CRISPR-Cas10: The Protein That Attacks RNA & DNA at the Same Time! 🧬⚡

Added: 2026-05-29

[00:00:00]CRISPR-Cas 10 is the signature protein of type three CRISPR-Cas systems found in bacteria and archaea.

[00:00:07]Unlike Cas9, which targets DNA alone, Cas10 does something remarkable. It attacks both RNA and DNA simultaneously.

[00:00:15]When the CRISPR complex binds a matching RNA target, Cas10 activates two distinct enzymatic functions. It degrades the invading DNA strand, and it synthesizes cyclic oligoadenylate molecules, small signaling rings that trigger a broader immune alarm inside the cell.

[00:00:31]This dual-layered defense makes type three systems one of the most sophisticated immune mechanisms in the microbial world, and researchers are now exploring Cas10's unique chemistry for next-generation RNA targeting diagnostic tools.