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Kang S, Jeon S, Kim S, Chang YK, Kim YC. Development of a pVEC peptide-based ribonucleoprotein (RNP) delivery system for genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22158. [PMID: 33335164 PMCID: PMC7747696 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78968-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent technical advances related to the CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing system have enabled sophisticated genome editing in microalgae. Although the demand for research on genome editing in microalgae has increased over time, methodological research has not been established to date for the delivery of a ribonucleoprotein (Cas9/sgRNA complex) using a cell penetrating peptide into microalgal cell lines. Here, we present a ribonucleoprotein delivery system for Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mediated by the cell penetrating peptide pVEC (LLIILRRRIRKQAHAHSK) which is in a non-covalent form. Using this technically simple method, the ribonucleoprotein was successfully delivered into C. reinhardtii. Gene Maa7 and FKB12 were disrupted, and their distinguishing patterns of Indel mutations were analyzed with the observation of several insertions of sequences not originating from the genome DNA, such as chloroplast DNA, into the expected loci. In addition, the cytotoxicity of Cas9 and the ribonucleoprotein was investigated according to the concentration and time in the algal cells. It was observed that Cas9 alone without the sgRNA induces a more severe cytotoxicity compared to the ribonucleoprotein. Our study will not only contribute to algal cell biology and its genetic engineering for further applications involving various organisms but will also provide a deeper understating of the basic science of the CRISPR/Cas9 system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seongsu Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungjib Jeon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungcheol Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Keun Chang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeu-Chun Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea.
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Nishida K, Kondo A. CRISPR-derived genome editing technologies for metabolic engineering. Metab Eng 2020; 63:141-147. [PMID: 33307189 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2020.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In metabolic engineering, genome editing tools make it much easier to discover and evaluate relevant genes and pathways and construct strains. Clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated (Cas) systems now have become the first choice for genome engineering in many organisms includingindustrially relevant ones. Targeted DNA cleavage by CRISPR-Cas provides variousgenome engineering modes such as indels, replacements, large deletions, knock-in and chromosomal rearrangements, while host-dependent differences in repair pathways need to be considered. The versatility of the CRISPR system has given rise to derivative technologies that complement nuclease-based editing, which causes cytotoxicity especially in microorganisms. Deaminase-mediated base editing installs targeted point mutations with much less toxicity. CRISPRi and CRISPRa can temporarily control gene expression without changing the genomic sequence. Multiplex, combinatorial and large scale editing are made possible by streamlined design and construction of gRNA libraries to further accelerates comprehensive discovery, evaluation and building of metabolic pathways. This review summarizes the technical basis and recent advances in CRISPR-related genome editing tools applied for metabolic engineering purposes, with representative examples of industrially relevant eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiji Nishida
- Engineering Biology Research Center, Kobe University, Japan; Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University, Japan
| | - Akihiko Kondo
- Engineering Biology Research Center, Kobe University, Japan; Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University, Japan.
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Ghribi M, Nouemssi SB, Meddeb-Mouelhi F, Desgagné-Penix I. Genome Editing by CRISPR-Cas: A Game Change in the Genetic Manipulation of Chlamydomonas. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:E295. [PMID: 33233548 PMCID: PMC7699682 DOI: 10.3390/life10110295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Microalgae are promising photosynthetic unicellular eukaryotes among the most abundant on the planet and are considered as alternative sustainable resources for various industrial applications. Chlamydomonas is an emerging model for microalgae to be manipulated by multiple biotechnological tools in order to produce high-value bioproducts such as biofuels, bioactive peptides, pigments, nutraceuticals, and medicines. Specifically, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has become a subject of different genetic-editing techniques adapted to modulate the production of microalgal metabolites. The main nuclear genome-editing tools available today include zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcriptional activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and more recently discovered the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR associated protein (Cas) nuclease system. The latter, shown to have an interesting editing capacity, has become an essential tool for genome editing. In this review, we highlight the available literature on the methods and the applications of CRISPR-Cas for C. reinhardtii genetic engineering, including recent transformation methods, most used bioinformatic tools, best strategies for the expression of Cas protein and sgRNA, the CRISPR-Cas mediated gene knock-in/knock-out strategies, and finally the literature related to CRISPR expression and modification approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manel Ghribi
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, Boulevard des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; (M.G.); (S.B.N.); (F.M.-M.)
| | - Serge Basile Nouemssi
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, Boulevard des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; (M.G.); (S.B.N.); (F.M.-M.)
| | - Fatma Meddeb-Mouelhi
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, Boulevard des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; (M.G.); (S.B.N.); (F.M.-M.)
- Groupe de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, Boulevard des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Isabel Desgagné-Penix
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, Boulevard des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; (M.G.); (S.B.N.); (F.M.-M.)
- Groupe de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, Boulevard des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
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Guo W, Chen L, Herrera-Estrella L, Cao D, Tran LSP. Altering Plant Architecture to Improve Performance and Resistance. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 25:1154-1170. [PMID: 32595089 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2020.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
High-stress resistance and yield are major goals in crop cultivation, which can be addressed by modifying plant architecture. Significant progress has been made in recent years to understand how plant architecture is controlled under various growth conditions, recognizing the central role phytohormones play in response to environmental stresses. miRNAs, transcription factors, and other associated proteins regulate plant architecture, mainly via the modulation of hormone homeostasis and signaling. To generate crop plants of ideal architecture, we propose simultaneous editing of multiple genes involved in the regulatory networks associated with plant architecture as a feasible strategy. This strategy can help to address the need to increase grain yield and/or stress resistance under the pressures of the ever-increasing world population and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Limiao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Luis Herrera-Estrella
- The Unidad de Genomica Avanzada (Langebio), Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico; Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Texas Tech University, TX, USA
| | - Dong Cao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China.
| | - Lam-Son Phan Tran
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, 03 Quang Trung, Da Nang 550000, Vietnam; Stress Adaptation Research Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 1-7-22, Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan.
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55
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Dhokane D, Bhadra B, Dasgupta S. CRISPR based targeted genome editing of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using programmed Cas9-gRNA ribonucleoprotein. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:8747-8755. [PMID: 33074412 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05922-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) - Cas associated protein 9 (Cas9) system is very precise, efficient and relatively simple in creating genetic modifications at a predetermined locus in the genome. Genome editing with Cas9 ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) has reduced cytotoxic effects, off-target cleavage and increased on-target activity and the editing efficiencies. The unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is an emerging model for studying the production of high-value products for industrial applications. Development of C. reinhardtii as an industrial biotechnology host can be achieved more efficiently through genetic modifications using genome editing tools. We made an attempt to target MAA7 gene that encodes the tryptophan synthase β-Subunit using CRISPR-Cas9 RNPs to demonstrate knock-out and knock-in through homology-dependent repair template at the target site. In this study, we have demonstrated targeted gene knock-out in C. reinhardtii using programmed RNPs. Targeted editing of MAA7 gene was confirmed by sequencing the clones that were resistant to 5-Fluoroindole (5-FI). Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair mechanism led to insertion, deletion, and/or base substitution in the Cas9 cleavage vicinity, encoding non-functional MAA7 protein product (knock-out), conferring resistance to 5-FI. Here, we report an efficient protocol for developing knock-out mutants in Chlamydomonas using CRISPR-Cas9 RNPs. The high potential efficiency of editing may also eliminate the need to select mutants by phenotype. These research findings would be more likely applied to other green algae for developing green cell factories to produce high-value molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhananjay Dhokane
- Synthetic Biology Group, Reliance Corporate Park, Reliance Industries Ltd, Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, 400701, India
| | - Bhaskar Bhadra
- Synthetic Biology Group, Reliance Corporate Park, Reliance Industries Ltd, Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, 400701, India.
| | - Santanu Dasgupta
- Synthetic Biology Group, Reliance Corporate Park, Reliance Industries Ltd, Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, 400701, India
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Angstenberger M, de Signori F, Vecchi V, Dall’Osto L, Bassi R. Cell Synchronization Enhances Nuclear Transformation and Genome Editing via Cas9 Enabling Homologous Recombination in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:2840-2850. [PMID: 32916053 PMCID: PMC8011982 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
![]()
In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the model organism
for eukaryotic green algae and plants, the processes of nuclear transformation
and genome editing in particular are still marked by a low level of
efficiency, and so intensive work is required in order to create and
identify mutants for the investigation of basic physiological processes,
as well as the implementation of biotechnological applications. In
this work, we show that cell synchronization during the stages of
the cell cycle, obtained from long-term cultivation under specific
growth conditions, greatly enhances the efficiency of transformation
and allows the identification of DNA repair mechanisms that occur
preferentially at different stages of the cell cycle. We demonstrate
that the transformation of synchronized cells at different times was
differentially associated with nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) and/or
homologous recombination (HR), and makes it possible to knock-in specific
foreign DNA at the genomic nuclear location desired by exploiting
HR. This optimization greatly reduces the overall complexity of the
genome editing procedure and creates new opportunities for altering
genes and their products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Angstenberger
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Cà Vignal 1, Strada le Grazie 15, 31734 Verona, Italy
| | - Francesco de Signori
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Cà Vignal 1, Strada le Grazie 15, 31734 Verona, Italy
| | - Valeria Vecchi
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Cà Vignal 1, Strada le Grazie 15, 31734 Verona, Italy
| | - Luca Dall’Osto
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Cà Vignal 1, Strada le Grazie 15, 31734 Verona, Italy
| | - Roberto Bassi
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Cà Vignal 1, Strada le Grazie 15, 31734 Verona, Italy
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57
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Spencer V, Nemec Venza Z, Harrison CJ. What can lycophytes teach us about plant evolution and development? Modern perspectives on an ancient lineage. Evol Dev 2020; 23:174-196. [PMID: 32906211 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
All Evo-Devo studies rely on representative sampling across the tree of interest to elucidate evolutionary trajectories through time. In land plants, genetic resources are well established in model species representing lineages including bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts), monilophytes (ferns and allies), and seed plants (gymnosperms and flowering plants), but few resources are available for lycophytes (club mosses, spike mosses, and quillworts). Living lycophytes are a sister group to the euphyllophytes (the fern and seed plant clade), and have retained several ancestral morphological traits despite divergence from a common ancestor of vascular plants around 420 million years ago. This sister relationship offers a unique opportunity to study the conservation of traits such as sporophyte branching, vasculature, and indeterminacy, as well as the convergent evolution of traits such as leaves and roots which have evolved independently in each vascular plant lineage. To elucidate the evolution of vascular development and leaf formation, molecular studies using RNA Seq, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, in situ hybridisation and phylogenetics have revealed the diversification and expression patterns of KNOX, ARP, HD-ZIP, KANADI, and WOX gene families in lycophytes. However, the molecular basis of further trait evolution is not known. Here we describe morphological traits of living lycophytes and their extinct relatives, consider the molecular underpinnings of trait evolution and discuss future research required in lycophytes to understand the key evolutionary innovations enabling the growth and development of all vascular plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Spencer
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Zoe Nemec Venza
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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58
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Kumar G, Shekh A, Jakhu S, Sharma Y, Kapoor R, Sharma TR. Bioengineering of Microalgae: Recent Advances, Perspectives, and Regulatory Challenges for Industrial Application. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:914. [PMID: 33014997 PMCID: PMC7494788 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Microalgae, due to their complex metabolic capacity, are being continuously explored for nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and other industrially important bioactives. However, suboptimal yield and productivity of the bioactive of interest in local and robust wild-type strains are of perennial concerns for their industrial applications. To overcome such limitations, strain improvement through genetic engineering could play a decisive role. Though the advanced tools for genetic engineering have emerged at a greater pace, they still remain underused for microalgae as compared to other microorganisms. Pertaining to this, we reviewed the progress made so far in the development of molecular tools and techniques, and their deployment for microalgae strain improvement through genetic engineering. The recent availability of genome sequences and other omics datasets form diverse microalgae species have remarkable potential to guide strategic momentum in microalgae strain improvement program. This review focuses on the recent and significant improvements in the omics resources, mutant libraries, and high throughput screening methodologies helpful to augment research in the model and non-model microalgae. Authors have also summarized the case studies on genetically engineered microalgae and highlight the opportunities and challenges that are emerging from the current progress in the application of genome-editing to facilitate microalgal strain improvement. Toward the end, the regulatory and biosafety issues in the use of genetically engineered microalgae in commercial applications are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulshan Kumar
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Ajam Shekh
- Plant Cell Biotechnology Department, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, India
| | - Sunaina Jakhu
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Yogesh Sharma
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Ritu Kapoor
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Tilak Raj Sharma
- Division of Crop Science, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India
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59
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Ho SH, Zhang C, Tao F, Zhang C, Chen WH. Microalgal Torrefaction for Solid Biofuel Production. Trends Biotechnol 2020; 38:1023-1033. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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60
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Achievements and challenges of genetic engineering of the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. ALGAL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2020.101986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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61
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Effect of biphasic temperature regime on therapeutic recombinant protein production in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. ALGAL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2020.101997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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62
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Krishnan A, Cano M, Burch TA, Weissman JC, Posewitz MC. Genome editing using Cas9-RNA ribonucleoprotein complexes in the high-productivity marine alga Picochlorum celeri. ALGAL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2020.101944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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63
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Harada R, Nomura T, Yamada K, Mochida K, Suzuki K. Genetic Engineering Strategies for Euglena gracilis and Its Industrial Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals: A Review. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:790. [PMID: 32760709 PMCID: PMC7371780 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The sustainable development goals (SDGs) adopted at the 2015 United Nations Summit are globally applicable goals designed to help countries realize a sustainable future. To achieve these SDGs, it is necessary to utilize renewable biological resources. In recent years, bioeconomy has been an attractive concept for achieving the SDGs. Microalgae are one of the biological resources that show promise in realizing the "5F"s (food, fiber, feed, fertilizer, and fuel). Among the microalgae, Euglena gracilis has the potential for achieving the "5F"s strategy owing to its unique features, such as production of paramylon, that are lacking in other microalgae. E. gracilis has already been produced on an industrial scale for use as an ingredient in functional foods and cosmetics. In recent years, genetic engineering methods for breeding E. gracilis have been researched and developed to achieve higher yields. In this article, we summarize how microalgae contribute toward achieving the SDGs. We focus on the contribution of E. gracilis to the bioeconomy, including its advantages in industrial use as well as its unique characteristics. In addition, we review genetic engineering-related research trends centered on E. gracilis, including a complete nuclear genome determination project, genome editing technology using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, and the development of a screening method for selecting useful strains. In particular, genome editing in E. gracilis could be a breakthrough for molecular breeding of industrially useful strains because of its high efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Harada
- RIKEN Baton Zone Program, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Toshihisa Nomura
- RIKEN Baton Zone Program, Yokohama, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Koji Yamada
- RIKEN Baton Zone Program, Yokohama, Japan
- Euglena Co Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keiichi Mochida
- RIKEN Baton Zone Program, Yokohama, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kengo Suzuki
- RIKEN Baton Zone Program, Yokohama, Japan
- Euglena Co Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
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64
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Booth DS, King N. Genome editing enables reverse genetics of multicellular development in the choanoflagellate Salpingoeca rosetta. eLife 2020; 9:56193. [PMID: 32496191 PMCID: PMC7314544 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In a previous study, we established a forward genetic screen to identify genes required for multicellular development in the choanoflagellate, Salpingoeca rosetta (Levin et al., 2014). Yet, the paucity of reverse genetic tools for choanoflagellates has hampered direct tests of gene function and impeded the establishment of choanoflagellates as a model for reconstructing the origin of their closest living relatives, the animals. Here we establish CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in S. rosetta by engineering a selectable marker to enrich for edited cells. We then use genome editing to disrupt the coding sequence of a S. rosetta C-type lectin gene, rosetteless, and thereby demonstrate its necessity for multicellular rosette development. This work advances S. rosetta as a model system in which to investigate how genes identified from genetic screens and genomic surveys function in choanoflagellates and evolved as critical regulators of animal biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Booth
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Nicole King
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
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65
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Picariello T, Hou Y, Kubo T, McNeill NA, Yanagisawa HA, Oda T, Witman GB. TIM, a targeted insertional mutagenesis method utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232594. [PMID: 32401787 PMCID: PMC7219734 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Generation and subsequent analysis of mutants is critical to understanding the functions of genes and proteins. Here we describe TIM, an efficient, cost-effective, CRISPR-based targeted insertional mutagenesis method for the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. TIM utilizes delivery into the cell of a Cas9-guide RNA (gRNA) ribonucleoprotein (RNP) together with exogenous double-stranded (donor) DNA. The donor DNA contains gene-specific homology arms and an integral antibiotic-resistance gene that inserts at the double-stranded break generated by Cas9. After optimizing multiple parameters of this method, we were able to generate mutants for six out of six different genes in two different cell-walled strains with mutation efficiencies ranging from 40% to 95%. Furthermore, these high efficiencies allowed simultaneous targeting of two separate genes in a single experiment. TIM is flexible with regard to many parameters and can be carried out using either electroporation or the glass-bead method for delivery of the RNP and donor DNA. TIM achieves a far higher mutation rate than any previously reported for CRISPR-based methods in C. reinhardtii and promises to be effective for many, if not all, non-essential nuclear genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Picariello
- Division of Cell Biology and Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yuqing Hou
- Division of Cell Biology and Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tomohiro Kubo
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School, University of Yamanashi, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Nathan A. McNeill
- Division of Cell Biology and Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - Toshiyuki Oda
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School, University of Yamanashi, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - George B. Witman
- Division of Cell Biology and Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Bunbury F, Helliwell KE, Mehrshahi P, Davey MP, Salmon DL, Holzer A, Smirnoff N, Smith AG. Responses of a Newly Evolved Auxotroph of Chlamydomonas to B 12 Deprivation. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 183:167-178. [PMID: 32079734 PMCID: PMC7210614 DOI: 10.1104/pp.19.01375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The corrinoid B12 is synthesized only by prokaryotes yet is widely required by eukaryotes as an enzyme cofactor. Microalgae have evolved B12 dependence on multiple occasions, and we previously demonstrated that experimental evolution of the non-B12-requiring alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in media supplemented with B12 generated a B12-dependent mutant (hereafter metE7). This clone provides a unique opportunity to study the physiology of a nascent B12 auxotroph. Our analyses demonstrate that B12 deprivation of metE7 disrupts C1 metabolism, causes an accumulation of starch and triacylglycerides, and leads to a decrease in photosynthetic pigments, proteins, and free amino acids. B12 deprivation also caused a substantial increase in reactive oxygen species, which preceded rapid cell death. Survival could be improved without compromising growth by simultaneously depriving the cells of nitrogen, suggesting a type of cross protection. Significantly, we found further improvements in survival under B12 limitation and an increase in B12 use efficiency after metE7 underwent a further period of experimental evolution, this time in coculture with a B12-producing bacterium. Therefore, although an early B12-dependent alga would likely be poorly adapted to coping with B12 deprivation, association with B12-producers can ensure long-term survival whilst also providing a suitable environment for evolving mechanisms to tolerate B12 limitation better.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freddy Bunbury
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine E Helliwell
- Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Citadel Hill, Plymouth EX4 4PY, United Kingdom
- School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, PL1 2PB, United Kingdom
| | - Payam Mehrshahi
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew P Davey
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
| | - Deborah L Salmon
- School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, PL1 2PB, United Kingdom
| | - Andre Holzer
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas Smirnoff
- School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, PL1 2PB, United Kingdom
| | - Alison G Smith
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
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67
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Wang K, Gong Q, Ye X. Recent developments and applications of genetic transformation and genome editing technologies in wheat. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2020; 133:1603-1622. [PMID: 31654081 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-019-03464-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a staple crop across the world and plays a remarkable role in food supplying security. Over the past few decades, basic and applied research on wheat has lagged behind other cereal crops due to the complex and polyploid genome and difficulties in genetic transformation. A breakthrough called as PureWheat was made in the genetic transformation of wheat in 2014 in Asia, leading to a noticeable progress of wheat genome editing. Due to this great achievement, it is predicated that wheat biotechnology revolution is arriving. Genome editing technologies using zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nuclease, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated endonucleases (CRISR/Cas) are becoming powerful tools for crop modification which can help biologists and biotechnologists better understand the processes of mutagenesis and genomic alteration. Among the three genome editing systems, CRISR/Cas has high specificity and activity, and therefore it is widely used in genetic engineering. Generally, the genome editing technologies depend on an efficient genetic transformation system. In this paper, we summarize recent progresses and applications on genetic transformation and genome editing in wheat. We also examine the future aspects of genetic transformation and genome editing. We believe that the technologies for wheat efficient genetic engineering and functional studies will become routine with the emergence of high-quality genomic sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Wang
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Qiang Gong
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Xingguo Ye
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
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Park RV, Asbury H, Miller SM. Modification of a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii CRISPR/Cas9 transformation protocol for use with widely available electroporation equipment. MethodsX 2020; 7:100855. [PMID: 32280600 PMCID: PMC7139109 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2020.100855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A recently reported protocol demonstrates efficient CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii[1]. The published protocol demonstrates transformation and editing of a wall-less strain of C. reinhardtii using plasmid encoded Cas9 and sgRNA. However, the published protocol utilizes a complex electroporation waveform that cannot be generated by most electroporation systems. It is unknown whether transformation via this complex electroporation waveform is essential for high efficiency of Cas9 edits, perhaps by optimizing Cas9 or guide RNA gene expression or incorporation into the genome. We demonstrate that a simple electroporation waveform can deliver plasmid encoded CRISPR/Cas9 into and edit the genome of a wall-less strain of C. reinhardtii as efficiently as the more complex waveform. Our modified electroporation protocol makes the plasmid based CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing method accessible to a greater number of Chlamydomonas researchers.Our protocol uses a simple electroporation waveform to replace a complex waveform used to achieve efficient CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in a wall-less strain of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We also increased concentration of plasmids to maintain high gene editing efficiency. We minimized modifications to other steps of the original protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolph V Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
| | - Holly Asbury
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
| | - Stephen M Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
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Ng I, Keskin BB, Tan S. A Critical Review of Genome Editing and Synthetic Biology Applications in Metabolic Engineering of Microalgae and Cyanobacteria. Biotechnol J 2020; 15:e1900228. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201900228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I‐Son Ng
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Cheng Kung University Tainan 701 Taiwan
| | - Batuhan Birol Keskin
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Cheng Kung University Tainan 701 Taiwan
| | - Shih‐I Tan
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Cheng Kung University Tainan 701 Taiwan
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Wichmann J, Lauersen KJ, Kruse O. Green algal hydrocarbon metabolism is an exceptional source of sustainable chemicals. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2020; 61:28-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Li S, Xia L. Precise gene replacement in plants through CRISPR/Cas genome editing technology: current status and future perspectives. ABIOTECH 2020; 1:58-73. [PMID: 36305005 PMCID: PMC9590512 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-019-00009-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas, as a simple, versatile, robust and cost-effective system for genome manipulation, has dominated the genome editing field over the past few years. The application of CRISPR/Cas in crop improvement is particularly important in the context of global climate change, as well as diverse agricultural, environmental and ecological challenges. Various CRISPR/Cas toolboxes have been developed and allow for targeted mutagenesis at specific genome loci, transcriptome regulation and epigenome editing, base editing, and precise targeted gene/allele replacement or tagging in plants. In particular, precise replacement of an existing allele with an elite allele in a commercial variety through homology-directed repair (HDR) is a holy grail in genome editing for crop improvement as it has been very difficult, laborious and time-consuming to introgress the elite alleles into commercial varieties without any linkage drag from parental lines within a few generations in crop breeding practice. However, it still remains very challenging in crop plants. This review intends to provide an informative summary of the latest development and breakthroughs in gene replacement using CRISPR/Cas technology, with a focus on achievements, potential mechanisms and future perspectives in plant biological science as well as crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoya Li
- Institute of Crop Sciences (ICS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Lanqin Xia
- Institute of Crop Sciences (ICS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100081 China
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Alok A, Sandhya D, Jogam P, Rodrigues V, Bhati KK, Sharma H, Kumar J. The Rise of the CRISPR/Cpf1 System for Efficient Genome Editing in Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:264. [PMID: 32296449 PMCID: PMC7136500 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Cpf1, an endonuclease of the class 2 CRISPR family, fills the gaps that were previously faced in the world of genome engineering tools, which include the TALEN, ZFN, and CRISPR/Cas9. Other simultaneously discovered nucleases were not able to carry out re-engineering at the same region due to the loss of a target site after first-time engineering. Cpf1 acts as a dual nuclease, functioning as an endoribonuclease to process crRNA and endodeoxyribonuclease to cleave target sequences and generate double-stranded breaks. Additionally, Cpf1 allows for multiplexed genome editing, as a single crRNA array transcript can target multiple loci in the genome. The CRISPR/Cpf1 system enables gene deletion, insertion, base editing, and locus tagging in monocot as well as in dicot plants with fewer off-target effects. This tool has been efficiently demonstrated into tobacco, rice, soybean, wheat, etc. This review covers the development and applications of Cpf1 mediated genome editing technology in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anshu Alok
- University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
- *Correspondence: Anshu Alok,
| | - Dulam Sandhya
- Department of Biotechnology, Kakatiya University, Warangal, India
| | - Phanikanth Jogam
- Department of Biotechnology, Kakatiya University, Warangal, India
| | - Vandasue Rodrigues
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kaushal K. Bhati
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Himanshu Sharma
- CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, India
| | - Jitendra Kumar
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Jitendra Kumar,
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Stoffels L, Finlan A, Mannall G, Purton S, Parker B. Downstream Processing of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii TN72 for Recombinant Protein Recovery. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:383. [PMID: 31867315 PMCID: PMC6908742 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is under development as a production host for recombinant proteins and whole-cell therapeutics. In particular, the cell wall-reduced strain TN72 is used as a model organism for protein expression and algal synthetic biology. However, the bioprocessing characteristics of TN72 and other C. reinhardtii strains have yet to be examined. Here we use a TN72 strain expressing a protein-based antibiotic (Pal) to study the scale-up of cell harvest and product recovery. Cell harvest was examined with 100L cultures in two intermittent-discharge continuous-flow disc-stack centrifuges at flow rates of 150–250 L.h−1, as well as with an ultra scale-down (USD) mimic of the centrifuges. Solids recovery exceeded 99.5% and the loss of product to the supernatant was below 2–3%. TN72 is intact following the high shear conditions of the feed zone, however discharge from both disc-stack centrifuges resulted in full cell breakage and in the case of Pal, partial degradation in the subsequent hours. We demonstrated that shake flask cultivation and the USD centrifuge technique can be used to predict the pilot-scale clarification efficiency and product release at the centrifuge inlet for TN72, but not the cell breakage on discharge. This study outlines a number of challenges for scale-up of recombinant protein production in the microalgal host in particular for whole cell therapeutics, but also opportunities for the bioprocessing of intracellular products from TN72.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Stoffels
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Bernard Katz Building, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arran Finlan
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Bernard Katz Building, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth Mannall
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Bernard Katz Building, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Saul Purton
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Brenda Parker
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Bernard Katz Building, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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74
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Wolter F, Puchta H. In planta gene targeting can be enhanced by the use of CRISPR/Cas12a. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 100:1083-1094. [PMID: 31381206 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The controlled change of plant genomes by homologous recombination (HR) is still difficult to achieve. We previously developed the in planta gene targeting (ipGT) technology which depends on the simultaneous activation of the target locus by a double-strand break and the excision of the target vector. Whereas the use of SpCas9 resulted in low ipGT frequencies in Arabidopsis, we were recently able to improve the efficiency by using egg cell-specific expression of the potent but less broadly applicable SaCas9 nuclease. In this study, we now tested whether we could improve ipGT further, by either performing it in cells with enhanced intrachromosomal HR efficiencies or by the use of Cas12a, a different kind of CRISPR/Cas nuclease with an alternative cutting mechanism. We could show before that plants possess three kinds of DNA ATPase complexes, which all lead to instabilities of homologous genomic repeats if lost by mutation. As these proteins act in independent pathways, we tested ipGT in double mutants in which intrachromosomal HR is enhanced 20-80-fold. However, we were not able to obtain higher ipGT frequencies, indicating that mechanisms for gene targeting (GT) and chromosomal repeat-induced HR differ. However, using LbCas12a, the GT frequencies were higher than with SaCas9, despite a lower non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) induction efficiency, demonstrating the particular suitability of Cas12a to induce HR. As SaCas9 has substantial restrictions due to its longer GC rich PAM sequence, the use of LbCas12a with its AT-rich PAM broadens the range of ipGT drastically, particularly when targeting in CG-deserts like promoters and introns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Wolter
- Botanical Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, POB 6980, 76049, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Holger Puchta
- Botanical Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, POB 6980, 76049, Karlsruhe, Germany
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75
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Good News for Nuclear Transgene Expression in Chlamydomonas. Cells 2019; 8:cells8121534. [PMID: 31795196 PMCID: PMC6952782 DOI: 10.3390/cells8121534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a well-established model system for basic research questions ranging from photosynthesis and organelle biogenesis, to the biology of cilia and basal bodies, to channelrhodopsins and photoreceptors. More recently, Chlamydomonas has also been recognized as a suitable host for the production of high-value chemicals and high-value recombinant proteins. However, basic and applied research have suffered from the inefficient expression of nuclear transgenes. The combined efforts of the Chlamydomonas community over the past decades have provided insights into the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon and have resulted in mutant strains defective in some silencing mechanisms. Moreover, many insights have been gained into the parameters that affect nuclear transgene expression, like promoters, introns, codon usage, or terminators. Here I critically review these insights and try to integrate them into design suggestions for the construction of nuclear transgenes that are to be expressed at high levels.
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76
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Antonacci A, Scognamiglio V. Biotechnological Advances in the Design of Algae-Based Biosensors. Trends Biotechnol 2019; 38:334-347. [PMID: 31706693 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
In addition to their use in biomass production and bioremediation, algae have been extensively exploited in biosensing applications. Algae-based biosensors have demonstrated potential for sensitive, sustainable, and multiplexed detection of analytes of agroenvironmental and security interest. Their advantages include the availability of different algal bioreceptors including whole cells and their photosynthetic subcomponents, their potential to be integrated into dual transduction miniaturized devices, and the opportunity for continuous environmental monitoring. Despite obstacles including limited stability and selectivity, algae-based biosensing is a realistic prospect that has some recent effective applications. Strategic exploitation of cutting-edge technologies including materials science, nanotechnology, microfluidics, and genome editing will help to achieve the full potential of algae-based sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Antonacci
- Institute of Crystallography (IC-CNR), Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technologies, Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy.
| | - Viviana Scognamiglio
- Institute of Crystallography (IC-CNR), Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technologies, Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy.
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Pu X, Liu L, Li P, Huo H, Dong X, Xie K, Yang H, Liu L. A CRISPR/LbCas12a-based method for highly efficient multiplex gene editing in Physcomitrella patens. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 100:863-872. [PMID: 31350780 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Due to their high efficiency, specificity, and flexibility, programmable nucleases, such as those of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas12a (Cpf1) system, have greatly expanded the applicability of editing the genomes of various organisms. Genes from different gene families or genes with redundant functions in the same gene family can be examined by assembling multiple CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) in a single vector. However, the activity and efficiency of CRISPR/Cas12a in the non-vascular plant Physcomitrella patens are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that LbCas12a together with its mature crRNA can target multiple loci simultaneously in P. patens with high efficiency via co-delivery of LbCas12a and a crRNA expression cassette in vivo. The mutation frequencies induced by CRISPR/LbCas12a at a single locus ranged from 26.5 to 100%, with diverse deletions being the most common type of mutation. Our method expands the repertoire of genome editing tools available for P. patens and facilitates the creation of loss-of-function mutants of multiple genes from different gene families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Pu
- Key Laboratory for Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Lina Liu
- Key Laboratory for Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory for Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Heqiang Huo
- Department of Environmental Horticulture, Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32703, USA
| | - Xiumei Dong
- Key Laboratory for Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Kabin Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Key Laboratory for Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Li Liu
- Key Laboratory for Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming, 650201, China
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78
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Jia H, Orbović V, Wang N. CRISPR-LbCas12a-mediated modification of citrus. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2019; 17:1928-1937. [PMID: 30908830 PMCID: PMC6737016 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Recently, CRISPR-Cas12a (Cpf1) from Prevotella and Francisella was engineered to modify plant genomes. In this report, we employed CRISPR-LbCas12a (LbCpf1), which is derived from Lachnospiraceae bacterium ND2006, to edit a citrus genome for the first time. First, LbCas12a was used to modify the CsPDS gene successfully in Duncan grapefruit via Xcc-facilitated agroinfiltration. Next, LbCas12a driven by either the 35S or Yao promoter was used to edit the PthA4 effector binding elements in the promoter (EBEPthA4 -CsLOBP) of CsLOB1. A single crRNA was selected to target a conserved region of both Type I and Type II CsLOBPs, since the protospacer adjacent motif of LbCas12a (TTTV) allows crRNA to act on the conserved region of these two types of CsLOBP. CsLOB1 is the canker susceptibility gene, and it is induced by the corresponding pathogenicity factor PthA4 in Xanthomonas citri by binding to EBEPthA4 -CsLOBP. A total of seven 35S-LbCas12a-transformed Duncan plants were generated, and they were designated as #D35 s1 to #D35 s7, and ten Yao-LbCas12a-transformed Duncan plants were created and designated as #Dyao 1 to #Dyao 10. LbCas12a-directed EBEPthA4 -CsLOBP modifications were observed in three 35S-LbCas12a-transformed Duncan plants (#D35 s1, #D35 s4 and #D35 s7). However, no LbCas12a-mediated indels were observed in the Yao-LbCas12a-transformed plants. Notably, transgenic line #D35 s4, which contains the highest mutation rate, alleviates XccΔpthA4:dCsLOB1.4 infection. Finally, no potential off-targets were observed. Therefore, CRISPR-LbCas12a can readily be used as a powerful tool for citrus genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongge Jia
- Department of Microbiology and Cell ScienceCitrus Research and Education CenterInstitute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)University of FloridaLake AlfredFLUSA
| | - Vladimir Orbović
- Citrus Research and Education CenterIFASUniversity of FloridaLake AlfredFLUSA
| | - Nian Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Cell ScienceCitrus Research and Education CenterInstitute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)University of FloridaLake AlfredFLUSA
- China‐USA Citrus Huanglongbing Joint Laboratory (A joint laboratory of The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Gannan Normal University)National Navel Orange Engineering Research CenterGannan Normal UniversityGanzhouJiangxiChina
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79
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Vavitsas K, Crozet P, Vinde MH, Davies F, Lemaire SD, Vickers CE. The Synthetic Biology Toolkit for Photosynthetic Microorganisms. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 181:14-27. [PMID: 31262955 PMCID: PMC6716251 DOI: 10.1104/pp.19.00345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic microorganisms offer novel characteristics as synthetic biology chassis, and the toolbox of components and techniques for cyanobacteria and algae is rapidly increasing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Vavitsas
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, CSIRO Land & Water, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
| | - Pierre Crozet
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 8226, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Marcos Hamborg Vinde
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, CSIRO Land & Water, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
| | - Fiona Davies
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401
| | - Stéphane D Lemaire
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 8226, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Claudia E Vickers
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, CSIRO Land & Water, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
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80
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Salomé PA, Merchant SS. A Series of Fortunate Events: Introducing Chlamydomonas as a Reference Organism. THE PLANT CELL 2019; 31:1682-1707. [PMID: 31189738 PMCID: PMC6713297 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.18.00952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a classical reference organism for studying photosynthesis, chloroplast biology, cell cycle control, and cilia structure and function. It is also an emerging model for studying sensory cilia, the production of high-value bioproducts, and in situ structural determination. Much of the early appeal of Chlamydomonas was rooted in its promise as a genetic system, but like other classic model organisms, this rise to prominence predated the discovery of the structure of DNA, whole-genome sequences, and molecular techniques for gene manipulation. The haploid genome of C. reinhardtii facilitates genetic analyses and offers many of the advantages of microbial systems applied to a photosynthetic organism. C. reinhardtii has contributed to our understanding of chloroplast-based photosynthesis and cilia biology. Despite pervasive transgene silencing, technological advances have allowed researchers to address outstanding lines of inquiry in algal research. The most thoroughly studied unicellular alga, C. reinhardtii, is the current standard for algal research, and although genome editing is still far from efficient and routine, it nevertheless serves as a template for other algae. We present a historical retrospective of the rise of C. reinhardtii to illuminate its past and present. We also present resources for current and future scientists who may wish to expand their studies to the realm of microalgae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrice A Salomé
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Sabeeha S Merchant
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Los Angeles, CA 90095
- University of California, Berkeley, Departments of Plant and Microbial Biology and Molecular and Cell Biology, Berkeley, CA 94720
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81
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Fu W, Nelson DR, Mystikou A, Daakour S, Salehi-Ashtiani K. Advances in microalgal research and engineering development. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2019; 59:157-164. [PMID: 31252302 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae have been investigated for the photosynthetic production of natural products with industrial and biomedical applications. Their rapid growth offers an advantage over higher plants, while their complex metabolic capacities allow for the production of various molecules. Despite their potentials, molecular techniques are underdeveloped in microalgae compared to higher plants, fungi, and bacteria. However, recent advances in genome sequencing, strain development, and genome editing technologies, are providing thrust to enhance research on microalgal species that have branched out from several focal model organisms to encompass a great diversity of species. In this review, we highlight the recent, significant advances in microalgal research, with a focus on the development of new resources that can enhance work on model and non-model species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Fu
- Laboratory of Algal, Systems, and Synthetic Biology, Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Center for Systems Biology and Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - David R Nelson
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Alexandra Mystikou
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sarah Daakour
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Kourosh Salehi-Ashtiani
- Laboratory of Algal, Systems, and Synthetic Biology, Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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Kong F, Yamaoka Y, Ohama T, Lee Y, Li-Beisson Y. Molecular Genetic Tools and Emerging Synthetic Biology Strategies to Increase Cellular Oil Content in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 60:1184-1196. [PMID: 30715500 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcz022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae constitute a highly diverse group of eukaryotic and photosynthetic microorganisms that have developed extremely efficient systems for harvesting and transforming solar energy into energy-rich molecules such as lipids. Although microalgae are considered to be one of the most promising platforms for the sustainable production of liquid oil, the oil content of these organisms is naturally low, and algal oil production is currently not economically viable. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Chlamydomonas) is an established algal model due to its fast growth, high transformation efficiency, and well-understood physiology and to the availability of detailed genome information and versatile molecular tools for this organism. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the development of genetic manipulation tools for Chlamydomonas, from gene delivery methods to state-of-the-art genome-editing technologies and fluorescent dye-based high-throughput mutant screening approaches. Furthermore, we discuss practical strategies and toolkits that enhance transgene expression, such as choice of expression vector and background strain. We then provide examples of how advanced genetic tools have been used to increase oil content in Chlamydomonas. Collectively, the current literature indicates that microalgal oil content can be increased by overexpressing key enzymes that catalyze lipid biosynthesis, blocking lipid degradation, silencing metabolic pathways that compete with lipid biosynthesis and modulating redox state. The tools and knowledge generated through metabolic engineering studies should pave the way for developing a synthetic biological approach to enhance lipid productivity in microalgae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fantao Kong
- Department of Integrative Bioscience & Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea
- School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Yasuyo Yamaoka
- Department of Integrative Bioscience & Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea
| | - Takeshi Ohama
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kochi University of Technology (KUT), Tosayamada, Kochi, Japan
| | - Youngsook Lee
- Department of Integrative Bioscience & Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea
- Department of Life Science, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea
| | - Yonghua Li-Beisson
- Aix-Marseille Univ., CEA, CNRS, BIAM, UMR7265, CEA Cadarache, Saint-Paul-lez Durance F, France
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84
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Safari F, Zare K, Negahdaripour M, Barekati-Mowahed M, Ghasemi Y. CRISPR Cpf1 proteins: structure, function and implications for genome editing. Cell Biosci 2019; 9:36. [PMID: 31086658 PMCID: PMC6507119 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-019-0298-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR and CRISPR-associated (Cas) protein, as components of microbial adaptive immune system, allows biologists to edit genomic DNA in a precise and specific way. CRISPR-Cas systems are classified into two main classes and six types. Cpf1 is a putative type V (class II) CRISPR effector, which can be programmed with a CRISPR RNA to bind and cleave complementary DNA targets. Cpf1 has recently emerged as an alternative for Cas9, due to its distinct features such as the ability to target T-rich motifs, no need for trans-activating crRNA, inducing a staggered double-strand break and potential for both RNA processing and DNA nuclease activity. In this review, we attempt to discuss the evolutionary origins, basic architectures, and molecular mechanisms of Cpf1 family proteins, as well as crRNA designing and delivery strategies. We will also describe the novel Cpf1 variants, which have broadened the versatility and feasibility of this system in genome editing, transcription regulation, epigenetic modulation, and base editing. Finally, we will be reviewing the recent studies on utilization of Cpf1as a molecular tool for genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Safari
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Khadijeh Zare
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Manica Negahdaripour
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mazyar Barekati-Mowahed
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA
| | - Younes Ghasemi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Perin G, Bellan A, Bernardi A, Bezzo F, Morosinotto T. The potential of quantitative models to improve microalgae photosynthetic efficiency. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2019; 166:380-391. [PMID: 30578540 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The massive increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere driven by human activities is causing huge negative consequences and new sustainable sources of energy, food and materials are highly needed. Algae are unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms that can provide a highly strategic contribution to this challenge as alternative source of biomass to complement crops cultivation. Algae industrial cultures are commonly limited by light availability, and biomass accumulation is strongly dependent on their photon-to-biomass conversion efficiency. Investigation of algae photosynthetic metabolism is thus strategic for the generation of more efficient strains with higher productivity. Algae are cultivated at industrial scale in conditions highly different from the natural niches they adapted to and strains development efforts must fully consider the seminal influence on productivity of regulatory mechanism of photosynthesis as well as of cultivation parameters like cells concentration, light distribution in the culture, mixing, nutrients and carbon dioxide availability. In this review we will focus in particular on how mathematical models can account for the complex influence of all environmental parameters and can be exploited for development of improved algae strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Perin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bellan
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Bernardi
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9 35131, Padova, Italy
- Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, London, UK
| | - Fabrizio Bezzo
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Tomas Morosinotto
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B 35131, Padova, Italy
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86
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Zhang YT, Jiang JY, Shi TQ, Sun XM, Zhao QY, Huang H, Ren LJ. Application of the CRISPR/Cas system for genome editing in microalgae. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:3239-3248. [PMID: 30877356 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09726-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Microalgae are arguably the most abundant single-celled eukaryotes and are widely distributed in oceans and freshwater lakes. Moreover, microalgae are widely used in biotechnology to produce bioenergy and high-value products such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), bioactive peptides, proteins, antioxidants and so on. In general, genetic editing techniques were adapted to increase the production of microalgal metabolites. The main genome editing tools available today include zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcriptional activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas nuclease system. Due to its high genome editing efficiency, the CRISPR/Cas system is emerging as the most important genome editing method. In this review, we summarized the available literature on the application of CRISPR/Cas in microalgal genetic engineering, including transformation methods, strategies for the expression of Cas9 and sgRNA, the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knock-in/knock-out strategies, and CRISPR interference expression modification strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting Zhang
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia-Yi Jiang
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian-Qiong Shi
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Man Sun
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, People's Republic of China
| | - Quan-Yu Zhao
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, People's Republic of China
| | - He Huang
- Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, People's Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 5 Xinmofan Road, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu-Jing Ren
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, People's Republic of China.
- Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), No. 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, People's Republic of China.
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Huang TK, Puchta H. CRISPR/Cas-mediated gene targeting in plants: finally a turn for the better for homologous recombination. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2019; 38:443-453. [PMID: 30673818 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-019-02379-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
We summarize recent progress of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene targeting in plants, provide recommendations for designing gene-targeting vectors and highlight the potential of new technologies applicable to plants. Gene targeting (GT) is a tool of urgent need for plant biotechnology and breeding. It is based on homologous recombination that is able to precisely introduce desired modifications within a target locus. However, its low efficiency in higher plants is a major barrier for its application. Using site-specific nucleases, such as the recent CRISPR/Cas system, GT has become applicable in plants, via the induction of double-strand breaks, although still at a too low efficiency for most practical applications in crops. Recently, a variety of promising new improvements regarding the efficiency of GT has been reported by several groups. It turns out that GT can be enhanced by cell-type-specific expression of Cas nucleases, by the use of self-amplified GT-vector DNA or by manipulation of DNA repair pathways. Here, we highlight the most recent progress of GT in plants. Moreover, we provide suggestions on how to use the technology efficiently, based on the mechanisms of DNA repair, and highlight several of the newest GT strategies in yeast or mammals that are potentially applicable to plants. Using the full potential of GT technology will definitely help us pave the way in enhancing crop yields and food safety for an ecologically friendly agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng-Kuei Huang
- Botanical Institute II, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, POB 6980, 76049, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Holger Puchta
- Botanical Institute II, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, POB 6980, 76049, Karlsruhe, Germany.
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Li X, Patena W, Fauser F, Jinkerson RE, Saroussi S, Meyer MT, Ivanova N, Robertson JM, Yue R, Zhang R, Vilarrasa-Blasi J, Wittkopp TM, Ramundo S, Blum SR, Goh A, Laudon M, Srikumar T, Lefebvre PA, Grossman AR, Jonikas MC. A genome-wide algal mutant library and functional screen identifies genes required for eukaryotic photosynthesis. Nat Genet 2019. [PMID: 30886426 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-019-0370-376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic organisms provide food and energy for nearly all life on Earth, yet half of their protein-coding genes remain uncharacterized1,2. Characterization of these genes could be greatly accelerated by new genetic resources for unicellular organisms. Here we generated a genome-wide, indexed library of mapped insertion mutants for the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The 62,389 mutants in the library, covering 83% of nuclear protein-coding genes, are available to the community. Each mutant contains unique DNA barcodes, allowing the collection to be screened as a pool. We performed a genome-wide survey of genes required for photosynthesis, which identified 303 candidate genes. Characterization of one of these genes, the conserved predicted phosphatase-encoding gene CPL3, showed that it is important for accumulation of multiple photosynthetic protein complexes. Notably, 21 of the 43 higher-confidence genes are novel, opening new opportunities for advances in understanding of this biogeochemically fundamental process. This library will accelerate the characterization of thousands of genes in algae, plants, and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Li
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weronika Patena
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Friedrich Fauser
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Robert E Jinkerson
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Shai Saroussi
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Moritz T Meyer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Nina Ivanova
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jacob M Robertson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Rebecca Yue
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ru Zhang
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Tyler M Wittkopp
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Silvia Ramundo
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sean R Blum
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Audrey Goh
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Matthew Laudon
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Tharan Srikumar
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Paul A Lefebvre
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Arthur R Grossman
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Martin C Jonikas
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Naduthodi MIS, Mohanraju P, Südfeld C, D’Adamo S, Barbosa MJ, van der Oost J. CRISPR-Cas ribonucleoprotein mediated homology-directed repair for efficient targeted genome editing in microalgae Nannochloropsis oceanica IMET1. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:66. [PMID: 30962821 PMCID: PMC6432748 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1401-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microalgae are considered as a sustainable feedstock for the production of biofuels and other value-added compounds. In particular, Nannochloropsis spp. stand out from other microalgal species due to their capabilities to accumulate both triacylglycerol (TAG) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). However, the commercialization of microalgae-derived products is primarily hindered by the high production costs compared to less sustainable alternatives. Efficient genome editing techniques leading to effective metabolic engineering could result in strains with enhanced productivities of interesting metabolites and thereby reduce the production costs. Competent CRISPR-based genome editing techniques have been reported in several microalgal species, and only very recently in Nannochloropsis spp. (2017). All the reported CRISPR-Cas-based systems in Nannochloropsis spp. rely on plasmid-borne constitutive expression of Cas9 and a specific guide, combined with repair of double-stranded breaks (DSB) by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) for the target gene knockout. RESULTS In this study, we report for the first time an alternative approach for CRISPR-Cas-mediated genome editing in Nannochloropsis sp.; the Cas ribonucleoproteins (RNP) and an editing template were directly delivered into microalgal cells via electroporation, making Cas expression dispensable and homology-directed repair (HDR) possible with high efficiency. Apart from widely used SpCas9, Cas12a variants from three different bacterium were used for this approach. We observed that FnCas12a from Francisella novicida generated HDR-based targeted mutants with highest efficiency (up to 93% mutants among transformants) while AsCas12a from Acidaminococcus sp. resulted in the lowest efficiency. We initially show that the native homologous recombination (HR) system in N. oceanica IMET1 is not efficient for easy isolation of targeted mutants by HR. Cas9/sgRNA RNP delivery greatly enhanced HR at the target site, generating around 70% of positive mutant lines. CONCLUSION We show that the delivery of Cas RNP by electroporation can be an alternative approach to the presently reported plasmid-based Cas9 method for generating mutants of N. oceanica. The co-delivery of Cas-RNPs along with a dsDNA repair template efficiently enhanced HR at the target site, resulting in a remarkable higher percentage of positive mutant lines. Therefore, this approach can be used for efficient generation of targeted mutants in Nannochloropsis sp. In addition, we here report the activity of several Cas12a homologs in N. oceanica IMET1, identifying FnCas12a as the best performer for high efficiency targeted genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihris Ibnu Saleem Naduthodi
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Stippeneng 4, 6708 PD Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Bioprocess Engineering Department, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Prarthana Mohanraju
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Stippeneng 4, 6708 PD Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Christian Südfeld
- Bioprocess Engineering Department, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sarah D’Adamo
- Bioprocess Engineering Department, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maria J. Barbosa
- Bioprocess Engineering Department, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - John van der Oost
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Stippeneng 4, 6708 PD Wageningen, The Netherlands
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A genome-wide algal mutant library and functional screen identifies genes required for eukaryotic photosynthesis. Nat Genet 2019; 51:627-635. [PMID: 30886426 PMCID: PMC6636631 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-019-0370-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Photosynthetic organisms provide food and energy for nearly all life on Earth, yet half of their protein-coding genes remain uncharacterized1,2. Characterization of these genes could be greatly accelerated by new genetic resources for unicellular organisms. Here, we generated a genome-wide, indexed library of mapped insertion mutants for the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The 62,389 mutants in the library, covering 83% of nuclear, protein-coding genes, are available to the community. Each mutant contains unique DNA barcodes, allowing the collection to be screened as a pool. We performed a genome-wide survey of genes required for photosynthesis, which identified 303 candidate genes. Characterization of one of these genes, the conserved predicted phosphatase-encoding gene CPL3, showed it is important for accumulation of multiple photosynthetic protein complexes. Notably, 21 of the 43 highest-confidence genes are novel, opening new opportunities for advances in our understanding of this biogeochemically fundamental process. This library will accelerate the characterization of thousands of genes in algae, plants and animals. Generation of a library of 62,389 mapped insertion mutants for the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii enables screening for genes required for photosynthesis and the identification of 303 candidate genes.
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91
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The dynamin-like protein Fzl promotes thylakoid fusion and resistance to light stress in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008047. [PMID: 30875368 PMCID: PMC6436760 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Large GTPases of the Dynamin Related Proteins (DRP) family shape lipid bilayers through membrane fission or fusion processes. Despite the highly organized photosynthetic membranes of thylakoids, a single DRP is known to be targeted inside the chloroplast. Fzl from the land plant Arabidopsis thaliana is inserted in the inner envelope and thylakoid membranes to regulate their morphology. Fzl may promote the fusion of thylakoids but this remains to be proven. Moreover, the physiological requirement for fusing thylakoids is currently unknown. Here, we find that the unicellular microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii encodes an Fzl ortholog (CrFzl) that is localized in the chloroplast where it is soluble. To explore its function, the CRISPR/Cas9 technology was employed to generate multiple CrFzl knock out strains. Phenotypic analyzes revealed a specific requirement of CrFzl for survival upon light stress. Consistent with this, strong irradiance lead to increased photoinhibition of photosynthesis in mutant cells. Fluorescence and electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that upon exposure to high light, CrFzl mutants show defects in chloroplast morphology but also large cytosolic vacuoles in close contact with the plastid. We further observe that strong irradiance induces an increased recruitment of the DRP to thylakoid membranes. Most importantly, we show that CrFzl is required for the fusion of thylakoids during mating. Together, our results suggest that thylakoids fusion may be necessary for resistance to light stress. All eukaryotic cells are composed of compartments with defined functions. Among those, mitochondria generate the main source of energy in human and animal cells. Their capacity to generate and diffuse energy in the cell is regulated by fusion and fragmentation processes. Together with mitochondria that produce energy from oxygen, plant cells include an additional compartment called the chloroplast that produces energy from light. The machinery that converts light into energy is more precisely located inside the chloroplast within stacks of membranes called the thylakoids. Here, we elucidate the function of CrFzl, a previously uncharacterized protein encoded by the genome of the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Algal cells that do not contain CrFzl are impaired in their capacity to grow when they receive too much light and our results indicate that CrFzl promotes the fusion of thylakoids during mating. These results suggest that membrane fusion is an essential tool for energy production in stress conditions by living organisms.
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Guzmán-Zapata D, Sandoval-Vargas JM, Macedo-Osorio KS, Salgado-Manjarrez E, Castrejón-Flores JL, Oliver-Salvador MDC, Durán-Figueroa NV, Nogué F, Badillo-Corona JA. Efficient Editing of the Nuclear APT Reporter Gene in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii via Expression of a CRISPR-Cas9 Module. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E1247. [PMID: 30871076 PMCID: PMC6429146 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20051247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) technology is a versatile and useful tool to perform genome editing in different organisms ranging from bacteria and yeast to plants and mammalian cells. For a couple of years, it was believed that the system was inefficient and toxic in the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. However, recently the system has been successfully implemented in this model organism, albeit relying mostly on the electroporation of ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) into cell wall deficient strains. This requires a constant source of RNPs and limits the application of the technology to strains that are not necessarily the most relevant from a biotechnological point of view. Here, we show that transient expression of the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 gene and sgRNAs, targeted to the single-copy nuclear apt9 gene, encoding an adenine phosphoribosyl transferase (APT), results in efficient disruption at the expected locus. Introduction of indels to the apt9 locus results in cell insensitivity to the otherwise toxic compound 2-fluoroadenine (2-FA). We have used agitation with glass beads and particle bombardment to introduce the plasmids carrying the coding sequences for Cas9 and the sgRNAs in a cell-walled strain of C. reinhardtii (CC-125). Using sgRNAs targeting exons 1 and 3 of apt9, we obtained disruption efficiencies of 3 and 30% on preselected 2-FA resistant colonies, respectively. Our results show that transient expression of Cas9 and a sgRNA can be used for editing of the nuclear genome inexpensively and at high efficiency. Targeting of the APT gene could potentially be used as a pre-selection marker for multiplexed editing or disruption of genes of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Guzmán-Zapata
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología. Av. Acueducto S/N., Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, 07340 Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - José M Sandoval-Vargas
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología. Av. Acueducto S/N., Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, 07340 Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Karla S Macedo-Osorio
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología. Av. Acueducto S/N., Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, 07340 Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Edgar Salgado-Manjarrez
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología. Av. Acueducto S/N., Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, 07340 Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - José L Castrejón-Flores
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología. Av. Acueducto S/N., Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, 07340 Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - María Del Carmen Oliver-Salvador
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología. Av. Acueducto S/N., Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, 07340 Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Noé V Durán-Figueroa
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología. Av. Acueducto S/N., Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, 07340 Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Fabien Nogué
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000 Versailles, France.
| | - Jesús A Badillo-Corona
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología. Av. Acueducto S/N., Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, 07340 Mexico City, Mexico.
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93
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Navarro FJ, Baulcombe DC. miRNA-Mediated Regulation of Synthetic Gene Circuits in the Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. ACS Synth Biol 2019; 8:358-370. [PMID: 30624905 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.8b00393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small RNA molecules of 20-24 nts, have many features that make them useful tools for gene expression regulation-small size, flexible design, target predictability, and action at a late stage of the gene expression pipeline. In addition, their role in fine-tuning gene expression can be harnessed to increase robustness of synthetic gene networks. In this work, we apply a synthetic biology approach to characterize miRNA-mediated gene expression regulation in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. This characterization is then used to build tools based on miRNAs, such as synthetic miRNAs, miRNA-responsive 3'UTRs, miRNA decoys, and self-regulatory loops. These tools will facilitate the engineering of gene expression for new applications and improved traits in this alga.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. Navarro
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
| | - David C. Baulcombe
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
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94
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Ortega-Escalante JA, Jasper R, Miller SM. CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis in Volvox carteri. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 97:661-672. [PMID: 30406958 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Volvox carteri and other volvocine green algae comprise an excellent model for investigating developmental complexity and its origins. Here we describe a method for targeted mutagenesis in V. carteri using CRISPR/Cas9 components expressed from transgenes. We used V. carteri nitrate reductase gene (nitA) regulatory sequences to conditionally express Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9, and V. carteri U6 RNA gene regulatory sequences to constitutively express single-guide RNA (sgRNA) transcripts. Volvox carteri was bombarded with both Cas9 vector and one of several sgRNA vectors programmed to target different test genes (glsA, regA and invA), and transformants were selected for expression of a hygromycin-resistance marker present on the sgRNA vector. Hygromycin-resistant transformants grown with nitrate as sole nitrogen source (inducing for nitA) were tested for Cas9 and sgRNA expression, and for the ability to generate progeny with expected mutant phenotypes. Some transformants of a somatic regenerator (Reg) mutant strain receiving sgRNA plasmid with glsA protospacer sequence yielded progeny (at a rate of ~0.01%) with a gonidialess (Gls) phenotype similar to that observed for previously described glsA mutants, and sequencing of the glsA gene in independent mutants revealed short deletions within the targeted region of glsA, indicative of Cas9-directed non-homologous end joining. Similarly, bombardment of a morphologically wild-type strain with the Cas9 plasmid and sgRNA plasmids targeting regA or invA yielded regA and invA mutant transformants/progeny, respectively (at rates of 0.1-100%). The capacity to make precisely directed frameshift mutations should greatly accelerate the molecular genetic analysis of development in V. carteri, and of developmental novelty in the volvocine algae.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Ortega-Escalante
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD, 21250, USA
| | - Robyn Jasper
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD, 21250, USA
| | - Stephen M Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD, 21250, USA
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95
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De Mia M, Lemaire SD, Choquet Y, Wollman FA. Nitric Oxide Remodels the Photosynthetic Apparatus upon S-Starvation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 179:718-731. [PMID: 30530737 PMCID: PMC6426411 DOI: 10.1104/pp.18.01164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Many photosynthetic autotrophs have evolved responses that adjust their metabolism to limitations in nutrient availability. Here we report a detailed characterization of the remodeling of photosynthesis upon sulfur starvation under heterotrophy and photo-autotrophy in the green alga (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii). Photosynthetic inactivation under low light and darkness is achieved through specific degradation of Rubisco and cytochrome b 6 f and occurs only in the presence of reduced carbon in the medium. The process is likely regulated by nitric oxide (NO), which is produced 24 h after the onset of starvation, as detected with NO-sensitive fluorescence probes visualized by fluorescence microscopy. We provide pharmacological evidence that intracellular NO levels govern this degradation pathway: the addition of a NO scavenger decreases the rate of cytochrome b 6 f and Rubisco degradation, whereas NO donors accelerate the degradation. Based on our analysis of the relative contribution of the different NO synthesis pathways, we conclude that the NO2-dependent nitrate reductase-independent pathway is crucial for NO production under sulfur starvation. Our data argue for an active role for NO in the remodeling of thylakoid protein complexes upon sulfur starvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello De Mia
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Membranaire et Moléculaire du Chloroplaste, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Stéphane D Lemaire
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire des Eucaryotes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Yves Choquet
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Membranaire et Moléculaire du Chloroplaste, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Francis-André Wollman
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Membranaire et Moléculaire du Chloroplaste, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France
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96
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Malzahn AA, Tang X, Lee K, Ren Q, Sretenovic S, Zhang Y, Chen H, Kang M, Bao Y, Zheng X, Deng K, Zhang T, Salcedo V, Wang K, Zhang Y, Qi Y. Application of CRISPR-Cas12a temperature sensitivity for improved genome editing in rice, maize, and Arabidopsis. BMC Biol 2019; 17:9. [PMID: 30704461 PMCID: PMC6357469 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-019-0629-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CRISPR-Cas12a (formerly Cpf1) is an RNA-guided endonuclease with distinct features that have expanded genome editing capabilities. Cas12a-mediated genome editing is temperature sensitive in plants, but a lack of a comprehensive understanding on Cas12a temperature sensitivity in plant cells has hampered effective application of Cas12a nucleases in plant genome editing. RESULTS We compared AsCas12a, FnCas12a, and LbCas12a for their editing efficiencies and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair profiles at four different temperatures in rice. We found that AsCas12a is more sensitive to temperature and that it requires a temperature of over 28 °C for high activity. Each Cas12a nuclease exhibited distinct indel mutation profiles which were not affected by temperatures. For the first time, we successfully applied AsCas12a for generating rice mutants with high frequencies up to 93% among T0 lines. We next pursued editing in the dicot model plant Arabidopsis, for which Cas12a-based genome editing has not been previously demonstrated. While LbCas12a barely showed any editing activity at 22 °C, its editing activity was rescued by growing the transgenic plants at 29 °C. With an early high-temperature treatment regime, we successfully achieved germline editing at the two target genes, GL2 and TT4, in Arabidopsis transgenic lines. We then used high-temperature treatment to improve Cas12a-mediated genome editing in maize. By growing LbCas12a T0 maize lines at 28 °C, we obtained Cas12a-edited mutants at frequencies up to 100% in the T1 generation. Finally, we demonstrated DNA binding of Cas12a was not abolished at lower temperatures by using a dCas12a-SRDX-based transcriptional repression system in Arabidopsis. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates the use of high-temperature regimes to achieve high editing efficiencies with Cas12a systems in rice, Arabidopsis, and maize and sheds light on the mechanism of temperature sensitivity for Cas12a in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee A Malzahn
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Xu Tang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China
| | - Keunsub Lee
- Crop Bioengineering Center, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011, USA
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011, USA
| | - Qiurong Ren
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China
| | - Simon Sretenovic
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Yingxiao Zhang
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Hongqiao Chen
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China
| | - Minjeong Kang
- Crop Bioengineering Center, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011, USA
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011, USA
- Interdepartmental Plant Biology Major, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011, USA
| | - Yu Bao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Xuelian Zheng
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China
| | - Kejun Deng
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Valeria Salcedo
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Kan Wang
- Crop Bioengineering Center, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011, USA
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011, USA
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China.
| | - Yiping Qi
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.
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97
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Niu TC, Lin GM, Xie LR, Wang ZQ, Xing WY, Zhang JY, Zhang CC. Expanding the Potential of CRISPR-Cpf1-Based Genome Editing Technology in the Cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120. ACS Synth Biol 2019; 8:170-180. [PMID: 30525474 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.8b00437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR systems, such as CRISPR-Cas9 and CRISPR-Cpf1, have been successfully used for genome editing in a variety of organisms. Although the technique of CRISPR-Cpf1 has been applied in cyanobacteria recently, its use was limited without exploiting the full potential of such a powerful genetic system. Using the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120 as a model strain, we improved the tools and designed genetic strategies based on CRISPR-Cpf1, which enabled us to realize genetic experiments that have been so far difficult to do in cyanobacteria. The development includes: (1) a "two-spacers" strategy for single genomic modification, with a success rate close to 100%; (2) rapid multiple genome editing using editing plasmids with different resistance markers; (3) using sacB, a counter-selection marker conferring sucrose sensitivity, to enable the active loss of the editing plasmids and facilitate multiple rounds of genetic modification or phenotypic analysis; (4) manipulation of essential genes by the creation of conditional mutants, using as example, polA encoding the DNA polymerase I essential for DNA replication and repair; (5) large DNA fragment deletion, up to 118 kb, from the Anabaena chromosome, corresponding to the largest bacterial chromosomal region removed with CRISPR systems so far. The genome editing vectors and the strategies developed here will expand our ability to study and engineer cyanobacteria, which are extensively used for fundamental studies, biotechnological applications including biofuel production, and synthetic biology research. The vectors developed here have a broad host range, and could be readily used for genetic modification in other microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Cai Niu
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Gui-Ming Lin
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Li-Rui Xie
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zi-Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wei-Yue Xing
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ju-Yuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Cheng-Cai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
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98
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Abstract
This review summarizes the current state of the art of CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing technologies for natural product producers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaojun Tong
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability
- Technical University of Denmark
- Denmark
| | - Tilmann Weber
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability
- Technical University of Denmark
- Denmark
| | - Sang Yup Lee
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability
- Technical University of Denmark
- Denmark
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 Plus Program)
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99
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Tong Y, Weber T, Lee SY. CRISPR/Cas-based genome engineering in natural product discovery. Nat Prod Rep 2019; 36:1262-1280. [DOI: 10.1039/c8np00089a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This review summarizes the current state of the art of CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing technologies for natural product producers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaojun Tong
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability
- Technical University of Denmark
- Denmark
| | - Tilmann Weber
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability
- Technical University of Denmark
- Denmark
| | - Sang Yup Lee
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability
- Technical University of Denmark
- Denmark
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 Plus Program)
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100
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Yamamoto Y, Gerbi SA. Making ends meet: targeted integration of DNA fragments by genome editing. Chromosoma 2018; 127:405-420. [PMID: 30003320 PMCID: PMC6330168 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-018-0677-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Targeted insertion of large pieces of DNA is an important goal of genetic engineering. However, this goal has been elusive since classical methods for homology-directed repair are inefficient and often not feasible in many systems. Recent advances are described here that enable site-specific genomic insertion of relatively large DNA with much improved efficiency. Using the preferred repair pathway in the cell of nonhomologous end-joining, DNA of up to several kb could be introduced with remarkably good precision by the methods of HITI and ObLiGaRe with an efficiency up to 30-40%. Recent advances utilizing homology-directed repair (methods of PITCh; short homology arms including ssODN; 2H2OP) have significantly increased the efficiency for DNA insertion, often to 40-50% or even more depending on the method and length of DNA. The remaining challenges of integration precision and off-target site insertions are summarized. Overall, current advances provide major steps forward for site-specific insertion of large DNA into genomes from a broad range of cells and organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University Division of Biology and Medicine, Sidney Frank Hall room 260, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Susan A Gerbi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University Division of Biology and Medicine, Sidney Frank Hall room 260, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
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