  CRISPR-Cas is a genetic adaptive immune system unique to prokaryotic cells
used to combat phage and plasmid threats. The host cell adapts by incorporating
DNA sequences from invading phages or plasmids into its CRISPR locus as
spacers. These spacers are expressed as mobile surveillance RNAs that direct
CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins to protect against subsequent attack by the
same phages or plasmids. The threat from mobile genetic elements inevitably
shapes the CRISPR loci of archaea and bacteria, and simultaneously the
CRISPR-Cas immune system drives evolution of these invaders. Here we highlight
our recent work, as well as that of others, that seeks to understand phage
mechanisms of CRISPR-Cas evasion and conditions for population coexistence of
phages with CRISPR-protected prokaryotes.
