhibition via conformational hijacking, catalytic repurposing, and molecular mimicry. Forged by the intense selective pressure of the phage-host conflict, these molecular innovations represent both remarkable evolutionary adaptations and versatile precision tools. They enable spatiotemporal control of CRISPR technologies, from engineered off-switches to diagnostic reset mechanisms, while posing critical challenges for therapeutic safety and microbiome management.

Indexed as

anti‐CRISPRCRISPR‐Casnoncanonical inhibitionphage–host arms racestructural mechanism

Identifiers

PMID42079440
PMCPMC13131331

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.