A target expression threshold dictates invader defense and autoimmunity by CRISPR-Cas13 [RNA-seq]

The study investigates how varying target expression levels influences self-targeting and defense using Cas13a. We see how immunity is activated only over a target transcription threshold, which is variable between targets. A gRNA library targeting transcripts from the whole coding genome of E. coli MG1655 confirms the importance of the transcription threshold in determining immunity and shows that most of the cellular transcripts do not induce cytotoxicity. Overall design: RNA-seq of transcripts during early (OD 0.5) and late (OD 0.8) exponential growth phase from E. coli MG1655. Two biological replicates for each timepoint.