Structure of the Cmr2-Cmr3 Subcomplex of the Cmr RNA Silencing Complex

SummaryThe Cmr complex is an RNA-guided effector complex that cleaves invader RNA in the prokaryotic immune response mediated by the CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat)-Cas system. Here, we report the crystal structure of a Cmr subcomplex containing Cmr2 (Cas10) and Cmr3 subunits at 2.8 Å resolution. The structure revealed a dual ferredoxin fold and glycine-rich loops characteristic of previously known repeat-associated mysterious proteins and two unique insertion elements in Cmr3 that mediate its interaction with Cmr2. Surprisingly, while mutation of both insertion elements significantly weakened Cmr3-Cmr2 interaction, they exhibit differential effects on Cmr-mediated RNA cleavage by the Cmr complex, suggesting stabilization of Cmr2-Cmr3 interactions by other subunits. Further mutational analysis of the two conserved (but non-Cmr2-binding) glycine-rich loops of Cmr3 identified a region that is likely involved in assembly or the RNA cleavage function of the Cmr complex.

► Cmr3 has two ferredoxin fold domains and a large insertion domain ► Cmr3 resembles Cas6 and Cse3 ► Cmr3 uses insertions to its ferredoxin folds to interact with Cmr2 ► Cmr3 plays an important role in the assembly of the Cmr RNP complex