Spacer Acquisition Rates Determine the Immunological Diversity of the Type II CRISPR-Cas Immune Response (Cell Host & Microbe)

Heler et al. investigate the pattern of new spacers that result from the type II CRISPR-Cas immune response against phage infection. They found that the spacer distribution pattern, which is established early during phage infection, is consistent and determined mainly by the spacers` rate of acquisition, but not their targeting efficiency.