S. H. Sternberg

Arc represses gene expression in IS605-family transposons

It is shown that Arc acts as a transcriptional repressor to directly bind the transposon’s native promoter sequence regulating TnpA and TnpB gene expression, revealing a regulatory layer that may promote long-term persistence of IS605-family elements by keeping their activity in check.

Structural and genetic dissection of RNA-guided gene repression by TnpB-derived transcription factors

TnpB nucleases, the evolutionary progenitors of CRISPR-associated Cas12 enzymes, are transposon-encoded, RNA-guided endonucleases found throughout bacteria. Independent of the trajectory towards adaptive immunity, TnpB nucleases have also recurrently given rise to TnpB-like nuclease-dead repressors (TldRs), a family of...

Programmable enzymes for targeted gene insertion.