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Kalamakis G, Platt RJ. CRISPR for neuroscientists. Neuron 2023:S0896-6273(23)00306-9. [PMID: 37201524 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Genome engineering technologies provide an entry point into understanding and controlling the function of genetic elements in health and disease. The discovery and development of the microbial defense system CRISPR-Cas yielded a treasure trove of genome engineering technologies and revolutionized the biomedical sciences. Comprising diverse RNA-guided enzymes and effector proteins that evolved or were engineered to manipulate nucleic acids and cellular processes, the CRISPR toolbox provides precise control over biology. Virtually all biological systems are amenable to genome engineering-from cancer cells to the brains of model organisms to human patients-galvanizing research and innovation and giving rise to fundamental insights into health and powerful strategies for detecting and correcting disease. In the field of neuroscience, these tools are being leveraged across a wide range of applications, including engineering traditional and non-traditional transgenic animal models, modeling disease, testing genomic therapies, unbiased screening, programming cell states, and recording cellular lineages and other biological processes. In this primer, we describe the development and applications of CRISPR technologies while highlighting outstanding limitations and opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Kalamakis
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Randall J Platt
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4003 Basel, Switzerland; NCCR MSE, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Botnar Research Center for Child Health, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
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102
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Escrivá-Fernández J, Cueto-Ureña C, Solana-Orts A, Lledó E, Ballester-Lurbe B, Poch E. A CRISPR interference strategy for gene expression silencing in multiple myeloma cell lines. J Biol Eng 2023; 17:34. [PMID: 37143063 PMCID: PMC10161638 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00347-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic neoplasm which is characterized by proliferation and infiltration of plasmatic cells in the bone marrow. Currently, MM is considered incurable due to resistance to treatment. The CRISPR/Cas9 system has emerged as a powerful tool for understanding the role of different genetic alterations in the pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies in both cell lines and mouse models. Despite current advances of gene editing tools, the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology for gene editing of MM have not so far been extended. In this work, we want to repress Rnd3 expression, an atypical Rho GTPase involved in several cellular processes, in MM cell lines using a CRISPR interference strategy. RESULTS We have designed different guide RNAs and cloning them into a lentiviral plasmid, which contains all the machinery necessary for developing the CRISPR interference strategy. We co-transfected the HEK 293T cells with this lentiviral plasmid and 3rd generation lentiviral envelope and packaging plasmids to produce lentiviral particles. The lentiviral particles were used to transduce two different multiple myeloma cell lines, RPMI 8226 and JJN3, and downregulate Rnd3 expression. Additionally, the impact of Rnd3 expression absence was analyzed by a transcriptomic analysis consisting of 3' UTR RNA sequencing. The Rnd3 knock-down cells showed a different transcriptomic profile in comparison to control cells. CONCLUSIONS We have developed a CRISPR interference strategy to generate stable Rnd3 knockdown MM cell lines by lentiviral transduction. We have evaluated this strategy in two MM cell lines, and we have demonstrated that Rnd3 silencing works both at transcriptional and protein level. Therefore, we propose CRISPR interference strategy as an alternative tool to silence gene expression in MM cell lines. Furthermore, Rnd3 silencing produces changes in the cellular transcriptomic profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep Escrivá-Fernández
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, E-46115, Valencia, Spain
| | - Cristina Cueto-Ureña
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, E-46115, Valencia, Spain
- Experimental and Clinical Physiopathology Research Group CTS-1039, Department of Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, E-23071, Jaén, Spain
| | - Amalia Solana-Orts
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, E-46115, Valencia, Spain
| | - Elisa Lledó
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, E-46115, Valencia, Spain
| | - Begoña Ballester-Lurbe
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, E-46115, Valencia, Spain.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences. School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, C/ Ramón y Cajal s/n, E-46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Enric Poch
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, E-46115, Valencia, Spain.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences. School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, C/ Ramón y Cajal s/n, E-46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain.
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103
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Tomoshige K, Stuart WD, Fink-Baldauf IM, Ito M, Tsuchiya T, Nagayasu T, Yamatsuji T, Okada M, Fukazawa T, Guo M, Maeda Y. FOXA2 Cooperates with Mutant KRAS to Drive Invasive Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Lung. Cancer Res 2023; 83:1443-1458. [PMID: 37067057 PMCID: PMC10160002 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
The endoderm-lineage transcription factor FOXA2 has been shown to inhibit lung tumorigenesis in in vitro and xenograft studies using lung cancer cell lines. However, FOXA2 expression in primary lung tumors does not correlate with an improved patient survival rate, and the functional role of FOXA2 in primary lung tumors remains elusive. To understand the role of FOXA2 in primary lung tumors in vivo, here, we conditionally induced the expression of FOXA2 along with either of the two major lung cancer oncogenes, EGFRL858R or KRASG12D, in the lung epithelium of transgenic mice. Notably, FOXA2 suppressed autochthonous lung tumor development driven by EGFRL858R, whereas FOXA2 promoted tumor growth driven by KRASG12D. Importantly, FOXA2 expression along with KRASG12D produced invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) of the lung, a fatal mucus-producing lung cancer comprising approximately 5% of human lung cancer cases. In the mouse model in vivo and human lung cancer cells in vitro, FOXA2 activated a gene regulatory network involved in the key mucous transcription factor SPDEF and upregulated MUC5AC, whose expression is critical for inducing IMA. Coexpression of FOXA2 with mutant KRAS synergistically induced MUC5AC expression compared with that induced by FOXA2 alone. ChIP-seq combined with CRISPR interference indicated that FOXA2 bound directly to the enhancer region of MUC5AC and induced the H3K27ac enhancer mark. Furthermore, FOXA2 was found to be highly expressed in primary tumors of human IMA. Collectively, this study reveals that FOXA2 is not only a biomarker but also a driver for IMA in the presence of a KRAS mutation. SIGNIFICANCE FOXA2 expression combined with mutant KRAS drives invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung by synergistically promoting a mucous transcriptional program, suggesting strategies for targeting this lung cancer type that lacks effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Tomoshige
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - William D. Stuart
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Iris M. Fink-Baldauf
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Masaoki Ito
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tomoshi Tsuchiya
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nagayasu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Tomoki Yamatsuji
- Department of General Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Morihito Okada
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takuya Fukazawa
- Department of General Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Minzhe Guo
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Yutaka Maeda
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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104
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Armendariz DA, Goetsch SC, Sundarrajan A, Sivakumar S, Wang Y, Xie S, Munshi NV, Hon GC. CHD-associated enhancers shape human cardiomyocyte lineage commitment. eLife 2023; 12:e86206. [PMID: 37096669 PMCID: PMC10156167 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Enhancers orchestrate gene expression programs that drive multicellular development and lineage commitment. Thus, genetic variants at enhancers are thought to contribute to developmental diseases by altering cell fate commitment. However, while many variant-containing enhancers have been identified, studies to endogenously test the impact of these enhancers on lineage commitment have been lacking. We perform a single-cell CRISPRi screen to assess the endogenous roles of 25 enhancers and putative cardiac target genes implicated in genetic studies of congenital heart defects (CHDs). We identify 16 enhancers whose repression leads to deficient differentiation of human cardiomyocytes (CMs). A focused CRISPRi validation screen shows that repression of TBX5 enhancers delays the transcriptional switch from mid- to late-stage CM states. Endogenous genetic deletions of two TBX5 enhancers phenocopy epigenetic perturbations. Together, these results identify critical enhancers of cardiac development and suggest that misregulation of these enhancers could contribute to cardiac defects in human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Armendariz
- Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Sean C Goetsch
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Anjana Sundarrajan
- Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Sushama Sivakumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Yihan Wang
- Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Shiqi Xie
- Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Nikhil V Munshi
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Molecular Biology, McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Gary C Hon
- Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
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105
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Glaser V, Flugel C, Kath J, Du W, Drosdek V, Franke C, Stein M, Pruß A, Schmueck-Henneresse M, Volk HD, Reinke P, Wagner DL. Combining different CRISPR nucleases for simultaneous knock-in and base editing prevents translocations in multiplex-edited CAR T cells. Genome Biol 2023; 24:89. [PMID: 37095570 PMCID: PMC10123993 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02928-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple genetic modifications may be required to develop potent off-the-shelf chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies. Conventional CRISPR-Cas nucleases install sequence-specific DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), enabling gene knock-out or targeted transgene knock-in. However, simultaneous DSBs provoke a high rate of genomic rearrangements which may impede the safety of the edited cells. RESULTS Here, we combine a non-viral CRISPR-Cas9 nuclease-assisted knock-in and Cas9-derived base editing technology for DSB free knock-outs within a single intervention. We demonstrate efficient insertion of a CAR into the T cell receptor alpha constant (TRAC) gene, along with two knock-outs that silence major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) class I and II expression. This approach reduces translocations to 1.4% of edited cells. Small insertions and deletions at the base editing target sites indicate guide RNA exchange between the editors. This is overcome by using CRISPR enzymes of distinct evolutionary origins. Combining Cas12a Ultra for CAR knock-in and a Cas9-derived base editor enables the efficient generation of triple-edited CAR T cells with a translocation frequency comparable to unedited T cells. Resulting TCR- and MHC-negative CAR T cells resist allogeneic T cell targeting in vitro. CONCLUSIONS We outline a solution for non-viral CAR gene transfer and efficient gene silencing using different CRISPR enzymes for knock-in and base editing to prevent translocations. This single-step procedure may enable safer multiplex-edited cell products and demonstrates a path towards off-the-shelf CAR therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Glaser
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Flugel
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonas Kath
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Weijie Du
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vanessa Drosdek
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Clemens Franke
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maik Stein
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Axel Pruß
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Schmueck-Henneresse
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hans-Dieter Volk
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- CheckImmune GmbH, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Petra Reinke
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dimitrios L Wagner
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
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106
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Kawamata M, Suzuki HI, Kimura R, Suzuki A. Optimization of Cas9 activity through the addition of cytosine extensions to single-guide RNAs. Nat Biomed Eng 2023; 7:672-691. [PMID: 37037965 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01011-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
The precise regulation of the activity of Cas9 is crucial for safe and efficient editing. Here we show that the genome-editing activity of Cas9 can be constrained by the addition of cytosine stretches to the 5'-end of conventional single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs). Such a 'safeguard sgRNA' strategy, which is compatible with Cas12a and with systems for gene activation and interference via CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats), leads to the length-dependent inhibition of the formation of functional Cas9 complexes. Short cytosine extensions reduced p53 activation and cytotoxicity in human pluripotent stem cells, and enhanced homology-directed repair while maintaining bi-allelic editing. Longer extensions further decreased on-target activity yet improved the specificity and precision of mono-allelic editing. By monitoring indels through a fluorescence-based allele-specific system and computational simulations, we identified optimal windows of Cas9 activity for a number of genome-editing applications, including bi-allelic and mono-allelic editing, and the generation and correction of disease-associated single-nucleotide substitutions via homology-directed repair. The safeguard-sgRNA strategy may improve the safety and applicability of genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Kawamata
- Division of Organogenesis and Regeneration, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
| | - Hiroshi I Suzuki
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
- Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
- Center for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research, Gifu University Institute for Advanced Study, Gifu, Japan.
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Ryota Kimura
- Division of Organogenesis and Regeneration, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Atsushi Suzuki
- Division of Organogenesis and Regeneration, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
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107
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Bhokisham N, Laudermilch E, Traeger LL, Bonilla TD, Ruiz-Estevez M, Becker JR. CRISPR-Cas System: The Current and Emerging Translational Landscape. Cells 2023; 12:cells12081103. [PMID: 37190012 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas technology has rapidly changed life science research and human medicine. The ability to add, remove, or edit human DNA sequences has transformative potential for treating congenital and acquired human diseases. The timely maturation of the cell and gene therapy ecosystem and its seamless integration with CRISPR-Cas technologies has enabled the development of therapies that could potentially cure not only monogenic diseases such as sickle cell anemia and muscular dystrophy, but also complex heterogenous diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Here, we review the current landscape of clinical trials involving the use of various CRISPR-Cas systems as therapeutics for human diseases, discuss challenges, and explore new CRISPR-Cas-based tools such as base editing, prime editing, CRISPR-based transcriptional regulation, CRISPR-based epigenome editing, and RNA editing, each promising new functionality and broadening therapeutic potential. Finally, we discuss how the CRISPR-Cas system is being used to understand the biology of human diseases through the generation of large animal disease models used for preclinical testing of emerging therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ethan Laudermilch
- Corporate Research Material Labs, 3M Center, 3M Company, Maplewood, MN 55144, USA
| | - Lindsay L Traeger
- Corporate Research Material Labs, 3M Center, 3M Company, Maplewood, MN 55144, USA
| | - Tonya D Bonilla
- Corporate Research Material Labs, 3M Center, 3M Company, Maplewood, MN 55144, USA
| | | | - Jordan R Becker
- Corporate Research Material Labs, 3M Center, 3M Company, Maplewood, MN 55144, USA
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108
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Terron HM, Maranan DS, Burgard LA, LaFerla FM, Lane S, Leissring MA. A Dual-Function "TRE-Lox" System for Genetic Deletion or Reversible, Titratable, and Near-Complete Downregulation of Cathepsin D. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076745. [PMID: 37047718 PMCID: PMC10095275 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Commonly employed methods for reversibly disrupting gene expression, such as those based on RNAi or CRISPRi, are rarely capable of achieving >80-90% downregulation, making them unsuitable for targeting genes that require more complete disruption to elicit a phenotype. Genetic deletion, on the other hand, while enabling complete disruption of target genes, often produces undesirable irreversible consequences such as cytotoxicity or cell death. Here we describe the design, development, and detailed characterization of a dual-function "TRE-Lox" system for effecting either (a) doxycycline (Dox)-mediated downregulation or (b) genetic deletion of a target gene-the lysosomal aspartyl protease cathepsin D (CatD)-based on targeted insertion of a tetracycline-response element (TRE) and two LoxP sites into the 5' end of the endogenous CatD gene (CTSD). Using an optimized reverse-tetracycline transrepressor (rtTR) variant fused with the Krüppel-associated box (KRAB) domain, we show that CatD expression can be disrupted by as much as 98% in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). This system is highly sensitive to Dox (IC50 = 1.46 ng/mL) and results in rapid (t1/2 = 0.57 d) and titratable downregulation of CatD. Notably, even near-total disruption of CatD expression was completely reversed by withdrawal of Dox. As expected, transient expression of Cre recombinase results in complete deletion of the CTSD gene. The dual functionality of this novel system will facilitate future studies of the involvement of CatD in various diseases, particularly those attributable to partial loss of CatD function. In addition, the TRE-Lox approach should be applicable to the regulation of other target genes requiring more complete disruption than can be achieved by traditional methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Terron
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Derek S Maranan
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Luke A Burgard
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Frank M LaFerla
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Shelley Lane
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Malcolm A Leissring
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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109
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Liu J, Zhu S, Hu W, Zhao X, Shan Q, Peng W, Xue HH. CTCF mediates CD8+ effector differentiation through dynamic redistribution and genomic reorganization. J Exp Med 2023; 220:e20221288. [PMID: 36752796 PMCID: PMC9948760 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20221288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Differentiation of effector CD8+ T cells is instructed by stably and dynamically expressed transcription regulators. Here we show that naive-to-effector differentiation was accompanied by dynamic CTCF redistribution and extensive chromatin architectural changes. Upon CD8+ T cell activation, CTCF acquired de novo binding sites and anchored novel chromatin interactions, and these changes were associated with increased chromatin accessibility and elevated expression of cytotoxic program genes including Tbx21, Ifng, and Klrg1. CTCF was also evicted from its ex-binding sites in naive state, with concomitantly reduced chromatin interactions in effector cells, as observed at memory precursor-associated genes including Il7r, Sell, and Tcf7. Genetic ablation of CTCF indeed diminished cytotoxic gene expression, but paradoxically elevated expression of memory precursor genes. Comparative Hi-C analysis revealed that key memory precursor genes were harbored within insulated neighborhoods demarcated by constitutive CTCF binding, and their induction was likely due to disrupted CTCF-dependent insulation. CTCF thus promotes cytotoxic effector differentiation by integrating local chromatin accessibility control and higher-order genomic reorganization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Liu
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ, USA
| | - Shaoqi Zhu
- Department of Physics, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Wei Hu
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ, USA
| | - Xin Zhao
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ, USA
| | - Qiang Shan
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ, USA
| | - Weiqun Peng
- Department of Physics, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Hai-Hui Xue
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ, USA
- New Jersey Veterans Affairs Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA
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110
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Lampe GD, King RT, Halpin-Healy TS, Klompe SE, Hogan MI, Vo PLH, Tang S, Chavez A, Sternberg SH. Targeted DNA integration in human cells without double-strand breaks using CRISPR RNA-guided transposases. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.17.533036. [PMID: 36993517 PMCID: PMC10055298 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.17.533036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Traditional genome-editing reagents such as CRISPR-Cas9 achieve targeted DNA modification by introducing double-strand breaks (DSBs), thereby stimulating localized DNA repair by endogenous cellular repair factors. While highly effective at generating heterogenous knockout mutations, this approach suffers from undesirable byproducts and an inability to control product purity. Here we develop a system in human cells for programmable, DSB-free DNA integration using Type I CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs). To adapt our previously described CAST systems, we optimized DNA targeting by the QCascade complex through a comprehensive assessment of protein design, and we developed potent transcriptional activators by exploiting the multi-valent recruitment of the AAA+ ATPase, TnsC, to genomic sites targeted by QCascade. After initial detection of plasmid-based transposition, we screened 15 homologous CAST systems from a wide range of bacterial hosts, identified a CAST homolog from Pseudoalteromonas that exhibited improved activity, and increased integration efficiencies through parameter optimization. We further discovered that bacterial ClpX enhances genomic integration by multiple orders of magnitude, and we propose that this critical accessory factor functions to drive active disassembly of the post-transposition CAST complex, akin to its demonstrated role in Mu transposition. Our work highlights the ability to functionally reconstitute complex, multi-component machineries in human cells, and establishes a strong foundation to realize the full potential of CRISPR-associated transposons for human genome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- George D Lampe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rebeca T King
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tyler S Halpin-Healy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sanne E Klompe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marcus I Hogan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Phuc Leo H Vo
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen Tang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alejandro Chavez
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Samuel H Sternberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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111
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Luo R, Yan J, Oh JW, Xi W, Shigaki D, Wong W, Cho H, Murphy D, Cutler R, Rosen BP, Pulecio J, Yang D, Glenn R, Chen T, Li QV, Vierbuchen T, Sidoli S, Apostolou E, Huangfu D, Beer MA. Dynamic network-guided CRISPRi screen reveals CTCF loop-constrained nonlinear enhancer-gene regulatory activity in cell state transitions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.07.531569. [PMID: 36945628 PMCID: PMC10028945 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.07.531569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Comprehensive enhancer discovery is challenging because most enhancers, especially those affected in complex diseases, have weak effects on gene expression. Our network modeling revealed that nonlinear enhancer-gene regulation during cell state transitions can be leveraged to improve the sensitivity of enhancer discovery. Utilizing hESC definitive endoderm differentiation as a dynamic transition system, we conducted a mid-transition CRISPRi-based enhancer screen. The screen discovered a comprehensive set of enhancers (4 to 9 per locus) for each of the core endoderm lineage-specifying transcription factors, and many enhancers had strong effects mid-transition but weak effects post-transition. Through integrating enhancer activity measurements and three-dimensional enhancer-promoter interaction information, we were able to develop a CTCF loop-constrained Interaction Activity (CIA) model that can better predict functional enhancers compared to models that rely on Hi-C-based enhancer-promoter contact frequency. Our study provides generalizable strategies for sensitive and more comprehensive enhancer discovery in both normal and pathological cell state transitions.
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112
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Agarwal V, Inoue F, Schubach M, Martin BK, Dash PM, Zhang Z, Sohota A, Noble WS, Yardimci GG, Kircher M, Shendure J, Ahituv N. Massively parallel characterization of transcriptional regulatory elements in three diverse human cell types. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.05.531189. [PMID: 36945371 PMCID: PMC10028905 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.05.531189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
The human genome contains millions of candidate cis-regulatory elements (CREs) with cell-type-specific activities that shape both health and myriad disease states. However, we lack a functional understanding of the sequence features that control the activity and cell-type-specific features of these CREs. Here, we used lentivirus-based massively parallel reporter assays (lentiMPRAs) to test the regulatory activity of over 680,000 sequences, representing a nearly comprehensive set of all annotated CREs among three cell types (HepG2, K562, and WTC11), finding 41.7% to be functional. By testing sequences in both orientations, we find promoters to have significant strand orientation effects. We also observe that their 200 nucleotide cores function as non-cell-type-specific 'on switches' providing similar expression levels to their associated gene. In contrast, enhancers have weaker orientation effects, but increased tissue-specific characteristics. Utilizing our lentiMPRA data, we develop sequence-based models to predict CRE function with high accuracy and delineate regulatory motifs. Testing an additional lentiMPRA library encompassing 60,000 CREs in all three cell types, we further identified factors that determine cell-type specificity. Collectively, our work provides an exhaustive catalog of functional CREs in three widely used cell lines, and showcases how large-scale functional measurements can be used to dissect regulatory grammar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikram Agarwal
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- mRNA Center of Excellence, Sanofi Pasteur Inc., Waltham, MA 02451, USA
| | - Fumitaka Inoue
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Max Schubach
- Berlin Institute of Health of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10178, Berlin, Germany
| | - Beth K. Martin
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Pyaree Mohan Dash
- Berlin Institute of Health of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10178, Berlin, Germany
| | - Zicong Zhang
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ajuni Sohota
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - William Stafford Noble
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Galip Gürkan Yardimci
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Martin Kircher
- Berlin Institute of Health of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10178, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Jay Shendure
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Allen Center for Cell Lineage Tracing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Nadav Ahituv
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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113
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Toward the Development of Epigenome Editing-Based Therapeutics: Potentials and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054778. [PMID: 36902207 PMCID: PMC10003136 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The advancement in epigenetics research over the past several decades has led to the potential application of epigenome-editing technologies for the treatment of various diseases. In particular, epigenome editing is potentially useful in the treatment of genetic and other related diseases, including rare imprinted diseases, as it can regulate the expression of the epigenome of the target region, and thereby the causative gene, with minimal or no modification of the genomic DNA. Various efforts are underway to successfully apply epigenome editing in vivo, such as improving target specificity, enzymatic activity, and drug delivery for the development of reliable therapeutics. In this review, we introduce the latest findings, summarize the current limitations and future challenges in the practical application of epigenome editing for disease therapy, and introduce important factors to consider, such as chromatin plasticity, for a more effective epigenome editing-based therapy.
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114
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Stankey CT, Lee JC. Translating non-coding genetic associations into a better understanding of immune-mediated disease. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:297044. [PMID: 36897113 PMCID: PMC10040244 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have identified hundreds of genetic loci that are associated with immune-mediated diseases. Most disease-associated variants are non-coding, and a large proportion of these variants lie within enhancers. As a result, there is a pressing need to understand how common genetic variation might affect enhancer function and thereby contribute to immune-mediated (and other) diseases. In this Review, we first describe statistical and experimental methods to identify causal genetic variants that modulate gene expression, including statistical fine-mapping and massively parallel reporter assays. We then discuss approaches to characterise the mechanisms by which these variants modulate immune function, such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based screens. We highlight examples of studies that, by elucidating the effects of disease variants within enhancers, have provided important insights into immune function and uncovered key pathways of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina T Stankey
- Genetic Mechanisms of Disease Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - James C Lee
- Genetic Mechanisms of Disease Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute of Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital, University College London, London NW3 2PF, UK
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115
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He J, Wu W. A glimpse of research cores and frontiers on the relationship between long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and colorectal cancer (CRC) using the VOSviewer tool. Scand J Gastroenterol 2023; 58:254-263. [PMID: 36121831 DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2022.2124537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
As lncRNAs are essential participants in colorectal carcinogenesis. This study aimed to use the VOSviewer tool to access the research cores and frontiers on the relationship between lncRNAs and CRC. Our findings showed that the mechanism of lncRNA in the occurrence and development of CRC was the core theme of the field. (1) Immunotherapy and immune microenvironment of CRC and lncRNAs, (2) CRC and lncRNAs in exosomes and (3) CRC and lncRNA-targeted therapy might represent three research frontiers. A comprehensive understanding of their existing mechanisms and the search for new regulatory paradigms are the core topics of future research. This knowledge will also help us select appropriate targeting methods and select appropriate preclinical models to promote clinical translation and ultimately achieve precise treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia He
- Faculty Affairs and Human Resources Management Department, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, PR China
| | - Wenhan Wu
- Department of General Surgery (Gastrointestinal Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, PR China
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116
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Fontana L, Alahouzou Z, Miccio A, Antoniou P. Epigenetic Regulation of β-Globin Genes and the Potential to Treat Hemoglobinopathies through Epigenome Editing. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030577. [PMID: 36980849 PMCID: PMC10048329 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Beta-like globin gene expression is developmentally regulated during life by transcription factors, chromatin looping and epigenome modifications of the β-globin locus. Epigenome modifications, such as histone methylation/demethylation and acetylation/deacetylation and DNA methylation, are associated with up- or down-regulation of gene expression. The understanding of these mechanisms and their outcome in gene expression has paved the way to the development of new therapeutic strategies for treating various diseases, such as β-hemoglobinopathies. Histone deacetylase and DNA methyl-transferase inhibitors are currently being tested in clinical trials for hemoglobinopathies patients. However, these approaches are often uncertain, non-specific and their global effect poses serious safety concerns. Epigenome editing is a recently developed and promising tool that consists of a DNA recognition domain (zinc finger, transcription activator-like effector or dead clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats Cas9) fused to the catalytic domain of a chromatin-modifying enzyme. It offers a more specific targeting of disease-related genes (e.g., the ability to reactivate the fetal γ-globin genes and improve the hemoglobinopathy phenotype) and it facilitates the development of scarless gene therapy approaches. Here, we summarize the mechanisms of epigenome regulation of the β-globin locus, and we discuss the application of epigenome editing for the treatment of hemoglobinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Fontana
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Université Paris Cité, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Zoe Alahouzou
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Université Paris Cité, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Annarita Miccio
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Université Paris Cité, F-75015 Paris, France
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (P.A.)
| | - Panagiotis Antoniou
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Université Paris Cité, F-75015 Paris, France
- Genome Engineering, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D Unit, AstraZeneca, 431 50 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (P.A.)
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117
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Roy Choudhury S, Heflin B, Taylor E, Koss B, Avaritt NL, Tackett AJ. CRISPR/dCas9-KRAB-Mediated Suppression of S100b Restores p53-Mediated Apoptosis in Melanoma Cells. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050730. [PMID: 36899866 PMCID: PMC10000373 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of S100B is routinely used for disease-staging and for determining prognostic outcomes in patients with malignant melanoma. Intracellular interactions between S100B and wild-type (WT)-p53 have been demonstrated to limit the availability of free WT-p53 in tumor cells, inhibiting the apoptotic signaling cascade. Herein, we demonstrate that, while oncogenic overexpression of S100B is poorly correlated (R < 0.3; p > 0.05) to alterations in S100B copy number or DNA methylation in primary patient samples, the transcriptional start site and upstream promoter of the gene are epigenetically primed in melanoma cells with predicted enrichment of activating transcription factors. Considering the regulatory role of activating transcription factors in S100B upregulation in melanoma, we stably suppressed S100b (murine ortholog) by using a catalytically inactive Cas9 (dCas9) fused to a transcriptional repressor, Krüppel-associated box (KRAB). Selective combination of S100b-specific single-guide RNAs and the dCas9-KRAB fusion significantly suppressed expression of S100b in murine B16 melanoma cells without noticeable off-target effects. S100b suppression resulted in recovery of intracellular WT-p53 and p21 levels and concomitant induction of apoptotic signaling. Expression levels of apoptogenic factors (i.e., apoptosis-inducing factor, caspase-3, and poly-ADP ribose polymerase) were altered in response to S100b suppression. S100b-suppressed cells also showed reduced cell viability and increased susceptibility to the chemotherapeutic agents, cisplatin and tunicamycin. Targeted suppression of S100b therefore offers a therapeutic vulnerability to overcome drug resistance in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samrat Roy Choudhury
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
- Correspondence: (S.R.C.); (A.J.T.); Tel.: +1-(501)-364-7531 (S.R.C.); +1-(501)-686-8152 (A.J.T.)
| | - Billie Heflin
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Erin Taylor
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Brian Koss
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Nathan L. Avaritt
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Alan J. Tackett
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
- Correspondence: (S.R.C.); (A.J.T.); Tel.: +1-(501)-364-7531 (S.R.C.); +1-(501)-686-8152 (A.J.T.)
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118
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Fan C, Kim D, An H, Park Y. Identifying an oligodendrocyte enhancer that regulates Olig2 expression. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 32:835-846. [PMID: 36193754 PMCID: PMC9941837 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Olig2 is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that plays a critical role in the central nervous system. It directs the specification of motor neurons and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) from neural progenitors and the subsequent maturation of OPCs into myelin-forming oligodendrocytes (OLs). It is also required for the development of astrocytes. Despite a decade-long search, enhancers that regulate the expression of Olig2 remain elusive. We have recently developed an innovative method that maps promoter-distal enhancers to genes in a principled manner. Here, we applied it to Olig2 in the context of OL lineage cells, uncovering an OL enhancer for it (termed Olig2-E1). Silencing Olig2-E1 by CRISPRi epigenome editing significantly downregulated Olig2 expression. Luciferase assay and ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq data show that Olig2-E1 is an OL-specific enhancer that is conserved across human, mouse and rat. Hi-C data reveal that Olig2-E1 physically interacts with OLIG2 and suggest that this interaction is specific to OL lineage cells. In sum, Olig2-E1 is an evolutionarily conserved OL-specific enhancer that drives the expression of Olig2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuandong Fan
- Institute for Myelin and Glia Exploration, Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Dongkyeong Kim
- Institute for Myelin and Glia Exploration, Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.,Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | | | - Yungki Park
- Institute for Myelin and Glia Exploration, Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
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119
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Riegel D, Romero-Fernández E, Simon M, Adenugba AR, Singer K, Mayr R, Weber F, Kleemann M, Imbusch CD, Kreutz M, Brors B, Ugele I, Werner JM, Siska PJ, Schmidl C. Integrated single-cell profiling dissects cell-state-specific enhancer landscapes of human tumor-infiltrating CD8 + T cells. Mol Cell 2023; 83:622-636.e10. [PMID: 36657444 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Despite extensive studies on the chromatin landscape of exhausted T cells, the transcriptional wiring underlying the heterogeneous functional and dysfunctional states of human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is incompletely understood. Here, we identify gene-regulatory landscapes in a wide breadth of functional and dysfunctional CD8+ TIL states covering four cancer entities using single-cell chromatin profiling. We map enhancer-promoter interactions in human TILs by integrating single-cell chromatin accessibility with single-cell RNA-seq data from tumor-entity-matching samples and prioritize cell-state-specific genes by super-enhancer analysis. Besides revealing entity-specific chromatin remodeling in exhausted TILs, our analyses identify a common chromatin trajectory to TIL dysfunction and determine key enhancers, transcriptional regulators, and deregulated genes involved in this process. Finally, we validate enhancer regulation at immunotherapeutically relevant loci by targeting non-coding regulatory elements with potent CRISPR activators and repressors. In summary, our study provides a framework for understanding and manipulating cell-state-specific gene-regulatory cues from human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dania Riegel
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Malte Simon
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Division of Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Katrin Singer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Roman Mayr
- Department of Urology, Caritas St. Josef Medical Centre, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Florian Weber
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Mark Kleemann
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Charles D Imbusch
- Division of Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marina Kreutz
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), 93053 Regensburg, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Benedikt Brors
- Division of Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ines Ugele
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jens M Werner
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Peter J Siska
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christian Schmidl
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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120
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Maruyama S, Kusakabe T, Zou X, Kobayashi Y, Asano Y, Wang QS, Ui-Tei K. SNPD-CRISPR: Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-Distinguishable Repression or Enhancement of a Target Gene Expression by CRISPR System. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2637:49-62. [PMID: 36773137 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3016-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
A wide range of diseases, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, or neurodegenerative diseases, have been associated with single nucleotide mutations in their causative genes. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system is a flexible and efficient genome engineering technology widely used for researches and therapeutic applications which offers immense opportunity to treat genetic diseases. The complex of Cas9 and the guide RNA acts as an RNA-guided endonuclease. Cas9 recognizes a sequence motif known as a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM), and then the guide RNA base pairs with its proximal target region of 20 nucleotides with sequence complementarity. Here we describe the procedure named single nucleotide polymorphism-distinguishable (SNPD)-CRISPR system which can suppress or enhance the expression of disease-causative gene with single nucleotide mutation distinguished from its wild-type. In this study, we used HRAS, one of most famous cancer-causative genes, as an example of a target gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohei Maruyama
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takashi Kusakabe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Xinyi Zou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Kobayashi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshimasa Asano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Qingbo S Wang
- Department of Statistical Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.,Laboratory of Statistical Immunology, Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kumiko Ui-Tei
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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121
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Rabaan AA, AlSaihati H, Bukhamsin R, Bakhrebah MA, Nassar MS, Alsaleh AA, Alhashem YN, Bukhamseen AY, Al-Ruhimy K, Alotaibi M, Alsubki RA, Alahmed HE, Al-Abdulhadi S, Alhashem FA, Alqatari AA, Alsayyah A, Farahat RA, Abdulal RH, Al-Ahmed AH, Imran M, Mohapatra RK. Application of CRISPR/Cas9 Technology in Cancer Treatment: A Future Direction. Curr Oncol 2023; 30:1954-1976. [PMID: 36826113 PMCID: PMC9955208 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30020152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene editing, especially with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9), has advanced gene function science. Gene editing's rapid advancement has increased its medical/clinical value. Due to its great specificity and efficiency, CRISPR/Cas9 can accurately and swiftly screen the whole genome. This simplifies disease-specific gene therapy. To study tumor origins, development, and metastasis, CRISPR/Cas9 can change genomes. In recent years, tumor treatment research has increasingly employed this method. CRISPR/Cas9 can treat cancer by removing genes or correcting mutations. Numerous preliminary tumor treatment studies have been conducted in relevant fields. CRISPR/Cas9 may treat gene-level tumors. CRISPR/Cas9-based personalized and targeted medicines may shape tumor treatment. This review examines CRISPR/Cas9 for tumor therapy research, which will be helpful in providing references for future studies on the pathogenesis of malignancy and its treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali A. Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22610, Pakistan
| | - Hajir AlSaihati
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hafr Al Batin, Hafr Al Batin 39831, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rehab Bukhamsin
- Dammam Regional Laboratory and Blood Bank, Dammam 31411, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammed A. Bakhrebah
- Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Majed S. Nassar
- Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulmonem A. Alsaleh
- Clinical Laboratory Science Department, Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences, Dammam 34222, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yousef N. Alhashem
- Clinical Laboratory Science Department, Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences, Dammam 34222, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ammar Y. Bukhamseen
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalil Al-Ruhimy
- Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Riyadh 14235, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alotaibi
- Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Riyadh 14235, Saudi Arabia
| | - Roua A. Alsubki
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11362, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hejji E. Alahmed
- Department of Laboratory and Blood Bank, King Fahad Hospital, Al Hofuf 36441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh Al-Abdulhadi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Riyadh 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Saleh Office for Medical Genetic and Genetic Counseling Services, The House of Expertise, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Dammam 32411, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatemah A. Alhashem
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Hematopathology Division, King Fahad Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahlam A. Alqatari
- Hematopathology Department, Clinical Pathology, Al-Dorr Specialist Medical Center, Qatif 31911, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Alsayyah
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Rwaa H. Abdulal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahad Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali H. Al-Ahmed
- Dammam Health Network, Eastern Health Cluster, Dammam 31444, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohd. Imran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Northern Border University, Rafha 91911, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ranjan K. Mohapatra
- Department of Chemistry, Government College of Engineering, Keonjhar 758002, India
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122
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Chang HY, Qi LS. Reversing the Central Dogma: RNA-guided control of DNA in epigenetics and genome editing. Mol Cell 2023; 83:442-451. [PMID: 36736311 PMCID: PMC10044466 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Central Dogma of the flow of genetic information is arguably the crowning achievement of 20th century molecular biology. Reversing the flow of information from RNA to DNA or chromatin has come to the fore in recent years, from the convergence of fundamental discoveries and synthetic biology. Inspired by the example of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in mammalian genomes that direct chromatin modifications and gene expression, synthetic biologists have repurposed prokaryotic RNA-guided genome defense systems such as CRISPR to edit eukaryotic genomes and epigenomes. Here we explore the parallels of these two fields and highlight opportunities for synergy and future breakthroughs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard Y Chang
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulome, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Lei S Qi
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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123
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Zhang N, Kandalai S, Zhou X, Hossain F, Zheng Q. Applying multi-omics toward tumor microbiome research. IMETA 2023; 2:e73. [PMID: 38868335 PMCID: PMC10989946 DOI: 10.1002/imt2.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Rather than a "short-term tenant," the tumor microbiome has been shown to play a vital role as a "permanent resident," affecting carcinogenesis, cancer development, metastasis, and cancer therapies. As the tumor microbiome has great potential to become a target for the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer, recent research on the relevance of the tumor microbiota has attracted a wide range of attention from various scientific fields, resulting in remarkable progress that benefits from the development of interdisciplinary technologies. However, there are still a great variety of challenges in this emerging area, such as the low biomass of intratumoral bacteria and unculturable character of some microbial species. Due to the complexity of tumor microbiome research (e.g., the heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment), new methods with high spatial and temporal resolution are urgently needed. Among these developing methods, multi-omics technologies (combinations of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) are powerful approaches that can facilitate the understanding of the tumor microbiome on different levels of the central dogma. Therefore, multi-omics (especially single-cell omics) will make enormous impacts on the future studies of the interplay between microbes and tumor microenvironment. In this review, we have systematically summarized the advances in multi-omics and their existing and potential applications in tumor microbiome research, thus providing an omics toolbox for investigators to reference in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Center for Cancer Metabolism, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center ‐ James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research InstituteThe Ohio State UniversityOhioColumbusUSA
| | - Shruthi Kandalai
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Center for Cancer Metabolism, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center ‐ James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research InstituteThe Ohio State UniversityOhioColumbusUSA
| | - Xiaozhuang Zhou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Center for Cancer Metabolism, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center ‐ James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research InstituteThe Ohio State UniversityOhioColumbusUSA
| | - Farzana Hossain
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Center for Cancer Metabolism, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center ‐ James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research InstituteThe Ohio State UniversityOhioColumbusUSA
| | - Qingfei Zheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Center for Cancer Metabolism, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center ‐ James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research InstituteThe Ohio State UniversityOhioColumbusUSA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, College of MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
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124
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Cao C, Li A, Xu C, Wu B, Liu J, Liu Y. Enhancement of protein translation by CRISPR/dCasRx coupled with SINEB2 repeat of noncoding RNAs. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e33. [PMID: 36715335 PMCID: PMC10085674 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of new long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as biotechnological or therapeutic tools is still in its infancy, despite recent efforts to uncover their involvement in various biological processes including mRNA translation. An important question is whether lncRNA functional elements can be used to target translation of mRNAs of interest by incorporating the RNA-targeting CRISPR tools. The CRISPR/dCasRx-SINEB2 technology was developed in this research by coupling the sgRNA of a catalytically inactive Type VI-D Cas13 enzyme (CasRx) to an integrated SINEB2 domain of uchl1 lncRNA that promotes the translation of targeted mRNA. It has been demonstrated to be effective and adaptable in selectively increasing the expression of a variety of exogenous and endogenous proteins with a variety of functions with minimal off-target effects. dCasRx-SINEB2 is currently the sole CRISPR-related technique for translational control of gene expression, and works just as well or even better than the traditional RNAe tool under comparable conditions. Additionally, human cancer cells can be prevented from proliferating and migrating both in vitro and in vivo by dCasRx-SINEB2-targeted mRNA translation of transcripts encoding for antitumor proteins, including PTEN and P53. The present study provides an innovative protein enhancement method that will have several applications in biopharmaceuticals production and cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Cao
- Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China.,Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Aolin Li
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Chaojie Xu
- Department of Urology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Baorui Wu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230000, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Urology and Lithotripsy Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.,Peking University Applied Lithotripsy Institute, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China.,Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
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125
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Sastre D, Zafar F, Torres CAM, Piper D, Kirik D, Sanders LH, Qi S, Schüle B. Nuclease-dead S. aureus Cas9 downregulates alpha-synuclein and reduces mtDNA damage and oxidative stress levels in patient-derived stem cell model of Parkinson's disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.24.525105. [PMID: 36747875 PMCID: PMC9900844 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.24.525105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, but no disease modifying therapies have been successful in clinical translation presenting a major unmet medical need. A promising target is alpha-synuclein or its aggregated form, which accumulates in the brain of PD patients as Lewy bodies. While it is not entirely clear which alpha-synuclein protein species is disease relevant, mere overexpression of alpha-synuclein in hereditary forms leads to neurodegeneration. To specifically address gene regulation of alpha-synuclein, we developed a CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system based on the nuclease dead S. aureus Cas9 (SadCas9) fused with the transcriptional repressor domain Krueppel-associated box to controllably repress alpha-synuclein expression at the transcriptional level. We screened single guide (sg)RNAs across the SNCA promoter and identified several sgRNAs that mediate downregulation of alpha-synuclein at varying levels. CRISPRi downregulation of alpha-synuclein in iPSC-derived neuronal cultures from a patient with an SNCA genomic triplication showed functional recovery by reduction of oxidative stress and mitochondrial DNA damage. Our results are proof-of-concept in vitro for precision medicine by targeting the SNCA gene promoter. The SNCA CRISPRi approach presents a new model to understand safe levels of alpha-synuclein downregulation and a novel therapeutic strategy for PD and related alpha-synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danuta Sastre
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Stanford, CA 94305, U.S.A
| | - Faria Zafar
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Stanford, CA 94305, U.S.A
| | | | - Desiree Piper
- San Jose State University, Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose, 95192 CA, U.S.A
| | - Deniz Kirik
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Laurie H. Sanders
- Departments of Neurology and Pathology, Duke Center for Neurodegeneration and Neurotherapeutics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, U.S.A
| | - Stanley Qi
- Stanford University, Department of Bioengineering, Stanford, CA 94305, U.S.A
| | - Birgitt Schüle
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Stanford, CA 94305, U.S.A
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126
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Lee D, Gimple RC, Wu X, Prager BC, Qiu Z, Wu Q, Daggubati V, Mariappan A, Gopalakrishnan J, Sarkisian MR, Raleigh DR, Rich JN. Superenhancer activation of KLHDC8A drives glioma ciliation and hedgehog signaling. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e163592. [PMID: 36394953 PMCID: PMC9843063 DOI: 10.1172/jci163592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma ranks among the most aggressive and lethal of all human cancers. Self-renewing, highly tumorigenic glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) contribute to therapeutic resistance and maintain cellular heterogeneity. Here, we interrogated superenhancer landscapes of primary glioblastoma specimens and patient-derived GSCs, revealing a kelch domain-containing gene, specifically Kelch domain containing 8A (KLHDC8A) with a previously unknown function as an epigenetically driven oncogene. Targeting KLHDC8A decreased GSC proliferation and self-renewal, induced apoptosis, and impaired in vivo tumor growth. Transcription factor control circuitry analyses revealed that the master transcriptional regulator SOX2 stimulated KLHDC8A expression. Mechanistically, KLHDC8A bound chaperonin-containing TCP1 (CCT) to promote the assembly of primary cilia to activate hedgehog signaling. KLHDC8A expression correlated with Aurora B/C Kinase inhibitor activity, which induced primary cilia and hedgehog signaling. Combinatorial targeting of Aurora B/C kinase and hedgehog displayed augmented benefit against GSC proliferation. Collectively, superenhancer-based discovery revealed KLHDC8A as what we believe to be a novel molecular target of cancer stem cells that promotes ciliogenesis to activate the hedgehog pathway, offering insights into therapeutic vulnerabilities for glioblastoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derrick Lee
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Ryan C. Gimple
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Xujia Wu
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Briana C. Prager
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Zhixin Qiu
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Qiulian Wu
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Vikas Daggubati
- Department of Radiation Oncology and
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Aruljothi Mariappan
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jay Gopalakrishnan
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Matthew R. Sarkisian
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute and
- Preston A. Wells, Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - David R. Raleigh
- Department of Radiation Oncology and
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jeremy N. Rich
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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127
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Feehley T, O’Donnell CW, Mendlein J, Karande M, McCauley T. Drugging the epigenome in the age of precision medicine. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:6. [PMID: 36631803 PMCID: PMC9832256 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01419-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Modulating the epigenome has long been considered a potential opportunity for therapeutic intervention in numerous disease areas with several approved therapies marketed, primarily for cancer. Despite the overall promise of early approaches, however, these drugs have been plagued by poor pharmacokinetic and safety/tolerability profiles due in large part to off-target effects and a lack of specificity. RESULTS Recently, there has been marked progress in the field on a new generation of epigenomic therapies which address these challenges directly by targeting defined loci with highly precise, durable, and tunable approaches. Here, we review the promise and pitfalls of epigenetic drug development to date and provide an outlook on recent advances and their promise for future therapeutic applications. CONCLUSIONS Novel therapeutic modalities leveraging epigenetics and epigenomics with increased precision are well positioned to advance the field and treat patients across disease areas in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Feehley
- Omega Therapeutics, 20 Acorn Park Drive, Suite 400, Cambridge, MA 02140 USA
| | | | - John Mendlein
- grid.510906.b0000 0004 6487 6319Flagship Pioneering, 55 Cambridge Parkway Suite 800E, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Mahesh Karande
- Omega Therapeutics, 20 Acorn Park Drive, Suite 400, Cambridge, MA 02140 USA
| | - Thomas McCauley
- Omega Therapeutics, 20 Acorn Park Drive, Suite 400, Cambridge, MA 02140 USA
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128
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Chen Y, Ying Y, Wang M, Ma C, Jia M, Shi L, Wang S, Zheng X, Chen W, Shu XS. A distal super-enhancer activates oncogenic ETS2 via recruiting MECOM in inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:8. [PMID: 36609474 PMCID: PMC9822945 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05513-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal activities of distal cis-regulatory elements (CREs) contribute to the initiation and progression of cancer. Gain of super-enhancer (SE), a highly active distal CRE, is essential for the activation of key oncogenes in various cancers. However, the mechanism of action for most tumor-specific SEs still largely remains elusive. Here, we report that a candidate oncogene ETS2 was activated by a distal SE in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). The SE physically interacted with the ETS2 promoter and was required for the transcription activation of ETS2. Strikingly, the ETS2-SE activity was dramatically upregulated in both IBD and CRC tissues when compared to normal colon controls and was strongly correlated with the level of ETS2 expression. The tumor-specific activation of ETS2-SE was further validated by increased enhancer RNA transcription from this region in CRC. Intriguingly, a known IBD-risk SNP resides in the ETS2-SE and the genetic variant modulated the level of ETS2 expression through affecting the binding of an oncogenic transcription factor MECOM. Silencing of MECOM induced significant downregulation of ETS2 in CRC cells, and the level of MECOM and ETS2 correlated well with each other in CRC and IBD samples. Functionally, MECOM and ETS2 were both required for maintaining the colony-formation and sphere-formation capacities of CRC cells and MECOM was crucial for promoting migration. Taken together, we uncovered a novel disease-specific SE that distantly drives oncogenic ETS2 expression in IBD and CRC and delineated a mechanistic link between non-coding genetic variation and epigenetic regulation of gene transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongheng Chen
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Ying Ying
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Maolin Wang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515000, China
| | - Canjie Ma
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Min Jia
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Liang Shi
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Shilan Wang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Xiangyi Zheng
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Xing-Sheng Shu
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
- Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
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129
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Yan R, Cigliola V, Oonk KA, Petrover Z, DeLuca S, Wolfson DW, Vekstein A, Mendiola MA, Devlin G, Bishawi M, Gemberling MP, Sinha T, Sargent MA, York AJ, Shakked A, DeBenedittis P, Wendell DC, Ou J, Kang J, Goldman JA, Baht GS, Karra R, Williams AR, Bowles DE, Asokan A, Tzahor E, Gersbach CA, Molkentin JD, Bursac N, Black BL, Poss KD. An enhancer-based gene-therapy strategy for spatiotemporal control of cargoes during tissue repair. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:96-111.e6. [PMID: 36516837 PMCID: PMC9830588 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The efficacy and safety of gene-therapy strategies for indications like tissue damage hinge on precision; yet, current methods afford little spatial or temporal control of payload delivery. Here, we find that tissue-regeneration enhancer elements (TREEs) isolated from zebrafish can direct targeted, injury-associated gene expression from viral DNA vectors delivered systemically in small and large adult mammalian species. When employed in combination with CRISPR-based epigenome editing tools in mice, zebrafish TREEs stimulated or repressed the expression of endogenous genes after ischemic myocardial infarction. Intravenously delivered recombinant AAV vectors designed with a TREE to direct a constitutively active YAP factor boosted indicators of cardiac regeneration in mice and improved the function of the injured heart. Our findings establish the application of contextual enhancer elements as a potential therapeutic platform for spatiotemporally controlled tissue regeneration in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruorong Yan
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Valentina Cigliola
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kelsey A Oonk
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Zachary Petrover
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sophia DeLuca
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - David W Wolfson
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Andrew Vekstein
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Garth Devlin
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Muath Bishawi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Matthew P Gemberling
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Tanvi Sinha
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michelle A Sargent
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Allen J York
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Avraham Shakked
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - David C Wendell
- Duke Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jianhong Ou
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Junsu Kang
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Joseph A Goldman
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Gurpreet S Baht
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ravi Karra
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Adam R Williams
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dawn E Bowles
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Aravind Asokan
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Eldad Tzahor
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Charles A Gersbach
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jeffery D Molkentin
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Nenad Bursac
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Brian L Black
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kenneth D Poss
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, USA; Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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130
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Levy S, Ruohola-Baker H. AI-driven designed protein epigenomics. CLINICAL RESEARCH IN ONCOLOGY 2023; 1:1-3. [PMID: 38037660 PMCID: PMC10686789 DOI: 10.46439/oncology.1.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The biological revolutions of computationally designed proteins, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and the CRISPR-Cas9 system finally enables modifications that can spur deep understanding of spatial requirement of epigenetic information. This commentary describes the utility of a computationally designed protein, EED Binder (EB), when fused to dCas9 (EBdCas9) for identifying critical sites of PRC2 dependent histone H3K27me3 marks in the chromatin. By using EBdCas9 and gRNA, PRC2 function can be inhibited at specific loci, resulting in precise reduction of EZH2 and H3K27me3 marks, and in some (but not all) locations, activation of the gene and functional outcomes (such as regulation of cell cycle or trophoblast transdifferentiation). Interestingly, a functional TATA box located more than 500bp upstream of a TBX18 TSS was found to be repressed by PRC2, supporting the theory that epigenetic regulators control the repression of transcriptional elements on the promoter region. The EBdCas9 technology may provide a useful tool for controlling gene regulation through epigenomic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiri Levy
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Hannele Ruohola-Baker
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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131
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Haynes KA, Priode JH. Rapid Single-Pot Assembly of Modular Chromatin Proteins for Epigenetic Engineering. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2599:191-214. [PMID: 36427151 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2847-8_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Chromatin is the nucleoprotein complex that organizes genomic DNA in the nuclei of eukaryotic cells. Chromatin-modifying enzymes and chromatin-binding regulators generate chromatin states that affect DNA compaction, repair, gene expression, and ultimately cell phenotype. Many natural chromatin mediators contain subdomains that can be isolated and recombined to build synthetic regulators and probes. Engineered chromatin proteins make up a growing collection of new tools for cell engineering and can help deepen our understanding of the mechanism by which chromatin features, such as modifications of histones and DNA, contribute to the epigenetic states that govern DNA-templated processes. To support efficient exploration of the large combinatorial design space of synthetic chromatin proteins, we have developed a Golden Gate assembly method for one-step construction of protein-encoding recombinant DNA. A set of standard 2-amino acid linkers allows facile assembly of any combination of up to four protein modules, obviating the need to design different compatible overhangs to ligate different modules. Beginning with the identification of protein modules of interest, a synthetic chromatin protein can be built and expressed in vitro or in cells in under 2 weeks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karmella A Haynes
- W. H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - J Harrison Priode
- W. H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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132
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Chemotherapy suppresses SHH gene expression via a specific enhancer. J Genet Genomics 2023; 50:27-37. [PMID: 35998878 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling is a key regulator of embryonic development and tissue homeostasis that is involved in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer progression. Regulation of SHH gene expression is a paradigm of long-range enhancer function. Using the classical chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU) as an example, here we show that SHH gene expression is suppressed by chemotherapy. SHH is downstream of immediate early genes (IEGs), including Early growth response 1 (Egr1). A specific 139 kb upstream enhancer is responsible for its down-regulation. Knocking down EGR1 expression or blocking its binding to this enhancer renders SHH unresponsive to chemotherapy. We further demonstrate that down-regulation of SHH expression does not depend on 5FU's impact on nucleotide metabolism or DNA damage; rather, a sustained oxidative stress response mediates this rapid suppression. This enhancer is present in a wide range of tumors and normal tissues, thus providing a target for cancer chemotherapy and its adverse effects on normal tissues. We propose that SHH is a stress-responsive gene downstream of IEGs, and that traditional chemotherapy targets a specific enhancer to suppress its expression.
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133
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Yonezawa Y, Guo L, Kakinuma H, Otomo N, Yoshino S, Takeda K, Nakajima M, Shiraki T, Ogura Y, Takahashi Y, Koike Y, Minami S, Uno K, Kawakami N, Ito M, Yonezawa I, Watanabe K, Kaito T, Yanagida H, Taneichi H, Harimaya K, Taniguchi Y, Shigematsu H, Iida T, Demura S, Sugawara R, Fujita N, Yagi M, Okada E, Hosogane N, Kono K, Chiba K, Kotani T, Sakuma T, Akazawa T, Suzuki T, Nishida K, Kakutani K, Tsuji T, Sudo H, Iwata A, Sato T, Inami S, Nakamura M, Matsumoto M, Terao C, Watanabe K, Okamoto H, Ikegawa S. Identification of a Functional Susceptibility Variant for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis that Upregulates Early Growth Response 1 (EGR1)-Mediated UNCX Expression. J Bone Miner Res 2023; 38:144-153. [PMID: 36342191 DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.4738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a serious health problem affecting 3% of live births all over the world. Many loci associated with AIS have been identified by previous genome wide association studies, but their biological implication remains mostly unclear. In this study, we evaluated the AIS-associated variants in the 7p22.3 locus by combining in silico, in vitro, and in vivo analyses. rs78148157 was located in an enhancer of UNCX, a homeobox gene and its risk allele upregulated the UNCX expression. A transcription factor, early growth response 1 (EGR1), transactivated the rs78148157-located enhancer and showed a higher binding affinity for the risk allele of rs78148157. Furthermore, zebrafish larvae with UNCX messenger RNA (mRNA) injection developed body curvature and defective neurogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. rs78148157 confers the genetic susceptibility to AIS by enhancing the EGR1-regulated UNCX expression. © 2022 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiro Yonezawa
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Long Guo
- Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Laboratory Animal Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hisaya Kakinuma
- Laboratory for Neural Circuit Dynamics of Decision Making, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - Nao Otomo
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Soichiro Yoshino
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kazuki Takeda
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Nakajima
- Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Shiraki
- Laboratory for Neural Circuit Dynamics of Decision Making, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yoji Ogura
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yohei Takahashi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshinao Koike
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan.,Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Shohei Minami
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seirei Sakura Citizen Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Koki Uno
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Kobe Medical Center, Kobe, Japan
| | | | - Manabu Ito
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, National Hospital Organization Hokkaido Medical Center, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ikuho Yonezawa
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kei Watanabe
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Niigata University Medical and Dental General Hospital, Niigata, Japan
| | - Takashi Kaito
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Haruhisa Yanagida
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Fukuoka Children's Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Taneichi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Katsumi Harimaya
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan
| | - Yuki Taniguchi
- Department of Orthopedic, Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideki Shigematsu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
| | - Takahiro Iida
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital, Saitama, Japan
| | - Satoru Demura
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University Hospital, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Ryo Sugawara
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Fujita
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Fujita Health University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Yagi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eijiro Okada
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naobumi Hosogane
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Katsuki Kono
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kono Orthopaedic Clinic, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Chiba
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Kotani
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seirei Sakura Citizen Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Sakuma
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seirei Sakura Citizen Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Akazawa
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seirei Sakura Citizen Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Teppei Suzuki
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Kobe Medical Center, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kotaro Nishida
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kenichiro Kakutani
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Taichi Tsuji
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Meijo Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hideki Sudo
- Department of Advanced Medicine for Spine and Spinal Cord Disorders, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Akira Iwata
- Department of Preventive and Therapeutic Research for Metastatic Bone Tumor, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Sato
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Inami
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Masaya Nakamura
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Morio Matsumoto
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chikashi Terao
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kota Watanabe
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Okamoto
- Laboratory for Neural Circuit Dynamics of Decision Making, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - Shiro Ikegawa
- Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
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134
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Dwivedi Y, Shelton RC. Genomics in Treatment Development. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 30:363-385. [PMID: 36928858 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-21054-9_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The Human Genome Project mapped the 3 billion base pairs in the human genome, which ushered in a new generation of genomically focused treatment development. While this has been very successful in other areas, neuroscience has been largely devoid of such developments. This is in large part because there are very few neurological or mental health conditions that are related to single-gene variants. While developments in pharmacogenomics have been somewhat successful, the use of genetic information in practice has to do with drug metabolism and adverse reactions. Studies of drug metabolism related to genetic variations are an important part of drug development. However, outside of cancer biology, the actual translation of genomic information into novel therapies has been limited. Epigenetics, which relates in part to the effects of the environment on DNA, is a promising newer area of relevance to CNS disorders. The environment can induce chemical modifications of DNA (e.g., cytosine methylation), which can be induced by the environment and may represent either shorter- or longer-term changes. Given the importance of environmental influences on CNS disorders, epigenetics may identify important treatment targets in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogesh Dwivedi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Richard C Shelton
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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135
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Wolter JM, Le BD, Matoba N, Lafferty MJ, Aygün N, Liang D, Courtney K, Song J, Piven J, Zylka MJ, Stein JL. Cellular Genome-wide Association Study Identifies Common Genetic Variation Influencing Lithium-Induced Neural Progenitor Proliferation. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:8-17. [PMID: 36307327 PMCID: PMC9982734 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bipolar disorder is a highly heritable neuropsychiatric condition affecting more than 1% of the human population. Lithium salts are commonly prescribed as a mood stabilizer for individuals with bipolar disorder. Lithium is clinically effective in approximately half of treated individuals, and their genetic backgrounds are known to influence treatment outcomes. While the mechanism of lithium's therapeutic action is unclear, it stimulates adult neural progenitor cell proliferation, similar to some antidepressant drugs. METHODS To identify common genetic variants that modulate lithium-induced proliferation, we conducted an EdU incorporation assay in a library of 80 genotyped human neural progenitor cells treated with lithium. These data were used to perform a genome-wide association study to identify common genetic variants that influence lithium-induced neural progenitor cell proliferation. We manipulated the expression of a putatively causal gene using CRISPRi/a (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats interference/activation) constructs to experimentally verify lithium-induced proliferation effects. RESULTS We identified a locus on chr3p21.1 associated with lithium-induced proliferation. This locus is also associated with bipolar disorder risk, schizophrenia risk, and interindividual differences in intelligence. We identified a single gene, GNL3, whose expression temporally increased in an allele-specific fashion following lithium treatment. Experimentally increasing the expression of GNL3 led to increased proliferation under baseline conditions, while experimentally decreasing GNL3 expression suppressed lithium-induced proliferation. CONCLUSIONS Our experiments reveal that common genetic variation modulates lithium-induced neural progenitor proliferation and that GNL3 expression is necessary for the full proliferation-stimulating effects of lithium. These results suggest that performing genome-wide associations in genetically diverse human cell lines is a useful approach to discover context-specific pharmacogenomic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Wolter
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Brandon D Le
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Nana Matoba
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Michael J Lafferty
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Nil Aygün
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Dan Liang
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kenan Courtney
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Juan Song
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Joseph Piven
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Mark J Zylka
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jason L Stein
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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136
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A novel intergenic enhancer that regulates Bdnf expression in developing cortical neurons. iScience 2022; 26:105695. [PMID: 36582820 PMCID: PMC9792897 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes neuronal differentiation and survival and is implicated in the pathogenesis of many neurological disorders. Here, we identified a novel intergenic enhancer located 170 kb from the Bdnf gene, which promotes the expression of Bdnf transcript variants during mouse neuronal differentiation and activity. Following Bdnf activation, enhancer-promoter contacts increase, and the region moves away from the repressive nuclear periphery. Bdnf enhancer activity is necessary for neuronal clustering and dendritogenesis in vitro, and for cortical development in vivo. Our findings provide the first evidence of a regulatory mechanism whereby the activation of a distal enhancer promotes Bdnf expression during brain development.
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137
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Gugnoni M, Manzotti G, Vitale E, Sauta E, Torricelli F, Reggiani F, Pistoni M, Piana S, Ciarrocchi A. OVOL2 impairs RHO GTPase signaling to restrain mitosis and aggressiveness of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:108. [PMID: 35337349 PMCID: PMC8957195 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02316-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (ATC) is an undifferentiated and aggressive tumor that often originates from well-Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (DTC) through a trans-differentiation process. Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is recognized as one of the major players of this process. OVOL2 is a transcription factor (TF) that promotes epithelial differentiation and restrains EMT during embryonic development. OVOL2 loss in some types of cancers is linked to aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Here, we aim to clarify the unexplored role of OVOL2 in ATC. Methods Gene expression analysis in thyroid cancer patients and cell lines showed that OVOL2 is mainly associated with epithelial features and its expression is deeply impaired in ATC. To assess OVOL2 function, we established an OVOL2-overexpression model in ATC cell lines and evaluated its effects by analyzing gene expression, proliferation, invasion and migration abilities, cell cycle, specific protein localization through immunofluorescence staining. RNA-seq profiling showed that OVOL2 controls a complex network of genes converging on cell cycle and mitosis regulation and Chromatin Immunoprecipitation identified new OVOL2 target genes. Results Coherently with its reported function, OVOL2 re-expression restrained EMT and aggressiveness in ATC cells. Unexpectedly, we observed that it caused G2/M block, a consequent reduction in cell proliferation and an increase in cell death. This phenotype was associated to generalized abnormalities in the mitotic spindle structure and cytoskeletal organization. By RNA-seq experiments, we showed that many pathways related to cytoskeleton and migration, cell cycle and mitosis are profoundly affected by OVOL2 expression, in particular the RHO-GTPase pathway resulted as the most interesting. We demonstrated that RHO GTPase pathway is the central hub of OVOL2-mediated program in ATC and that OVOL2 transcriptionally inhibits RhoU and RhoJ. Silencing of RhoU recapitulated the OVOL2-driven phenotype pointing to this protein as a crucial target of OVOL2 in ATC. Conclusions Collectively, these data describe the role of OVOL2 in ATC and uncover a novel function of this TF in inhibiting the RHO GTPase pathway interlacing its effects on EMT, cytoskeleton dynamics and mitosis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02316-2.
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138
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Mills C, Riching A, Keller A, Stombaugh J, Haupt A, Maksimova E, Dickerson SM, Anderson E, Hemphill K, Ebmeier C, Schiel JA, Levenga J, Perkett M, Smith AVB, Strezoska Z. A Novel CRISPR Interference Effector Enabling Functional Gene Characterization with Synthetic Guide RNAs. CRISPR J 2022; 5:769-786. [PMID: 36257604 PMCID: PMC9805873 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2022.0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
While CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) systems have been widely implemented in pooled lentiviral screening, there has been limited use with synthetic guide RNAs for the complex phenotypic readouts enabled by experiments in arrayed format. Here we describe a novel deactivated Cas9 fusion protein, dCas9-SALL1-SDS3, which produces greater target gene repression than first or second generation CRISPRi systems when used with chemically modified synthetic single guide RNAs (sgRNAs), while exhibiting high target specificity. We show that dCas9-SALL1-SDS3 interacts with key members of the histone deacetylase and Swi-independent three complexes, which are the endogenous functional effectors of SALL1 and SDS3. Synthetic sgRNAs can also be used with in vitro-transcribed dCas9-SALL1-SDS3 mRNA for short-term delivery into primary cells, including human induced pluripotent stem cells and primary T cells. Finally, we used dCas9-SALL1-SDS3 for functional gene characterization of DNA damage host factors, orthogonally to small interfering RNA, demonstrating the ability of the system to be used in arrayed-format screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarence Mills
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Andrew Riching
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Ashleigh Keller
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Jesse Stombaugh
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Amanda Haupt
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Elena Maksimova
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Sarah M. Dickerson
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Emily Anderson
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Kevin Hemphill
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Chris Ebmeier
- Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - John A. Schiel
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Josien Levenga
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Matthew Perkett
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Anja van Brabant Smith
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Zaklina Strezoska
- Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, Lafayette, Colorado, USA and University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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139
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Tabet D, Parikh V, Mali P, Roth FP, Claussnitzer M. Scalable Functional Assays for the Interpretation of Human Genetic Variation. Annu Rev Genet 2022; 56:441-465. [PMID: 36055970 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-072920-032107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Scalable sequence-function studies have enabled the systematic analysis and cataloging of hundreds of thousands of coding and noncoding genetic variants in the human genome. This has improved clinical variant interpretation and provided insights into the molecular, biophysical, and cellular effects of genetic variants at an astonishing scale and resolution across the spectrum of allele frequencies. In this review, we explore current applications and prospects for the field and outline the principles underlying scalable functional assay design, with a focus on the study of single-nucleotide coding and noncoding variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Tabet
- Donnelly Centre, Department of Molecular Genetics, and Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada;
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Victoria Parikh
- Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Prashant Mali
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Frederick P Roth
- Donnelly Centre, Department of Molecular Genetics, and Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada;
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melina Claussnitzer
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Endocrine Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA;
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140
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Chen Q, Dai J, Bian Q. Integration of 3D genome topology and local chromatin features uncovers enhancers underlying craniofacial-specific cartilage defects. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo3648. [PMID: 36417512 PMCID: PMC9683718 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo3648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Aberrations in tissue-specific enhancers underlie many developmental defects. Disrupting a noncoding region distal from the human SOX9 gene causes the Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) characterized by the undersized lower jaw. Such a craniofacial-specific defect has been previously linked to enhancers transiently active in cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs). We demonstrate that the PRS region also strongly regulates Sox9 in CNCC-derived Meckel's cartilage (MC), but not in limb cartilages, even after decommissioning of CNCC enhancers. Such an MC-specific regulatory effect correlates with the MC-specific chromatin contacts between the PRS region and Sox9, highlighting the importance of lineage-dependent chromatin topology in instructing enhancer usage. By integrating the enhancer signatures and chromatin topology, we uncovered >10,000 enhancers that function differentially between MC and limb cartilages and demonstrated their association with human diseases. Our findings provide critical insights for understanding the choreography of gene regulation during development and interpreting the genetic basis of craniofacial pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiming Chen
- Department of Oral and Cranio-maxillofacial Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Jiewen Dai
- Department of Oral and Cranio-maxillofacial Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, 201318, China
- Corresponding author. (J.D.); (Q.B.)
| | - Qian Bian
- Department of Oral and Cranio-maxillofacial Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Corresponding author. (J.D.); (Q.B.)
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141
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Matsumura T, Totani H, Gunji Y, Fukuda M, Yokomori R, Deng J, Rethnam M, Yang C, Tan TK, Karasawa T, Kario K, Takahashi M, Osato M, Sanda T, Suda T. A Myb enhancer-guided analysis of basophil and mast cell differentiation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7064. [PMID: 36400777 PMCID: PMC9674656 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34906-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor MYB is a crucial regulator of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. However, the nature of lineage-specific enhancer usage of the Myb gene is largely unknown. We identify the Myb -68 enhancer, a regulatory element which marks basophils and mast cells. Using the Myb -68 enhancer activity, we show a population of granulocyte-macrophage progenitors with higher potential to differentiate into basophils and mast cells. Single cell RNA-seq demonstrates the differentiation trajectory is continuous from progenitors to mature basophils in vivo, characterizes bone marrow cells with a gene signature of mast cells, and identifies LILRB4 as a surface marker of basophil maturation. Together, our study leads to a better understanding of how MYB expression is regulated in a lineage-associated manner, and also shows how a combination of lineage-related reporter mice and single-cell transcriptomics can overcome the rarity of target cells and enhance our understanding of gene expression programs that control cell differentiation in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayoshi Matsumura
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore ,grid.410804.90000000123090000Division of Inflammation Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan ,grid.410804.90000000123090000Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Haruhito Totani
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yoshitaka Gunji
- grid.410804.90000000123090000Division of Inflammation Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Masahiro Fukuda
- grid.428397.30000 0004 0385 0924Signature Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore ,grid.274841.c0000 0001 0660 6749International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Rui Yokomori
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jianwen Deng
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Malini Rethnam
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chong Yang
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tze King Tan
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tadayoshi Karasawa
- grid.410804.90000000123090000Division of Inflammation Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Kazuomi Kario
- grid.410804.90000000123090000Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Masafumi Takahashi
- grid.410804.90000000123090000Division of Inflammation Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Motomi Osato
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Takaomi Sanda
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore ,grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Toshio Suda
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore ,grid.274841.c0000 0001 0660 6749International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan ,grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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142
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Towards elucidating disease-relevant states of neurons and glia by CRISPR-based functional genomics. Genome Med 2022; 14:130. [PMID: 36401300 PMCID: PMC9673433 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-022-01134-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of neurological diseases has been tremendously enhanced over the past decade by the application of new technologies. Genome-wide association studies have highlighted glial cells as important players in diseases. Single-cell profiling technologies are providing descriptions of disease states of neurons and glia at unprecedented molecular resolution. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the mechanisms driving disease-associated cell states, and how these states contribute to disease. These gaps in our understanding can be bridged by CRISPR-based functional genomics, a powerful approach to systematically interrogate gene function. In this review, we will briefly review the current literature on neurological disease-associated cell states and introduce CRISPR-based functional genomics. We discuss how advances in CRISPR-based screens, especially when implemented in the relevant brain cell types or cellular environments, have paved the way towards uncovering mechanisms underlying neurological disease-associated cell states. Finally, we will delineate current challenges and future directions for CRISPR-based functional genomics to further our understanding of neurological diseases and potential therapeutic strategies.
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143
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Chen PB, Fiaux PC, Zhang K, Li B, Kubo N, Jiang S, Hu R, Rooholfada E, Wu S, Wang M, Wang W, McVicker G, Mischel PS, Ren B. Systematic discovery and functional dissection of enhancers needed for cancer cell fitness and proliferation. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111630. [PMID: 36351387 PMCID: PMC9687083 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A scarcity of functionally validated enhancers in the human genome presents a significant hurdle to understanding how these cis-regulatory elements contribute to human diseases. We carry out highly multiplexed CRISPR-based perturbation and sequencing to identify enhancers required for cell proliferation and fitness in 10 human cancer cell lines. Our results suggest that the cell fitness enhancers, unlike their target genes, display high cell-type specificity of chromatin features. They typically adopt a modular structure, comprised of activating elements enriched for motifs of oncogenic transcription factors, surrounded by repressive elements enriched for motifs recognized by transcription factors with tumor suppressor functions. We further identify cell fitness enhancers that are selectively accessible in clinical tumor samples, and the levels of chromatin accessibility are associated with patient survival. These results reveal functional enhancers across multiple cancer cell lines, characterize their context-dependent chromatin organization, and yield insights into altered transcription programs in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poshen B Chen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore 138672, Singapore
| | - Patrick C Fiaux
- Bioinformatics and System Biology Graduate Program, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Bin Li
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Naoki Kubo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Shan Jiang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Rong Hu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Emma Rooholfada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sihan Wu
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
| | - Mengchi Wang
- Bioinformatics and System Biology Graduate Program, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Bioinformatics and System Biology Graduate Program, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Graham McVicker
- Integrative Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Paul S Mischel
- Department of Pathology, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Bing Ren
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Institute of Genome Medicine, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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144
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Stoll GA, Pandiloski N, Douse CH, Modis Y. Structure and functional mapping of the KRAB-KAP1 repressor complex. EMBO J 2022; 41:e111179. [PMID: 36341546 PMCID: PMC9753469 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022111179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements are a genetic reservoir from which new genes and regulatory elements can emerge. However, expression of transposable elements can be pathogenic and is therefore tightly controlled. KRAB domain-containing zinc finger proteins (KRAB-ZFPs) recruit the co-repressor KRAB-associated protein 1 (KAP1/TRIM28) to regulate many transposable elements, but how KRAB-ZFPs and KAP1 interact remains unclear. Here, we report the crystal structure of the KAP1 tripartite motif (TRIM) in complex with the KRAB domain from a human KRAB-ZFP, ZNF93. Structure-guided mutations in the KAP1-KRAB binding interface abolished repressive activity in an epigenetic transcriptional silencing assay. Deposition of H3K9me3 over thousands of loci is lost genome-wide in cells expressing a KAP1 variant with mutations that abolish KRAB binding. Our work identifies and functionally validates the KRAB-KAP1 molecular interface, which is critical for a central transcriptional control axis in vertebrates. In addition, the structure-based prediction of KAP1 recruitment efficiency will enable optimization of KRABs used in CRISPRi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido A Stoll
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, MRC Laboratory of Molecular BiologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK,Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID)University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineCambridgeUK
| | - Ninoslav Pandiloski
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund Stem Cell CenterLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Christopher H Douse
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund Stem Cell CenterLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Yorgo Modis
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, MRC Laboratory of Molecular BiologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK,Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID)University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineCambridgeUK
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145
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Walton RT, Singh A, Blainey PC. Pooled genetic screens with image‐based profiling. Mol Syst Biol 2022; 18:e10768. [PMID: 36366905 PMCID: PMC9650298 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202110768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial structure in biology, spanning molecular, organellular, cellular, tissue, and organismal scales, is encoded through a combination of genetic and epigenetic factors in individual cells. Microscopy remains the most direct approach to exploring the intricate spatial complexity defining biological systems and the structured dynamic responses of these systems to perturbations. Genetic screens with deep single‐cell profiling via image features or gene expression programs have the capacity to show how biological systems work in detail by cataloging many cellular phenotypes with one experimental assay. Microscopy‐based cellular profiling provides information complementary to next‐generation sequencing (NGS) profiling and has only recently become compatible with large‐scale genetic screens. Optical screening now offers the scale needed for systematic characterization and is poised for further scale‐up. We discuss how these methodologies, together with emerging technologies for genetic perturbation and microscopy‐based multiplexed molecular phenotyping, are powering new approaches to reveal genotype–phenotype relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell T Walton
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Cambridge MA USA
- Department of Biological Engineering MIT Cambridge MA USA
| | - Avtar Singh
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Cambridge MA USA
| | - Paul C Blainey
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Cambridge MA USA
- Department of Biological Engineering MIT Cambridge MA USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research MIT Cambridge MA USA
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146
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Zhang X, Jiang Q, Li J, Zhang S, Cao Y, Xia X, Cai D, Tan J, Chen J, Han JDJ. KCNQ1OT1 promotes genome-wide transposon repression by guiding RNA-DNA triplexes and HP1 binding. Nat Cell Biol 2022; 24:1617-1629. [PMID: 36266489 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-01008-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Transposon (de)repression and heterochromatin reorganization are dynamically regulated during cell fate determination and are hallmarks of cellular senescence. However, whether they are sequence specifically regulated remains unknown. Here we uncover that the KCNQ1OT1 lncRNA, by sequence-specific Hoogsteen base pairing with double-stranded genomic DNA via its repeat-rich region and binding to the heterochromatin protein HP1α, guides, induces and maintains epigenetic silencing at specific repetitive DNA elements. Repressing KCNQ1OT1 or deleting its repeat-rich region reduces DNA methylation and H3K9me3 on KCNQ1OT1-targeted transposons. Engineering a fusion KCNQ1OT1 with an ectopically targeting guiding triplex sequence induces de novo DNA methylation at the target site. Phenotypically, repressing KCNQ1OT1 induces senescence-associated heterochromatin foci, transposon activation and retrotransposition as well as cellular senescence, demonstrating an essential role of KCNQ1OT1 to safeguard against genome instability and senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Zhang
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Quanlong Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiyang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiqiang Zhang
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yaqiang Cao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xian Xia
- Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Donghong Cai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaqi Tan
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiekai Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing-Dong J Han
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, Beijing, China.
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147
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Muto Y, Dixon EE, Yoshimura Y, Wu H, Omachi K, Ledru N, Wilson PC, King AJ, Eric Olson N, Gunawan MG, Kuo JJ, Cox JH, Miner JH, Seliger SL, Woodward OM, Welling PA, Watnick TJ, Humphreys BD. Defining cellular complexity in human autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease by multimodal single cell analysis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6497. [PMID: 36310237 PMCID: PMC9618568 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34255-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the leading genetic cause of end stage renal disease characterized by progressive expansion of kidney cysts. To better understand the cell types and states driving ADPKD progression, we analyze eight ADPKD and five healthy human kidney samples, generating single cell multiomic atlas consisting of ~100,000 single nucleus transcriptomes and ~50,000 single nucleus epigenomes. Activation of proinflammatory, profibrotic signaling pathways are driven by proximal tubular cells with a failed repair transcriptomic signature, proinflammatory fibroblasts and collecting duct cells. We identify GPRC5A as a marker for cyst-lining collecting duct cells that exhibits increased transcription factor binding motif availability for NF-κB, TEAD, CREB and retinoic acid receptors. We identify and validate a distal enhancer regulating GPRC5A expression containing these motifs. This single cell multiomic analysis of human ADPKD reveals previously unrecognized cellular heterogeneity and provides a foundation to develop better diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiharu Muto
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Eryn E Dixon
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yasuhiro Yoshimura
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Haojia Wu
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kohei Omachi
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Nicolas Ledru
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Parker C Wilson
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jay J Kuo
- Chinook Therapeutics, Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Jeffrey H Miner
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Stephen L Seliger
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Owen M Woodward
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Terry J Watnick
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin D Humphreys
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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148
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Mu Y, Zhang C, Li T, Jin FJ, Sung YJ, Oh HM, Lee HG, Jin L. Development and Applications of CRISPR/Cas9-Based Genome Editing in Lactobacillus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12852. [PMID: 36361647 PMCID: PMC9656040 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Lactobacillus, a genus of lactic acid bacteria, plays a crucial function in food production preservation, and probiotics. It is particularly important to develop new Lactobacillus strains with superior performance by gene editing. Currently, the identification of its functional genes and the mining of excellent functional genes mainly rely on the traditional gene homologous recombination technology. CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing is a rapidly developing technology in recent years. It has been widely applied in mammalian cells, plants, yeast, and other eukaryotes, but less in prokaryotes, especially Lactobacillus. Compared with the traditional strain improvement methods, CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing can greatly improve the accuracy of Lactobacillus target sites and achieve traceless genome modification. The strains obtained by this technology may even be more efficient than the traditional random mutation methods. This review examines the application and current issues of CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing in Lactobacillus, as well as the development trend of CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing in Lactobacillus. In addition, the fundamental mechanisms of CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing are also presented and summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulin Mu
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Chengxiao Zhang
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Taihua Li
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Feng-Jie Jin
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Yun-Ju Sung
- BioNanotechnology Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Hee-Mock Oh
- Cell Factory Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Hyung-Gwan Lee
- Cell Factory Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Long Jin
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
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149
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Escobar M, Li J, Patel A, Liu S, Xu Q, Hilton IB. Quantification of Genome Editing and Transcriptional Control Capabilities Reveals Hierarchies among Diverse CRISPR/Cas Systems in Human Cells. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:3239-3250. [PMID: 36162812 PMCID: PMC9594343 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas technologies have revolutionized the ability to redesign genomic information and tailor endogenous gene expression. Nevertheless, the discovery and development of new CRISPR/Cas systems has resulted in a lack of clarity surrounding the relative efficacies among these technologies in human cells. This deficit makes the optimal selection of CRISPR/Cas technologies in human cells unnecessarily challenging, which in turn hampers their adoption, and thus ultimately limits their utility. Here, we designed a series of endogenous testbed systems to methodically quantify and compare the genome editing, CRISPRi, and CRISPRa capabilities among 10 different natural and engineered Cas protein variants spanning Type II and Type V CRISPR/Cas families. We show that although all Cas protein variants are capable of genome editing and transcriptional control in human cells, hierarchies exist, particularly for genome editing and CRISPRa applications, wherein Cas9 ≥ Cas12a > Cas12e/Cas12j. Our findings also highlight the utility of our modular testbed platforms to rapidly and systematically quantify the functionality of practically any natural or engineered genomic-targeting Cas protein in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Escobar
- Department
of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Jing Li
- Department
of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Aditi Patel
- Department
of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Shizhe Liu
- Department
of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Qi Xu
- Department
of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Isaac B. Hilton
- Department
of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States,Department
of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States,
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Leung AKY, Yao L, Yu H. Functional genomic assays to annotate enhancer-promoter interactions genome wide. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:R97-R104. [PMID: 36018818 PMCID: PMC9585677 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are pivotal for regulating gene transcription that occurs at promoters. Identification of the interacting enhancer-promoter pairs and understanding the mechanisms behind how they interact and how enhancers modulate transcription can provide fundamental insight into gene regulatory networks. Recently, advances in high-throughput methods in three major areas-chromosome conformation capture assay, such as Hi-C to study basic chromatin architecture, ectopic reporter experiments such as self-transcribing active regulatory region sequencing (STARR-seq) to quantify promoter and enhancer activity, and endogenous perturbations such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat interference (CRISPRi) to identify enhancer-promoter compatibility-have further our knowledge about transcription. In this review, we will discuss the major method developments and key findings from these assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alden King-Yung Leung
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Center for Genomics and Proteomics Technology Development (CGPT), Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA
| | - Li Yao
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Center for Genomics and Proteomics Technology Development (CGPT), Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA
| | - Haiyuan Yu
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Center for Genomics and Proteomics Technology Development (CGPT), Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA
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