细菌在适应噬菌体攻击的过程中, 进化了多种防御系统, 噬菌体在细菌的选择压力下, 也在不断进化反防御策略, 双方的这种进化关系与发生机制一直尚不完全清楚。近年在细菌和古细菌中发现一种新的免疫防御系统, 即CRISPR-Cas(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated system)系统。在对其功能和作用机制深入研究的同时, 也不断地揭示了细菌和噬菌体之间的共进化关系。为此, 文章在介绍原核细胞中CRISPR-Cas系统介导的免疫机制基础上, 重点综述了CRISPR系统在细菌和噬菌体进化中的作用。

In response to the challenge from phages, bacteria evolve a number of defense systems against phage invasion. Meanwhile, the phages evolve multiple counter-defense mechanism as well under the selection pressure from bacteria. The evolution relationship between bacteria and phages, as well as the functional mechanism, still remains to be uncovered. A novel immune system, CRISPR-Cas system, has been found in bacteria and archaea recently. With deeply research of the function and mechanism of CRISPR-Cas system, the coevolution relationship between bacteria and phages is becoming clear. In this review, the mechanism of CRISPR-Cas system-mediated immunity in prokaryotes is introduced. In particular, the progress on the role of CRISPR in the coevolution of bacteria and phage is reviewed.