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Farboud B. Targeted genome editing in Caenorhabditis elegans using CRISPR/Cas9. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2017; 6. [PMID: 28810059 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 06/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Utilization of programmable nucleases to generate DNA lesions at precise endogenous sequences has transformed the ability to edit genomes from microbes to plants and animals. This is especially true in organisms that previously lacked the means to engineer precise genomic changes, like Caenorhabditis elegans. C. elegans is a 1 mm long free-living, nonparasitic, nematode worm, which is easily cultivated in a laboratory. Its detailed genetic map and relatively compact genome (~100 megabases) helped make it the first metazoan to have its entire genome sequenced. With detailed sequence information came development of numerous molecular tools to dissect gene function. Initially absent from this toolbox, however, were methods to make precise edits at chosen endogenous loci. Adapting site-specific nucleases for use in C. elegans, revolutionized studies of C. elegans biology. Zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and then CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) were used to target specific endogenous DNA sequences to make double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). Precise changes could be engineered by providing repair templates targeting the DSB in trans. The ease of programming Cas9 to bind and cleave DNA sequences with few limitations has led to its widespread use in C. elegans research and sped the development of strategies to facilitate mutant recovery. Numerous innovative CRISPR/Cas9 methodologies are now primed for use in C. elegans. WIREs Dev Biol 2017, 6:e287. doi: 10.1002/wdev.287 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behnom Farboud
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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52
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Klemm T, Mannuß A, Kobbe D, Knoll A, Trapp O, Dorn A, Puchta H. The DNA translocase RAD5A acts independently of the other main DNA repair pathways, and requires both its ATPase and RING domain for activity in Arabidopsis thaliana. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 91:725-740. [PMID: 28509359 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Multiple pathways exist to repair DNA damage induced by methylating and crosslinking agents in Arabidopsis thaliana. The SWI2/SNF2 translocase RAD5A, the functional homolog of budding yeast Rad5 that is required for the error-free branch of post-replicative repair, plays a surprisingly prominent role in the repair of both kinds of lesions in Arabidopsis. Here we show that both the ATPase domain and the ubiquitination function of the RING domain of the Arabidopsis protein are essential for the cellular response to different forms of DNA damage. To define the exact role of RAD5A within the complex network of DNA repair pathways, we crossed the rad5a mutant line with mutants of different known repair factors of Arabidopsis. We had previously shown that RAD5A acts independently of two main pathways of replication-associated DNA repair defined by the helicase RECQ4A and the endonuclease MUS81. The enhanced sensitivity of all double mutants tested in this study indicates that the repair of damaged DNA by RAD5A also occurs independently of nucleotide excision repair (AtRAD1), single-strand break repair (AtPARP1), as well as microhomology-mediated double-strand break repair (AtTEB). Moreover, RAD5A can partially complement for a deficient AtATM-mediated DNA damage response in plants, as the double mutant shows phenotypic growth defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Klemm
- Botanical Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 12, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | | | - Daniela Kobbe
- Botanical Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 12, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Alexander Knoll
- Botanical Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 12, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | | | - Annika Dorn
- Botanical Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 12, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Holger Puchta
- Botanical Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 12, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
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53
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González-Huici V, Wang B, Gartner A. A Role for the Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay Pathway in Maintaining Genome Stability in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2017; 206:1853-1864. [PMID: 28634159 PMCID: PMC5560793 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.117.203414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Ionizing radiation (IR) is commonly used in cancer therapy and is a main source of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), one of the most toxic forms of DNA damage. We have used Caenorhabditis elegans as an invertebrate model to identify novel factors required for repair of DNA damage inflicted by IR. We have performed an unbiased genetic screen, finding that smg-1 mutations confer strong hyper-sensitivity to IR. SMG-1 is a phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) involved in mediating nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) of transcripts containing premature stop codons and related to the ATM and ATR kinases which are at the apex of DNA damage signaling pathways. Hyper-sensitivity to IR also occurs when other genes mediating NMD are mutated. The hyper-sensitivity to bleomycin, a drug known to induce DSBs, further supports that NMD pathway mutants are defective in DSB repair. Hyper-sensitivity was not observed upon treatment with alkylating agents or UV irradiation. We show that SMG-1 mainly acts in mitotically dividing germ cells, and during late embryonic and larval development. Based on epistasis experiments, SMG-1 does not appear to act in any of the three major pathways known to mend DNA DSBs, namely homologous recombination (HR), nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ), and microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ). We speculate that SMG-1 kinase activity could be activated following DNA damage to phosphorylate specific DNA repair proteins and/or that NMD inactivation may lead to aberrant mRNAs leading to synthesis of malfunctioning DNA repair proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor González-Huici
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, University of Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Bin Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, University of Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Anton Gartner
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, University of Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
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54
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Blackford AN, Jackson SP. ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK: The Trinity at the Heart of the DNA Damage Response. Mol Cell 2017; 66:801-817. [PMID: 28622525 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1189] [Impact Index Per Article: 169.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
In vertebrate cells, the DNA damage response is controlled by three related kinases: ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK. It has been 20 years since the cloning of ATR, the last of the three to be identified. During this time, our understanding of how these kinases regulate DNA repair and associated events has grown profoundly, although major questions remain unanswered. Here, we provide a historical perspective of their discovery and discuss their established functions in sensing and responding to genotoxic stress. We also highlight what is known regarding their structural similarities and common mechanisms of regulation, as well as emerging non-canonical roles and how our knowledge of ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK is being translated to benefit human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N Blackford
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK; Cancer Research UK and Medical Research Council Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK; Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK.
| | - Stephen P Jackson
- Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK; Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK.
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55
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Malaby AW, Martin SK, Wood RD, Doublié S. Expression and Structural Analyses of Human DNA Polymerase θ (POLQ). Methods Enzymol 2017; 592:103-121. [PMID: 28668117 PMCID: PMC5624038 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2017.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
DNA polymerase theta (pol θ) is an evolutionarily conserved protein encoded by the POLQ gene in mammalian genomes. Pol θ is the defining enzyme for a pathway of DSB repair termed "alternative end-joining" (altEJ) or "theta-mediated end-joining." This pathway contributes significantly to the radiation resistance of mammalian cells. It also modulates accuracy in repair of breaks that occur at stalled DNA replication forks, during diversification steps of the mammalian immune system, during repair of CRISPR-Cas9, and in many DNA integration events. Pol θ is a potentially important clinical target, particularly for cancers deficient in other break repair strategies. The enzyme is uniquely able to mediate joining of single-stranded 3' ends. Because of these unusual biochemical properties and its therapeutic importance, it is essential to study structures of pol θ bound to DNA. However, challenges for expression and purification are presented by the large size of pol θ (2590 residues in humans) and unusual juxtaposition of domains (a helicase-like domain and distinct DNA polymerase, separated by a region predicted to be largely disordered). Here we summarize work on the expression and purification of the full-length protein, and then focus on the design, expression, and purification of an active C-terminal polymerase fragment. The generation of this active construct was nontrivial and time consuming. Almost all published biochemical work to date has been performed with this domain fragment. Strategies to obtain and improve crystals of a ternary pol θ complex (enzyme:DNA:nucleotide) are also presented, along with key elements of the structure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara K Martin
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX, United States; MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Richard D Wood
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX, United States; MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, United States
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56
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Ben-David E, Burga A, Kruglyak L. A maternal-effect selfish genetic element in Caenorhabditis elegans. Science 2017; 356:1051-1055. [PMID: 28495877 DOI: 10.1126/science.aan0621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Selfish genetic elements spread in natural populations and have an important role in genome evolution. We discovered a selfish element causing embryonic lethality in crosses between wild strains of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans The element is made up of sup-35, a maternal-effect toxin that kills developing embryos, and pha-1, its zygotically expressed antidote. pha-1 has long been considered essential for pharynx development on the basis of its mutant phenotype, but this phenotype arises from a loss of suppression of sup-35 toxicity. Inactive copies of the sup-35/pha-1 element show high sequence divergence from active copies, and phylogenetic reconstruction suggests that they represent ancestral stages in the evolution of the element. Our results suggest that other essential genes identified by genetic screens may turn out to be components of selfish elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Ben-David
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Chemistry, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Alejandro Burga
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Chemistry, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Leonid Kruglyak
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Chemistry, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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57
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van Bostelen I, Tijsterman M. Combined loss of three DNA damage response pathways renders C. elegans intolerant to light. DNA Repair (Amst) 2017; 54:55-62. [PMID: 28472716 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Infliction of DNA damage initiates a complex cellular reaction - the DNA damage response - that involves both signaling and DNA repair networks with many redundancies and parallel pathways. Here, we reveal the three strategies that the simple multicellular eukaryote, C. elegans, uses to deal with DNA damage induced by light. Separately inactivating repair or replicative bypass of photo-lesions results in cellular hypersensitivity towards UV-light, but impeding repair of replication associated DNA breaks does not. Yet, we observe an unprecedented synergistic relationship when these pathways are inactivated in combination. C. elegans mutants that lack nucleotide excision repair (NER), translesion synthesis (TLS) and alternative end joining (altEJ) grow undisturbed in the dark, but become sterile when grown in light. Even exposure to very low levels of normal daylight impedes animal growth. We show that NER and TLS operate to suppress the formation of lethal DNA breaks that require polymerase theta-mediated end joining (TMEJ) for their repair. Our data testifies to the enormous genotoxicity of light and to the demand of multiple layers of protection against an environmental threat that is so common.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo van Bostelen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Tijsterman
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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58
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Abstract
The advent of genome editing techniques based on the clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 system has revolutionized research in the biological sciences. CRISPR is quickly becoming an indispensible experimental tool for researchers using genetic model organisms, including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we provide an overview of CRISPR-based strategies for genome editing in C. elegans. We focus on practical considerations for successful genome editing, including a discussion of which strategies are best suited to producing different kinds of targeted genome modifications.
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59
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Vriend LEM, Krawczyk PM. Nick-initiated homologous recombination: Protecting the genome, one strand at a time. DNA Repair (Amst) 2016; 50:1-13. [PMID: 28087249 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2016.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Homologous recombination (HR) is an essential, widely conserved mechanism that utilizes a template for accurate repair of DNA breaks. Some early HR models, developed over five decades ago, anticipated single-strand breaks (nicks) as initiating lesions. Subsequent studies favored a more double-strand break (DSB)-centered view of HR initiation and at present this pathway is primarily considered to be associated with DSB repair. However, mounting evidence suggests that nicks can indeed initiate HR directly, without first being converted to DSBs. Moreover, recent studies reported on novel branches of nick-initiated HR (nickHR) that rely on single-, rather than double-stranded repair templates and that are characterized by mechanistically and genetically unique properties. The physiological significance of nickHR is not well documented, but its high-fidelity nature and low mutagenic potential are relevant in recently developed, precise gene editing approaches. Here, we review the evidence for stimulation of HR by nicks, as well as the data on the interactions of nickHR with other DNA repair pathways and on its mechanistic properties. We conclude that nickHR is a bona-fide pathway for nick repair, sharing the molecular machinery with the canonical HR but nevertheless characterized by unique properties that secure its inclusion in DNA repair models and warrant future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne E M Vriend
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Przemek M Krawczyk
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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60
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Diving into marine genomics with CRISPR/Cas9 systems. Mar Genomics 2016; 30:55-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2016.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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61
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Ge DT, Tipping C, Brodsky MH, Zamore PD. Rapid Screening for CRISPR-Directed Editing of the Drosophila Genome Using white Coconversion. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2016; 6:3197-3206. [PMID: 27543296 PMCID: PMC5068941 DOI: 10.1534/g3.116.032557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Adoption of a streamlined version of the bacterial clustered regular interspersed short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 defense system has accelerated targeted genome engineering. The Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 protein, directed by a simplified, CRISPR-like single-guide RNA, catalyzes a double-stranded DNA break at a specific genomic site; subsequent repair by end joining can introduce mutagenic insertions or deletions, while repair by homologous recombination using an exogenous DNA template can incorporate new sequences at the target locus. However, the efficiency of Cas9-directed mutagenesis is low in Drosophila melanogaster Here, we describe a strategy that reduces the time and effort required to identify flies with targeted genomic changes. The strategy uses editing of the white gene, evidenced by altered eye color, to predict successful editing of an unrelated gene-of-interest. The red eyes of wild-type flies are readily distinguished from white-eyed (end-joining-mediated loss of White function) or brown-eyed (recombination-mediated conversion to the whitecoffee allele) mutant flies. When single injected G0 flies produce individual G1 broods, flies carrying edits at a gene-of-interest were readily found in broods in which all G1 offspring carried white mutations. Thus, visual assessment of eye color substitutes for wholesale PCR screening of large numbers of G1 offspring. We find that end-joining-mediated mutations often show signatures of microhomology-mediated repair and that recombination-based mutations frequently involve donor plasmid integration at the target locus. Finally, we show that gap repair induced by two guide RNAs more reliably converts the intervening target sequence, whereas the use of Lig4169 mutants to suppress end joining does not improve recombination efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Tianfang Ge
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605 Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Cindy Tipping
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Michael H Brodsky
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Phillip D Zamore
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
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62
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Carvalho AB, Dupim EG, Goldstein G. Improved assembly of noisy long reads by k-mer validation. Genome Res 2016; 26:1710-1720. [PMID: 27831497 PMCID: PMC5131822 DOI: 10.1101/gr.209247.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Genome assembly depends critically on read length. Two recent technologies, from Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) and Oxford Nanopore, produce read lengths >20 kb, which yield de novo genome assemblies with vastly greater contiguity than those based on Sanger, Illumina, or other technologies. However, the very high error rates of these two new technologies (∼15% per base) makes assembly imprecise at repeats longer than the read length and computationally expensive. Here we show that the contiguity and quality of the assembly of these noisy long reads can be significantly improved at a minimal cost, by leveraging on the low error rate and low cost of Illumina short reads. Namely, k-mers from the PacBio raw reads that are not present in Illumina reads (which account for ∼95% of the distinct k-mers) are deemed sequencing errors and ignored at the seed alignment step. By focusing on the ∼5% of k-mers that are error free, read overlap sensitivity is dramatically increased. Of equal importance, the validation procedure can be extended to exclude repetitive k-mers, which prevents read miscorrection at repeats and further improves the resulting assemblies. We tested the k-mer validation procedure using one long-read technology (PacBio) and one assembler (MHAP/Celera Assembler), but it is very likely to yield analogous improvements with alternative long-read technologies and assemblers, such as Oxford Nanopore and BLASR/DALIGNER/Falcon, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Bernardo Carvalho
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-971, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Eduardo G Dupim
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-971, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Goldstein
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-971, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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63
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van Schendel R, van Heteren J, Welten R, Tijsterman M. Genomic Scars Generated by Polymerase Theta Reveal the Versatile Mechanism of Alternative End-Joining. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006368. [PMID: 27755535 PMCID: PMC5068794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
For more than half a century, genotoxic agents have been used to induce mutations in the genome of model organisms to establish genotype-phenotype relationships. While inaccurate replication across damaged bases can explain the formation of single nucleotide variants, it remained unknown how DNA damage induces more severe genomic alterations. Here, we demonstrate for two of the most widely used mutagens, i.e. ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and photo-activated trimethylpsoralen (UV/TMP), that deletion mutagenesis is the result of polymerase Theta (POLQ)-mediated end joining (TMEJ) of double strand breaks (DSBs). This discovery allowed us to survey many thousands of available C. elegans deletion alleles to address the biology of this alternative end-joining repair mechanism. Analysis of ~7,000 deletion breakpoints and their cognate junctions reveals a distinct order of events. We found that nascent strands blocked at sites of DNA damage can engage in one or more cycles of primer extension using a more downstream located break end as a template. Resolution is accomplished when 3' overhangs have matching ends. Our study provides a step-wise and versatile model for the in vivo mechanism of POLQ action, which explains the molecular nature of mutagen-induced deletion alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin van Schendel
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jane van Heteren
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Richard Welten
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Tijsterman
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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64
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Iwata S, Yoshina S, Suehiro Y, Hori S, Mitani S. Engineering new balancer chromosomes in C. elegans via CRISPR/Cas9. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33840. [PMID: 27650892 PMCID: PMC5030659 DOI: 10.1038/srep33840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Balancer chromosomes are convenient tools used to maintain lethal mutations in heterozygotes. We established a method for engineering new balancers in C. elegans by using the CRISPR/Cas9 system in a non-homologous end-joining mutant. Our studies will make it easier for researchers to maintain lethal mutations and should provide a path for the development of a system that generates rearrangements at specific sites of interest to model and analyse the mechanisms of action of genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Iwata
- Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sawako Yoshina
- Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuji Suehiro
- Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sayaka Hori
- Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shohei Mitani
- Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Tokyo Women’s Medical University Institute for Integrated Medical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
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65
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Wyatt DW, Feng W, Conlin MP, Yousefzadeh MJ, Roberts SA, Mieczkowski P, Wood RD, Gupta GP, Ramsden DA. Essential Roles for Polymerase θ-Mediated End Joining in the Repair of Chromosome Breaks. Mol Cell 2016; 63:662-673. [PMID: 27453047 PMCID: PMC4992412 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
DNA polymerase theta (Pol θ)-mediated end joining (TMEJ) has been implicated in the repair of chromosome breaks, but its cellular mechanism and role relative to canonical repair pathways are poorly understood. We show that it accounts for most repairs associated with microhomologies and is made efficient by coupling a microhomology search to removal of non-homologous tails and microhomology-primed synthesis across broken ends. In contrast to non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), TMEJ efficiently repairs end structures expected after aborted homology-directed repair (5' to 3' resected ends) or replication fork collapse. It typically does not compete with canonical repair pathways but, in NHEJ-deficient cells, is engaged more frequently and protects against translocation. Cell viability is also severely impaired upon combined deficiency in Pol θ and a factor that antagonizes end resection (Ku or 53BP1). TMEJ thus helps to sustain cell viability and genome stability by rescuing chromosome break repair when resection is misregulated or NHEJ is compromised.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Wyatt
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Wanjuan Feng
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Michael P Conlin
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Matthew J Yousefzadeh
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78597, USA
| | - Steven A Roberts
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Piotr Mieczkowski
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Richard D Wood
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78597, USA
| | - Gaorav P Gupta
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Dale A Ramsden
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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66
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Abstract
DNA polymerase theta (pol θ) is encoded in the genomes of many eukaryotes, though not in fungi. Pol θ is encoded by the POLQ gene in mammalian cells. The C-terminal third of the protein is a family A DNA polymerase with additional insertion elements relative to prokaryotic homologs. The N-terminal third is a helicase-like domain with DNA-dependent ATPase activity. Pol θ is important in the repair of genomic double-strand breaks (DSBs) from many sources. These include breaks formed by ionizing radiation and topoisomerase inhibitors, breaks arising at stalled DNA replication forks, breaks introduced during diversification steps of the mammalian immune system, and DSB induced by CRISPR-Cas9. Pol θ participates in a route of DSB repair termed "alternative end-joining" (altEJ). AltEJ is independent of the DNA binding Ku protein complex and requires DNA end resection. Pol θ is able to mediate joining of two resected 3' ends harboring DNA sequence microhomology. "Signatures" of Pol θ action during altEJ are the frequent utilization of longer microhomologies, and the insertion of additional sequences at joining sites. The mechanism of end-joining employs the ability of Pol θ to tightly grasp a 3' terminus through unique contacts in the active site, allowing extension from minimally paired primers. Pol θ is involved in controlling the frequency of chromosome translocations and preserves genome integrity by limiting large deletions. It may also play a backup role in DNA base excision repair. POLQ is a member of a cluster of similarly upregulated genes that are strongly correlated with poor clinical outcome for breast cancer, ovarian cancer and other cancer types. Inhibition of pol θ is a compelling approach for combination therapy of radiosensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Wood
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 389, Smithville, TX 78957, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, USA.
| | - Sylvie Doublié
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, 89 Beaumont Ave, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
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67
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Kent T, Mateos-Gomez PA, Sfeir A, Pomerantz RT. Polymerase θ is a robust terminal transferase that oscillates between three different mechanisms during end-joining. eLife 2016; 5:e13740. [PMID: 27311885 PMCID: PMC4912351 DOI: 10.7554/elife.13740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerase θ (Polθ) promotes insertion mutations during alternative end-joining (alt-EJ) by an unknown mechanism. Here, we discover that mammalian Polθ transfers nucleotides to the 3' terminus of DNA during alt-EJ in vitro and in vivo by oscillating between three different modes of terminal transferase activity: non-templated extension, templated extension in cis, and templated extension in trans. This switching mechanism requires manganese as a co-factor for Polθ template-independent activity and allows for random combinations of templated and non-templated nucleotide insertions. We further find that Polθ terminal transferase activity is most efficient on DNA containing 3' overhangs, is facilitated by an insertion loop and conserved residues that hold the 3' primer terminus, and is surprisingly more proficient than terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. In summary, this report identifies an unprecedented switching mechanism used by Polθ to generate genetic diversity during alt-EJ and characterizes Polθ as among the most proficient terminal transferases known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Kent
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, United States
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biochemistry, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Pedro A Mateos-Gomez
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, United States
| | - Agnel Sfeir
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, United States
| | - Richard T Pomerantz
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, United States
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biochemistry, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, United States
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68
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Thyme SB, Schier AF. Polq-Mediated End Joining Is Essential for Surviving DNA Double-Strand Breaks during Early Zebrafish Development. Cell Rep 2016; 15:707-714. [PMID: 27149851 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.03.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2015] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Error-prone repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) has been postulated to occur through classical non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) in systems ranging from nematode somatic tissues to zebrafish embryos. Contrary to this model, we show that zebrafish embryos mutant for DNA polymerase theta (Polq), a critical component of alternative end joining (alt-EJ), cannot repair DSBs induced by CRISPR/Cas9 or ionizing radiation. In the absence of DSBs, polq mutants are phenotypically normal, but they do not survive mutagenesis and display dramatic differences in the mutation profiles compared with the wild-type. These results show that alt-EJ repair is essential and dominant during the early development of a vertebrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Summer B Thyme
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Alexander F Schier
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, MA 02138, USA.
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69
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Schwartz ML, Jorgensen EM. SapTrap, a Toolkit for High-Throughput CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Modification in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2016; 202:1277-88. [PMID: 26837755 PMCID: PMC4905529 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.115.184275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In principle, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 allows genetic tags to be inserted at any locus. However, throughput is limited by the laborious construction of repair templates and guide RNA constructs and by the identification of modified strains. We have developed a reagent toolkit and plasmid assembly pipeline, called "SapTrap," that streamlines the production of targeting vectors for tag insertion, as well as the selection of modified Caenorhabditis elegans strains. SapTrap is a high-efficiency modular plasmid assembly pipeline that produces single plasmid targeting vectors, each of which encodes both a guide RNA transcript and a repair template for a particular tagging event. The plasmid is generated in a single tube by cutting modular components with the restriction enzyme SapI, which are then "trapped" in a fixed order by ligation to generate the targeting vector. A library of donor plasmids supplies a variety of protein tags, a selectable marker, and regulatory sequences that allow cell-specific tagging at either the N or the C termini. All site-specific sequences, such as guide RNA targeting sequences and homology arms, are supplied as annealed synthetic oligonucleotides, eliminating the need for PCR or molecular cloning during plasmid assembly. Each tag includes an embedded Cbr-unc-119 selectable marker that is positioned to allow concurrent expression of both the tag and the marker. We demonstrate that SapTrap targeting vectors direct insertion of 3- to 4-kb tags at six different loci in 10-37% of injected animals. Thus SapTrap vectors introduce the possibility for high-throughput generation of CRISPR/Cas9 genome modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L Schwartz
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0840 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0840
| | - Erik M Jorgensen
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0840 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0840
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70
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Genome Editing in C. elegans and Other Nematode Species. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:295. [PMID: 26927083 PMCID: PMC4813159 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17030295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Revised: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans, a 1 mm long free-living nematode, is a popular model animal that has been widely utilized for genetic investigations of various biological processes. Characteristic features that make C. elegans a powerful model of choice for eukaryotic genetic studies include its rapid life cycle (development from egg to adult in 3.5 days at 20 °C), well-annotated genome, simple morphology (comprising only 959 somatic cells in the hermaphrodite), and transparency (which facilitates non-invasive fluorescence observations). However, early approaches to introducing mutations in the C. elegans genome, such as chemical mutagenesis and imprecise excision of transposons, have required large-scale mutagenesis screens. To avoid this laborious and time-consuming procedure, genome editing technologies have been increasingly used in nematodes including C. briggsae and Pristionchus pacificus, thereby facilitating their genetic analyses. Here, I review the recent progress in genome editing technologies using zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcriptional activator-like nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 in nematodes and offer perspectives on their use in the future.
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71
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Beagan K, McVey M. Linking DNA polymerase theta structure and function in health and disease. Cell Mol Life Sci 2016; 73:603-15. [PMID: 26514729 PMCID: PMC4715478 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-015-2078-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Revised: 10/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
DNA polymerase theta (Pol θ) is an error-prone A-family polymerase that is highly conserved among multicellular eukaryotes and plays multiple roles in DNA repair and the regulation of genome integrity. Studies conducted in several model organisms have shown that Pol θ can be utilized during DNA interstrand crosslink repair and during alternative end-joining repair of double-strand breaks. Recent genetic and biochemical studies have begun to elucidate the unique structural features of Pol θ that promote alternative end-joining repair. Importantly, Pol θ-dependent end joining appears to be important for overall genome stability, as it affects chromosome translocation formation in murine and human cell lines. Pol θ has also been suggested to act as a modifier of replication timing in human cells, though the mechanism of action remains unknown. Pol θ is highly upregulated in a number of human cancer types, which could indicate that mutagenic Pol θ-dependent end joining is used during cancer cell proliferation. Here, we review the various roles of Pol θ across species and discuss how these roles may be relevant to cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Beagan
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4700, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Mitch McVey
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4700, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.
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72
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Noma K, Jin Y. Optogenetic mutagenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8868. [PMID: 26632265 PMCID: PMC4686824 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can modify and damage DNA. Here we report an optogenetic mutagenesis approach that is free of toxic chemicals and easy to perform by taking advantage of a genetically encoded ROS generator. This method relies on the potency of ROS generation by His-mSOG, the mini singlet oxygen generator, miniSOG, fused to a histone. Caenorhabditis elegans expressing His-mSOG in the germline behave and reproduce normally, without photoinduction. Following exposure to blue light, the His-mSOG animals produce progeny with a wide range of heritable phenotypes. We show that optogenetic mutagenesis by His-mSOG induces a broad spectrum of mutations including single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), chromosomal deletions, as well as integration of extrachromosomal transgenes, which complements those derived from traditional chemical or radiation mutagenesis. The optogenetic mutagenesis expands the toolbox for forward genetic screening and also provides direct evidence that nuclear ROS can induce heritable and specific genetic mutations. Inducing random mutation of C. elegans DNA is a widely used technique to investigate gene and protein function. Here the authors introduce a method of optogenetic mutagenesis, driving the generation of reactive oxygen species, which avoids the use of toxic chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Noma
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.,Section of Neurobiology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Yishi Jin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.,Section of Neurobiology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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73
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Microhomology-Mediated End Joining: A Back-up Survival Mechanism or Dedicated Pathway? Trends Biochem Sci 2015; 40:701-714. [PMID: 26439531 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2015.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 401] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) disrupt the continuity of chromosomes and their repair by error-free mechanisms is essential to preserve genome integrity. Microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) is an error-prone repair mechanism that involves alignment of microhomologous sequences internal to the broken ends before joining, and is associated with deletions and insertions that mark the original break site, as well as chromosome translocations. Whether MMEJ has a physiological role or is simply a back-up repair mechanism is a matter of debate. Here we review recent findings pertaining to the mechanism of MMEJ and discuss its role in normal and cancer cells.
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74
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Paix A, Folkmann A, Rasoloson D, Seydoux G. High Efficiency, Homology-Directed Genome Editing in Caenorhabditis elegans Using CRISPR-Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein Complexes. Genetics 2015; 201:47-54. [PMID: 26187122 PMCID: PMC4566275 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.115.179382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 444] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Homology-directed repair (HDR) of breaks induced by the RNA-programmed nuclease Cas9 has become a popular method for genome editing in several organisms. Most HDR protocols rely on plasmid-based expression of Cas9 and the gene-specific guide RNAs. Here we report that direct injection of in vitro-assembled Cas9-CRISPR RNA (crRNA) trans-activating crRNA (tracrRNA) ribonucleoprotein complexes into the gonad of Caenorhabditis elegans yields HDR edits at a high frequency. Building on our earlier finding that PCR fragments with 35-base homology are efficient repair templates, we developed an entirely cloning-free protocol for the generation of seamless HDR edits without selection. Combined with the co-CRISPR method, this protocol is sufficiently robust for use with low-efficiency guide RNAs and to generate complex edits, including ORF replacement and simultaneous tagging of two genes with fluorescent proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Paix
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Andrew Folkmann
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Dominique Rasoloson
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Geraldine Seydoux
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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