Extended Data Fig. 4: Spacer targeting analyses of publicly available archaeal genomes.

Directed spacer analysis of 7,012 publicly available archaeal genomes (Supplementary Table 4) shows large clusters of spacers targeting at species level. The targeting spacers (edges) of the genomes Sulfolobus, Methanomicrobia and Halobacterium (nodes) form large clusters performing self-targeting or targeting other genomes of the same family. Edges are colored according to their relationship at least familiy level or lower. The clustering was illustrated with Cytoscape⁸³ (version 3.9.1). Please note that targeting within the same genus might limit the interspecies recombination, as demonstrated in haloarchaea³⁷, or reflect the presence of multiple conserved genomic regions between the genomes.