A built-in “hairpin” prevents rogue CRISPR RNAs
A research team at HIRI discovered that CRISPR-Cas13 systems produce an RNA-based 'hairpin' structure to prevent the formation of waste RNAs, known as ecrRNAs. This mechanism optimizes the system's interaction and enhances its efficacy in immune defense and gene editing.
SourceHelmholtz Centre for Infection Research·JournalThe EMBO Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 14, 2026