The clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system in bacterial cells has been called the "immune" system of bacteria. CRISPR protect bacteria from a repeat infection from the same phage because bacterial cells
A) recognize proteins on the surface of the phage and secrete enzymes that digest the phage.
B) recognize proteins on the surface of the phage and secrete proteins that block the binding of the phage.
C) integrate fragments from the phage DNA in their own chromosomes and target for destruction any DNA that contains the same fragments in the future.
D) modify the attachment sites for the phages so that new infections cannot take place.
E) integrate fragments from the phage RNA in their own chromosomes and target for destruction any RNA that contains the same fragments in the future.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The CRISPR system works by incorporating short fragments from the phage DNA into the bacterial chromosome. These fragments act as a memory of the previous infection, and if the bacteria are exposed to the same virus in the future, they use these fragments to guide a protein called Cas9 to cleave and destroy the viral DNA. This ensures that the bacteria are protected from future infections by the same phage.

The Clustered, Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) System in Bacterial