Coordination Funds

在这一优先计划的框架内，多达30个小组将为共同目标进行合作，以一致行动确定和描述CRISPR-Cas在防御之外的功能。CRISPR-Cas2系统在十年前就被确定为一种原核防御系统，而今天，我们知道这种分子机器还可以执行防御之外的其他功能[2-4]。据报道，CRISPR-Cas系统或其组成部分之一参与DNA修复、毒力调节和群体行为等。迄今为止，新的CRISPR-Cas功能主要是偶然发现的，缺乏检测新功能的系统方法。这个优先项目的目的是系统地寻找CRISPR-Cas系统在防御之外的功能。这一优先计划提供的协同作用需要有效地实现揭示和识别新的和额外的CRISPR-Cas功能的既定目标。来自不同学科的知名科学家团队，如微生物学，遗传学，医学微生物学，生物化学，生物物理学，生物信息学，生态学，结构生物学，分子动力学，单分子定位显微镜和单分子生物化学，使该计划真正跨学科，并将保证成功的结果。新发现的CRISPR-Cas系统的功能预示着令人兴奋的生物学发现和对新活动的惊人见解，并将开辟一些新的研究途径。这一协调优先计划的两个主要目标是：(1)使用古细菌和细菌的模型代表识别和研究新的CRISPR-Cas功能，而不仅仅是防御功能。(2)利用最先进的方法阐明这些新功能的分子机制。该计划将辅以一个伦理和公共宣传模块，以一种可理解的方式向社会传播CRISPR-Cas科学，并促进与公众讨论有争议的问题（例如，关于人类基因组编辑应用的问题）。

In the frame of this priority programme up to 30 groups1 will cooperate towards the common goal to identify and characterise CRISPR-Cas functions beyond defence in a concerted action. The CRISPR-Cas2 system has been identified as a prokaryotic defence system ten years ago [1] and today, we know that this molecular machine can also carry out other functions beyond defence [2-4]. The CRISPR-Cas systems or one of its components have been reported to be involved in DNA repair, virulence regulation and group behaviour to name a few. Up to date new CRISPR-Cas functions have primarily been discovered fortuitously and systematic approaches to detect new functions are lacking. The aim of this priority programme is to systematically search for functions of the CRISPR-Cas system beyond defence. The synergy provided by this priority programme is required to effectively achieve the set goals of unravelling and identifying new and additional CRISPR-Cas functions. A team of renowned scientists from different disciplines, such as microbiology, genetics, medical microbiology, biochemistry, biophysics, bioinformatics, ecology, structural biology, molecular dynamics, single-molecule localisation microscopy and single-molecule biochemistry, makes this programme truly interdisciplinary and will guarantee a successful outcome. The newly revealed functions of the CRISPR-Cas system promise exciting biological discoveries and surprising insights into the new activities and will open several novel avenues of research. The two major goals of this concerted priority programme are: (1) The identification and investigation of new CRISPR-Cas functions beyond defence using model representatives of archaea and bacteria. (2) The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying these novel functions using state-of-the-art methods. The programme will be supplemented by an ethics and public outreach module to communicate the science of CRISPR-Cas to society in a comprehensible manner and to facilitate the discussion of controversial issues with the public (e.g., for human genome editing applications).