Transposon end recognition and excision mechanisms of type I-F CRISPR-associated transposases

Abstract

CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs) are Tn7-like elements that have co-opted RNA-guided CRISPR effectors for targeted DNA insertion. CASTs have been adapted as genome editing tools for programmable, site-specific integration. Among them, the type I-F system from Pseudoalteromonas (PseCAST) shows uniquely robust activity in human cells, yet its mechanistic basis remains poorly understood. Here, we present structural and biochemical analysis of the PseCAST transposase TnsAB. Biochemical reconstitution of transposon DNA excision defines key characteristics of the transposition mechanism. Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of PseTnsAB paired-end complexes reveal molecular determinants of transpososome assembly, transposon end recognition and cleavage. We validate these findings using biochemical and in vivo assays of structure-based transposase mutants, and provide mechanistic insights into the enhanced activity of a laboratory-evolved TnsAB variant. Together, our studies highlight molecular features underlying the efficiency of natural and engineered type I-F transposases and establish a mechanistic framework for their continued rational optimization.