Abstract: CRISPR-Cas (the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated proteins) system acts as an adaptive immune system protects prokaryotes from viruses and plasmids that represented in mycobacterium tuberculosis. And there is evidence that CRISPR-Cas system modulates other processes-the genetic regulation of virulence and genome evolution. At the same time, modified CRISPR-Cas system constitutes a powerful tool for genetic engineering. CRISPR-Cas system shows unprecedented complexity and diversity. In this review, introduction the mechanism, application of genome engineering and recent progress in cas genes of type III-A CRISPR-Cas system are summarized for providing a theoretical basis for the study of mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Key words: mycobacterium tuberculosis, type III-A CRISPR-Cas system, gene editing technology, cas genes