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Zhou H, Ye P, Xiong W, Duan X, Jing S, He Y, Zeng Z, Wei Y, Ye Q. Genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 screening in stem cells: theories, applications and challenges. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:218. [PMID: 39026343 PMCID: PMC11264826 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03831-z] [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: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to the rapid development of stem cell technology, there have been tremendous advances in molecular biological and pathological research, cell therapy as well as organoid technologies over the past decades. Advances in genome editing technology, particularly the discovery of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-related protein 9 (Cas9), have further facilitated the rapid development of stem cell researches. The CRISPR-Cas9 technology now goes beyond creating single gene editing to enable the inhibition or activation of endogenous gene loci by fusing inhibitory (CRISPRi) or activating (CRISPRa) domains with deactivated Cas9 proteins (dCas9). These tools have been utilized in genome-scale CRISPRi/a screen to recognize hereditary modifiers that are synergistic or opposing to malady mutations in an orderly and fair manner, thereby identifying illness mechanisms and discovering novel restorative targets to accelerate medicinal discovery investigation. However, the application of this technique is still relatively rare in stem cell research. There are numerous specialized challenges in applying large-scale useful genomics approaches to differentiated stem cell populations. Here, we present the first comprehensive review on CRISPR-based functional genomics screening in the field of stem cells, as well as practical considerations implemented in a range of scenarios, and exploration of the insights of CRISPR-based screen into cell fates, disease mechanisms and cell treatments in stem cell models. This review will broadly benefit scientists, engineers and medical practitioners in the areas of stem cell research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhou
- Center of Regenerative Medicine and Department of Stomatology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Ye
- Department of Pharmacy, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Xiong
- Center of Regenerative Medicine and Department of Stomatology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingxiang Duan
- Center of Regenerative Medicine and Department of Stomatology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuili Jing
- Center of Regenerative Medicine and Department of Stomatology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan He
- Institute of Regenerative and Translational Medicine, Tianyou Hospital of Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430064, Hubei, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Zhi Zeng
- Department of Pathology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yen Wei
- The Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qingsong Ye
- Center of Regenerative Medicine and Department of Stomatology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China.
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2
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Krappinger JC, Aguilar Gomez CM, Hoenikl A, Schusterbauer V, Hatzl AM, Feichtinger J, Glieder A. dMAD7 is a promising tool for targeted gene regulation in the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii. N Biotechnol 2024; 83:110-120. [PMID: 38960022 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2024.06.008] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii is a popular host system for the pharmaceutical and biotechnological production of recombinant proteins. CRISPR-Cas9 and its derivative CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) offer a promising avenue to further enhance and exploit the full capabilities of this host. MAD7 and its catalytically inactive variant "dead" MAD7 (dMAD7) represent an interesting alternative to established CRISPR-Cas9 systems and are free to use for industrial and academic research. CRISPRi utilizing dMAD7 does not introduce double-strand breaks but only binds to the DNA to regulate gene expression. Here, we report the first use of dMAD7 in K. phaffii to regulate the expression of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). A reduction of eGFP fluorescence level (up to 88 %) was achieved in random integration experiments using dMAD7 plasmids. Integration loci/events of investigated strains were assessed through whole genome sequencing. Additionally, RNA-sequencing experiments corroborated the whole genome sequencing results and showed a significantly reduced expression of eGFP in strains containing a dMAD7 plasmid, among others. Our findings conclusively demonstrate the utility of dMAD7 in K. phaffii through successfully regulating eGFP expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian C Krappinger
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Pichia pastoris Host and Vector Systems, Graz, Austria; Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Carla M Aguilar Gomez
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Pichia pastoris Host and Vector Systems, Graz, Austria; Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Andrea Hoenikl
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Anna-Maria Hatzl
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Pichia pastoris Host and Vector Systems, Graz, Austria; Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Julia Feichtinger
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Pichia pastoris Host and Vector Systems, Graz, Austria; Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
| | - Anton Glieder
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Pichia pastoris Host and Vector Systems, Graz, Austria; Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
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3
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Kozaeva E, Nielsen ZS, Nieto-Domínguez M, Nikel P. The pAblo·pCasso self-curing vector toolset for unconstrained cytidine and adenine base-editing in Gram-negative bacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:e19. [PMID: 38180826 PMCID: PMC10899774 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
A synthetic biology toolkit, exploiting clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and modified CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) base-editors, was developed for genome engineering in Gram-negative bacteria. Both a cytidine base-editor (CBE) and an adenine base-editor (ABE) have been optimized for precise single-nucleotide modification of plasmid and genome targets. CBE comprises a cytidine deaminase conjugated to a Cas9 nickase from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpnCas9), resulting in C→T (or G→A) substitutions. Conversely, ABE consists of an adenine deaminase fused to SpnCas9 for A→G (or T→C) editing. Several nucleotide substitutions were achieved using these plasmid-borne base-editing systems and a novel protospacer adjacent motif (PAM)-relaxed SpnCas9 (SpRY) variant. Base-editing was validated in Pseudomonas putida and other Gram-negative bacteria by inserting premature STOP codons into target genes, thereby inactivating both fluorescent proteins and metabolic (antibiotic-resistance) functions. The functional knockouts obtained by engineering STOP codons via CBE were reverted to the wild-type genotype using ABE. Additionally, a series of induction-responsive vectors was developed to facilitate the curing of the base-editing platform in a single cultivation step, simplifying complex strain engineering programs without relying on homologous recombination and yielding plasmid-free, modified bacterial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Kozaeva
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Zacharias S Nielsen
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Manuel Nieto-Domínguez
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Pablo I Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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4
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Bales MK, Vergara MM, Eckert CA. Application of functional genomics for domestication of novel non-model microbes. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 51:kuae022. [PMID: 38925657 PMCID: PMC11247347 DOI: 10.1093/jimb/kuae022] [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: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
With the expansion of domesticated microbes producing biomaterials and chemicals to support a growing circular bioeconomy, the variety of waste and sustainable substrates that can support microbial growth and production will also continue to expand. The diversity of these microbes also requires a range of compatible genetic tools to engineer improved robustness and economic viability. As we still do not fully understand the function of many genes in even highly studied model microbes, engineering improved microbial performance requires introducing genome-scale genetic modifications followed by screening or selecting mutants that enhance growth under prohibitive conditions encountered during production. These approaches include adaptive laboratory evolution, random or directed mutagenesis, transposon-mediated gene disruption, or CRISPR interference (CRISPRi). Although any of these approaches may be applicable for identifying engineering targets, here we focus on using CRISPRi to reduce the time required to engineer more robust microbes for industrial applications. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY The development of genome scale CRISPR-based libraries in new microbes enables discovery of genetic factors linked to desired traits for engineering more robust microbial systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret K Bales
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Michael Melesse Vergara
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Carrie A Eckert
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
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5
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Wendisch VF, Brito LF, Passaglia LM. Genome-based analyses to learn from and about Paenibacillus sonchi genomovar Riograndensis SBR5T. Genet Mol Biol 2024; 46:e20230115. [PMID: 38224489 PMCID: PMC10789242 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2023-0115] [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: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Paenibacillus sonchi genomovar Riograndensis SBR5T is a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) isolated in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul from the rhizosphere of Triticum aestivum. It fixes nitrogen, produces siderophores as well as the phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid, solubilizes phosphate and displays antagonist activity against Listeria monocytogenes and Pectobacterium carotovorum. Comprehensive omics analysis and the development of genetic tools are key to characterizing and engineering such non-model microorganisms. Therefore, the complete genome of SBR5T was sequenced, and shown to encode 6,705 proteins, 87 tRNAs, and 27 rRNAs and it enabled a landscape transcriptome analysis that unveiled conserved transcriptional and translational patterns and characterized operon structures and riboswitches. The pangenome of P. sonchi species is open with a stable core pangenome. At the same time, the analysis of genes coding for nitrogenases revealed that the trait of nitrogen fixation is sparse within the Paenibacillaceae family and the presence of Fe-only nitrogenase in the P. sonchi group was exclusive to SBR5T. The development of genetic tools for SBR5T enabled genetic transformation, plasmid construction for constitutive and inducible gene expression, and gene repression using the CRISPRi system. Altogether, the work with P. sonchi can guide the study of non-model bacteria with economic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker F. Wendisch
- Bielefeld University, Faculty of Biology, Genetics of Prokaryotes, Bielefeld, Germany
- Bielefeld University, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Luciana F. Brito
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Luciane M.P. Passaglia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Genética, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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6
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Graver BA, Chakravarty N, Solomon KV. Prokaryotic Argonautes for in vivo biotechnology and molecular diagnostics. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:61-73. [PMID: 37451948 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) are an emerging class of programmable endonucleases that are believed to be more flexible than existing CRISPR-Cas systems and have significant potential for biotechnology. Current applications of pAgos include a myriad of molecular diagnostics and in vitro DNA assembly tools. However, efforts have historically been centered on thermophilic pAgo variants. To enable in vivo biotechnological applications such as gene editing, focus has shifted to pAgos from mesophilic organisms. We discuss what is known of pAgos, how they are being developed for various applications, and strategies to overcome current challenges to in vivo applications in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett A Graver
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Namrata Chakravarty
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Kevin V Solomon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
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7
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Aman Mohammadi M, Maximiano MR, Hosseini SM, Franco OL. CRISPR-Cas engineering in food science and sustainable agriculture: recent advancements and applications. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 2023; 46:483-497. [PMID: 36707422 DOI: 10.1007/s00449-022-02842-5] [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: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The developments in the food supply chain to support the growing population of the world is one of today's most pressing issues, and to achieve this goal improvements should be performed in both crops and microbes. For this purpose, novel approaches such as genome editing (GE) methods have upgraded the biological sciences for genome manipulation and, among such methods, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) are the main exciting innovations since the Green Revolution. CRISPR/Cas systems can be a potent tool for the food industry, improvement of agricultural crops and even for protecting food-grade bacteria from foreign genetic invasive elements. This review introduces the history and mechanism of the CRISPR-Cas system as a genome editing tool and its applications in the vaccination of starter cultures, production of antimicrobials and bioactive compounds, and genome editing of microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Aman Mohammadi
- Student Research Committee, Department of Food Science and Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences, Food Science and Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mariana Rocha Maximiano
- S-Inova Biotech, Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.,Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Graduate Program in Genomic Science and Biotechnology, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Seyede Marzieh Hosseini
- Student Research Committee, Department of Food Science and Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences, Food Science and Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Octavio Luiz Franco
- S-Inova Biotech, Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.,Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Graduate Program in Genomic Science and Biotechnology, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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8
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Chen Z, Zheng S, Fu C. Shotgun knockdown of RNA by CRISPR-Cas13d in fission yeast. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:297260. [PMID: 36825467 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260769] [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: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas13d system has a single small effector protein that targets RNA and does not require the presence of a protospacer flanking site in the targeted transcript. These features make CRISPR-Cas13d an attractive system for RNA manipulation. Here, we report the successful implementation of the CRISPR-Cas13d system in fission yeast for RNA knockdown. A high effectiveness of the CRISPR-Cas13d system was ensured by using an array of CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) that are flanked by two self-cleaving ribozymes and are expressed from an RNA polymerase II promoter. Given the repressible nature of the promoter, RNA knockdown by the CRISPR-Cas13d system is reversible. Moreover, using the CRISPR-Cas13d system, we identified an effective crRNA array targeting the transcript of gfp and the effectiveness was demonstrated by successful knockdown of the transcripts of noc4-gfp, bub1-gfp and ade6-gfp. In principle, the effective GFP crRNA array allows knockdown of any transcript carrying the GFP sequences. This new CRISPR-Cas13d-based toolkit is expected to have a wide range of applications in many aspects of biology, including dissection of gene function and visualization of RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhikai Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics & School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Shengnan Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics & School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Chuanhai Fu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics & School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
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9
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Gervais NC, La Bella AA, Wensing LF, Sharma J, Acquaviva V, Best M, Cadena López RO, Fogal M, Uthayakumar D, Chavez A, Santiago-Tirado F, Flores-Mireles AL, Shapiro RS. Development and applications of a CRISPR activation system for facile genetic overexpression in Candida albicans. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkac301. [PMID: 36450451 PMCID: PMC9911074 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
For the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, genetic overexpression readily occurs via a diversity of genomic alterations, such as aneuploidy and gain-of-function mutations, with important consequences for host adaptation, virulence, and evolution of antifungal drug resistance. Given the important role of overexpression on C. albicans biology, it is critical to develop and harness tools that enable the analysis of genes expressed at high levels in the fungal cell. Here, we describe the development, optimization, and application of a novel, single-plasmid-based CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) platform for targeted genetic overexpression in C. albicans, which employs a guide RNA to target an activator complex to the promoter region of a gene of interest, thus driving transcriptional expression of that gene. Using this system, we demonstrate the ability of CRISPRa to drive high levels of gene expression in C. albicans, and we assess optimal guide RNA targeting for robust and constitutive overexpression. We further demonstrate the specificity of the system via RNA sequencing. We highlight the application of CRISPR activation to overexpress genes involved in pathogenesis and drug susceptibility, and contribute toward the identification of novel phenotypes. Consequently, this tool will facilitate a broad range of applications for the study of C. albicans genetic overexpression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C Gervais
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Alyssa A La Bella
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Lauren F Wensing
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Jehoshua Sharma
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Victoria Acquaviva
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Madison Best
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | | | - Meea Fogal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Deeva Uthayakumar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
- Present address: Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alejandro Chavez
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | | | - Ana L Flores-Mireles
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Rebecca S Shapiro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1H 5N4, Canada
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10
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Wang J, Li C, Jiang T, Yan Y. Biosensor-assisted titratable CRISPRi high-throughput (BATCH) screening for over-production phenotypes. Metab Eng 2023; 75:58-67. [PMID: 36375746 PMCID: PMC9845192 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
With rapid advances in the development of metabolic pathways and synthetic biology toolkits, a persisting challenge in microbial bioproduction is how to optimally rewire metabolic fluxes and accelerate the concomitant high-throughput phenotype screening. Here we developed a biosensor-assisted titratable CRISPRi high-throughput (BATCH) screening approach that combines a titratable mismatch CRISPR interference and a biosensor mediated screening for high-production phenotypes in Escherichia coli. We first developed a programmable mismatch CRISPRi that could afford multiple levels of interference efficacy with a one-pot sgRNA pool (a total of 16 variants for each target gene) harboring two consecutive random mismatches in the seed region of sgRNA spacers. The mismatch CRISPRi was demonstrated to enable almost a full range of gene knockdown when targeting different positions on genes. As a proof-of-principle demonstration of the BATCH screening system, we designed doubly mismatched sgRNA pools targeting 20 relevant genes in E. coli and optimized a PadR-based p-coumaric acid biosensor with broad dynamic range for the eGFP fluorescence guided high-production screening. Using sgRNA variants for the combinatorial knockdown of pfkA and ptsI, the p-coumaric acid titer was increased by 40.6% to o 1308.6 mg/l from glycerol in shake flasks. To further demonstrate the general applicability of the BATCH screening system, we recruited a HpdR-based butyrate biosensor that facilitated the screening of E. coli strains achieving 19.0% and 25.2% increase of butyrate titer in shake flasks with sgRNA variants targeting sucA and ldhA, respectively. This work reported the establishment of a plug-and-play approach that enables multilevel modulation of metabolic fluxes and high-throughput screening of high-production phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Chenyi Li
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Tian Jiang
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Yajun Yan
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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11
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Khan F, Jeong GJ, Tabassum N, Mishra A, Kim YM. Filamentous morphology of bacterial pathogens: regulatory factors and control strategies. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:5835-5862. [PMID: 35989330 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12128-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have demonstrated that when exposed to physical, chemical, and biological stresses in the environment, many bacteria (Gram-positive and Gram-negative) change their morphology from a normal cell to a filamentous shape. The formation of filamentous morphology is one of the survival strategies against environmental stress and protection against phagocytosis or protist predators. Numerous pathogenic bacteria have shown filamentous morphologies when examined in vivo or in vitro. During infection, certain pathogenic bacteria adopt a filamentous shape inside the cell to avoid phagocytosis by immune cells. Filamentous morphology has also been seen in biofilms formed on biotic or abiotic surfaces by certain bacteria. As a result, in addition to protecting against phagocytosis by immune cells or predators, the filamentous shape aids in biofilm adhesion or colonization to biotic or abiotic surfaces. Furthermore, these filamentous morphologies of bacterial pathogens lead to antimicrobial drug resistance. Clinically, filamentous morphology has become one of the most serious challenges in treating bacterial infection. The current review went into great detail about the various factors involved in the change of filamentous morphology and the underlying mechanisms. In addition, the review discussed a control strategy for suppressing filamentous morphology in order to combat bacterial infections. Understanding the mechanism underlying the filamentous morphology induced by various environmental conditions will aid in drug development and lessen the virulence of bacterial pathogens. KEY POINTS: • The bacterial filamentation morphology is one of the survival mechanisms against several environmental stress conditions and protection from phagocytosis by host cells and protist predators. • The filamentous morphologies in bacterial pathogens contribute to enhanced biofilm formation, which develops resistance properties against antimicrobial drugs. • Filamentous morphology has become one of the major hurdles in treating bacterial infection, hence controlling strategies employed for inhibiting the filamentation morphology from combating bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fazlurrahman Khan
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea. .,Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea.
| | - Geum-Jae Jeong
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Nazia Tabassum
- Industry 4.0 Convergence Bionics Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Akanksha Mishra
- Department of Biotechnology, Division of Research and Development, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144001, India
| | - Young-Mog Kim
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea. .,Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Hogan AM, Cardona ST. Gradients in gene essentiality reshape antibacterial research. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:fuac005. [PMID: 35104846 PMCID: PMC9075587 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Essential genes encode the processes that are necessary for life. Until recently, commonly applied binary classifications left no space between essential and non-essential genes. In this review, we frame bacterial gene essentiality in the context of genetic networks. We explore how the quantitative properties of gene essentiality are influenced by the nature of the encoded process, environmental conditions and genetic background, including a strain's distinct evolutionary history. The covered topics have important consequences for antibacterials, which inhibit essential processes. We argue that the quantitative properties of essentiality can thus be used to prioritize antibacterial cellular targets and desired spectrum of activity in specific infection settings. We summarize our points with a case study on the core essential genome of the cystic fibrosis pathobiome and highlight avenues for targeted antibacterial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Hogan
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, 45 Chancellor's Circle, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Silvia T Cardona
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, 45 Chancellor's Circle, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Room 543 - 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0J9, Canada
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13
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Irla M, Wendisch VF. Efficient cell factories for the production of N-methylated amino acids and for methanol-based amino acid production. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:2145-2159. [PMID: 35488805 PMCID: PMC9328739 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The growing world needs commodity amino acids such as L‐glutamate and L‐lysine for use as food and feed, and specialty amino acids for dedicated applications. To meet the supply a paradigm shift regarding their production is required. On the one hand, the use of sustainable and cheap raw materials is necessary to sustain low production cost and decrease detrimental effects of sugar‐based feedstock on soil health and food security caused by competing uses of crops in the feed and food industries. On the other hand, the biotechnological methods to produce functionalized amino acids need to be developed further, and titres enhanced to become competitive with chemical synthesis methods. In the current review, we present successful strain mutagenesis and rational metabolic engineering examples leading to the construction of recombinant bacterial strains for the production of amino acids such as L‐glutamate, L‐lysine, L‐threonine and their derivatives from methanol as sole carbon source. In addition, the fermentative routes for bioproduction of N‐methylated amino acids are highlighted, with focus on three strategies: partial transfer of methylamine catabolism, S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine dependent alkylation and reductive methylamination of 2‐oxoacids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Irla
- Microbial Synthetic Biology, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| | - Volker F Wendisch
- Genetics of Prokaryotes, Faculty of Biology and CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany
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14
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Le Y, Sun J. CRISPR/Cas genome editing systems in thermophiles: Current status, associated challenges, and future perspectives. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2022; 118:1-30. [PMID: 35461662 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2022.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Thermophiles, offering an attractive and unique platform for a broad range of applications in biofuels and environment protections, have received a significant attention and growing interest from academy and industry. However, the exploration and exploitation of thermophilic organisms have been hampered by the lack of a powerful genome manipulation tool to improve production efficiency. At current, the clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR associated (Cas) system has been successfully exploited as a competent, simplistic, and powerful tool for genome engineering both in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Indeed, with the significant efforts made in recent years, some thermostable Cas9 proteins have been well identified and characterized and further, some thermostable Cas9-based editing tools have been successfully established in some representative obligate thermophiles. In this regard, we reviewed the current status and its progress in CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing system towards a variety of thermophilic organisms. Despite the potentials of these progresses, multiple factors/barriers still have to be overcome and optimized for improving its editing efficiency in thermophiles. Some insights into the roles of thermostable CRISPR/Cas technologies for the metabolic engineering of thermophiles as a thermophilic microbial cell factory were also fully analyzed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Le
- Biofuels institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Jianzhong Sun
- Biofuels institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, PR China.
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15
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Ganguly J, Martin-Pascual M, Montiel González D, Bulut A, Vermeulen B, Tjalma I, Vidaki A, van Kranenburg R. Breaking the Restriction Barriers and Applying CRISPRi as a Gene Silencing Tool in Pseudoclostridium thermosuccinogenes. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10040698. [PMID: 35456750 PMCID: PMC9044749 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10040698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudoclostridium thermosuccinogenes is a thermophilic bacterium capable of producing succinate from lignocellulosic-derived sugars and has the potential to be exploited as a platform organism. However, exploitation of P. thermosuccinogenes has been limited partly due to the genetic inaccessibility and lack of genome engineering tools. In this study, we established the genetic accessibility for P. thermosuccinogenes DSM 5809. By overcoming restriction barriers, transformation efficiencies of 102 CFU/µg plasmid DNA were achieved. To this end, the plasmid DNA was methylated in vivo when transformed into an engineered E. coli HST04 strain expressing three native methylation systems of the thermophile. This protocol was used to introduce a ThermodCas9-based CRISPRi tool targeting the gene encoding malic enzyme in P. thermosuccinogenes, demonstrating the principle of gene silencing. This resulted in 75% downregulation of its expression and had an impact on the strain’s fermentation profile. Although the details of the functioning of the restriction modification systems require further study, in vivo methylation can already be applied to improve transformation efficiency of P. thermosuccinogenes. Making use of the ThermodCas9-based CRISPRi, this is the first example demonstrating that genetic engineering in P. thermosuccinogenes is feasible and establishing the way for metabolic engineering of this bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Martin-Pascual
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands; (M.M.-P.); (B.V.); (I.T.)
| | - Diego Montiel González
- Department of Genetic Identification, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (D.M.G.); (A.V.)
| | - Alkan Bulut
- Fontys University of Applied Sciences, 5612 AR Eindhoven, The Netherlands;
| | - Bram Vermeulen
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands; (M.M.-P.); (B.V.); (I.T.)
| | - Ivo Tjalma
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands; (M.M.-P.); (B.V.); (I.T.)
| | - Athina Vidaki
- Department of Genetic Identification, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (D.M.G.); (A.V.)
| | - Richard van Kranenburg
- Corbion, 4206 AC Gorinchem, The Netherlands;
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands; (M.M.-P.); (B.V.); (I.T.)
- Correspondence:
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16
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Ziegler M, Hägele L, Gäbele T, Takors R. CRISPRi enables fast growth followed by stable aerobic pyruvate formation in Escherichia coli without auxotrophy. Eng Life Sci 2022; 22:70-84. [PMID: 35140555 PMCID: PMC8811725 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.202100021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) was applied to enable the aerobic production of pyruvate in Escherichia coli MG1655 under glucose excess conditions by targeting the promoter regions of aceE or pdhR. Knockdown strains were cultivated in aerobic shaking flasks and the influence of inducer concentration and different sgRNA binding sites on the production of pyruvate was measured. Targeting the promoter regions of aceE or pdhR triggered pyruvate production during the exponential phase and reduced expression of aceE. In lab-scale bioreactor fermentations, an aceE silenced strain successfully produced pyruvate under fully aerobic conditions during the exponential phase, but loss of productivity occurred during a subsequent nitrogen-limited phase. Targeting the promoter region of pdhR enabled pyruvate production during the growth phase of cultivations, and a continued low-level accumulation during the nitrogen-limited production phase. Combinatorial targeting of the promoter regions of both aceE and pdhR in E. coli MG1655 pdCas9 psgRNA_aceE_234_pdhR_329 resulted in the stable aerobic production of pyruvate with non-growing cells at YP/S = 0.36 ± 0.029 gPyruvate/gGlucose in lab-scale bioreactors throughout an extended nitrogen-limited production phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Ziegler
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringUniversity of StuttgartStuttgartGermany
| | - Lorena Hägele
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringUniversity of StuttgartStuttgartGermany
| | - Teresa Gäbele
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringUniversity of StuttgartStuttgartGermany
| | - Ralf Takors
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringUniversity of StuttgartStuttgartGermany
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17
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Fordjour E, Mensah EO, Hao Y, Yang Y, Liu X, Li Y, Liu CL, Bai Z. Toward improved terpenoids biosynthesis: strategies to enhance the capabilities of cell factories. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2022; 9:6. [PMID: 38647812 PMCID: PMC10992668 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-022-00493-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Terpenoids form the most diversified class of natural products, which have gained application in the pharmaceutical, food, transportation, and fine and bulk chemical industries. Extraction from naturally occurring sources does not meet industrial demands, whereas chemical synthesis is often associated with poor enantio-selectivity, harsh working conditions, and environmental pollutions. Microbial cell factories come as a suitable replacement. However, designing efficient microbial platforms for isoprenoid synthesis is often a challenging task. This has to do with the cytotoxic effects of pathway intermediates and some end products, instability of expressed pathways, as well as high enzyme promiscuity. Also, the low enzymatic activity of some terpene synthases and prenyltransferases, and the lack of an efficient throughput system to screen improved high-performing strains are bottlenecks in strain development. Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology seek to overcome these issues through the provision of effective synthetic tools. This review sought to provide an in-depth description of novel strategies for improving cell factory performance. We focused on improving transcriptional and translational efficiencies through static and dynamic regulatory elements, enzyme engineering and high-throughput screening strategies, cellular function enhancement through chromosomal integration, metabolite tolerance, and modularization of pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Fordjour
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Emmanuel Osei Mensah
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yunpeng Hao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yankun Yang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xiuxia Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Ye Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Chun-Li Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
| | - Zhonghu Bai
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Provincial Research Centre for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
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18
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Henke NA, Göttl VL, Schmitt I, Peters-Wendisch P, Wendisch VF. A synthetic biology approach to study carotenoid production in Corynebacterium glutamicum: Read-out by a genetically encoded biosensor combined with perturbing native gene expression by CRISPRi. Methods Enzymol 2022; 671:383-419. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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19
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Methods for the Development of Recombinant Microorganisms for the Production of Natural Products. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2021; 2396:1-17. [PMID: 34786671 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1822-6_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic engineering strives to develop microbial strains that are capable of producing a target chemical in a biological organism. There are still many challenges to overcome in order to achieve titers, yields, and productivities necessary for industrial production. The use of recombinant microorganisms to meet these needs is the next step for metabolic engineers. In this chapter, we aim to provide insight on both the applications of metabolic engineering for natural product biosynthesis as well as optimization methods.
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20
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Zhang G, Ren X, Liang X, Wang Y, Feng D, Zhang Y, Xian M, Zou H. Improving the Microbial Production of Amino Acids: From Conventional Approaches to Recent Trends. BIOTECHNOL BIOPROC E 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12257-020-0390-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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21
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Kozaeva E, Volkova S, Matos MRA, Mezzina MP, Wulff T, Volke DC, Nielsen LK, Nikel PI. Model-guided dynamic control of essential metabolic nodes boosts acetyl-coenzyme A-dependent bioproduction in rewired Pseudomonas putida. Metab Eng 2021; 67:373-386. [PMID: 34343699 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2021.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas putida is evolutionarily endowed with features relevant for bioproduction, especially under harsh operating conditions. The rich metabolic versatility of this species, however, comes at the price of limited formation of acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) from sugar substrates. Since acetyl-CoA is a key metabolic precursor for a number of added-value products, in this work we deployed an in silico-guided rewiring program of central carbon metabolism for upgrading P. putida as a host for acetyl-CoA-dependent bioproduction. An updated kinetic model, integrating fluxomics and metabolomics datasets in addition to manually-curated information of enzyme mechanisms, identified targets that would lead to increased acetyl-CoA levels. Based on these predictions, a set of plasmids based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and dead CRISPR-associated protein 9 (dCas9) was constructed to silence genes by CRISPR interference (CRISPRi). Dynamic reduction of gene expression of two key targets (gltA, encoding citrate synthase, and the essential accA gene, encoding subunit A of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase complex) mediated an 8-fold increase in the acetyl-CoA content of rewired P. putida. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was adopted as a proxy of acetyl-CoA availability, and two synthetic pathways were engineered for biopolymer accumulation. By including cell morphology as an extra target for the CRISPRi approach, fully rewired P. putida strains programmed for PHB accumulation had a 5-fold increase in PHB titers in bioreactor cultures using glucose. Thus, the strategy described herein allowed for rationally redirecting metabolic fluxes in P. putida from central metabolism towards product biosynthesis-especially relevant when deletion of essential pathways is not an option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Kozaeva
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Svetlana Volkova
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Marta R A Matos
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Mariela P Mezzina
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Tune Wulff
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Daniel C Volke
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lars K Nielsen
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark; Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Pablo I Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
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22
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Schultenkämper K, Gütle DD, López MG, Keller LB, Zhang L, Einsle O, Jacquot JP, Wendisch VF. Interrogating the Role of the Two Distinct Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolases of Bacillus methanolicus by Site-Directed Mutagenesis of Key Amino Acids and Gene Repression by CRISPR Interference. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:669220. [PMID: 33995334 PMCID: PMC8119897 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.669220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gram-positive Bacillus methanolicus shows plasmid-dependent methylotrophy. This facultative ribulose monophosphate (RuMP) cycle methylotroph possesses two fructose bisphosphate aldolases (FBA) with distinct kinetic properties. The chromosomally encoded FBAC is the major glycolytic aldolase. The gene for the major gluconeogenic aldolase FBAP is found on the natural plasmid pBM19 and is induced during methylotrophic growth. The crystal structures of both enzymes were solved at 2.2 Å and 2.0 Å, respectively, and they suggested amino acid residue 51 to be crucial for binding fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) as substrate and amino acid residue 140 for active site zinc atom coordination. As FBAC and FBAP differed at these positions, site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) was performed to exchange one or both amino acid residues of the respective proteins. The aldol cleavage reaction was negatively affected by the amino acid exchanges that led to a complete loss of glycolytic activity of FBAP. However, both FBAC and FBAP maintained gluconeogenic aldol condensation activity, and the amino acid exchanges improved the catalytic efficiency of the major glycolytic aldolase FBAC in gluconeogenic direction at least 3-fold. These results confirmed the importance of the structural differences between FBAC and FBAP concerning their distinct enzymatic properties. In order to investigate the physiological roles of both aldolases, the expression of their genes was repressed individually by CRISPR interference (CRISPRi). The fba C RNA levels were reduced by CRISPRi, but concomitantly the fba P RNA levels were increased. Vice versa, a similar compensatory increase of the fba C RNA levels was observed when fba P was repressed by CRISPRi. In addition, targeting fba P decreased tkt P RNA levels since both genes are cotranscribed in a bicistronic operon. However, reduced tkt P RNA levels were not compensated for by increased RNA levels of the chromosomal transketolase gene tkt C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Schultenkämper
- Genetics of Prokaryotes, Faculty of Biology & CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | | | - Marina Gil López
- Genetics of Prokaryotes, Faculty of Biology & CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Laura B Keller
- Genetics of Prokaryotes, Faculty of Biology & CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Lin Zhang
- Institute for Biochemistry, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Einsle
- Institute for Biochemistry, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Volker F Wendisch
- Genetics of Prokaryotes, Faculty of Biology & CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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23
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Göttl VL, Schmitt I, Braun K, Peters-Wendisch P, Wendisch VF, Henke NA. CRISPRi-Library-Guided Target Identification for Engineering Carotenoid Production by Corynebacterium glutamicum. Microorganisms 2021; 9:670. [PMID: 33805131 PMCID: PMC8064071 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Corynebacterium glutamicum is a prominent production host for various value-added compounds in white biotechnology. Gene repression by dCas9/clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) interference (CRISPRi) allows for the identification of target genes for metabolic engineering. In this study, a CRISPRi-based library for the repression of 74 genes of C. glutamicum was constructed. The chosen genes included genes encoding enzymes of glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, regulatory genes, as well as genes of the methylerythritol phosphate and carotenoid biosynthesis pathways. As expected, CRISPRi-mediated repression of the carotenogenesis repressor gene crtR resulted in increased pigmentation and cellular content of the native carotenoid pigment decaprenoxanthin. CRISPRi screening identified 14 genes that affected decaprenoxanthin biosynthesis when repressed. Carotenoid biosynthesis was significantly decreased upon CRISPRi-mediated repression of 11 of these genes, while repression of 3 genes was beneficial for decaprenoxanthin production. Largely, but not in all cases, deletion of selected genes identified in the CRISPRi screen confirmed the pigmentation phenotypes obtained by CRISPRi. Notably, deletion of pgi as well as of gapA improved decaprenoxanthin levels 43-fold and 9-fold, respectively. The scope of the designed library to identify metabolic engineering targets, transfer of gene repression to stable gene deletion, and limitations of the approach were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Volker F. Wendisch
- Genetics of Prokaryotes, Faculty of Biology & CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (V.L.G.); (I.S.); (K.B.); (P.P.-W.); (N.A.H.)
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24
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Liu T, Yu S, Xu Z, Tan J, Wang B, Liu YG, Zhu Q. Prospects and progress on crocin biosynthetic pathway and metabolic engineering. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:3278-3286. [PMID: 33209212 PMCID: PMC7653203 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Crocins are a group of highly valuable apocarotenoid-derived pigments mainly produced in Crocus sativus stigmas and Gardenia jasminoides fruits, which display great pharmacological activities for human health, such as anticancer, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, and preventing Alzheimer's disease. However, traditional sources of crocins are no longer sufficient to meet current demands. The recent clarification of the crocin biosynthetic pathway opens up the possibility of large-scale production of crocins by synthetic metabolic engineering methods. In this review, we mainly introduce the crocin biosynthetic pathway, subcellular route, related key enzymes, and its synthetic metabolic engineering, as well as its challenges and prospects, with a view to providing useful references for further studies on the synthetic metabolic engineering of crocins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taoli Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Suize Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhichao Xu
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiantao Tan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Bin Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yao-Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qinlong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
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25
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Hashemi A. CRISPR-Cas9/CRISPRi tools for cell factory construction in E. coli. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 36:96. [PMID: 32583135 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-020-02872-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The innovative CRISPR-Cas based genome editing technology provides some functionality and advantages such as the high efficiency and specificity as well as ease of handling. Both aspects of the CRISPR-Cas9 system including genetic engineering and gene regulation are advantageously applicable to the construction of microbial cell factories. As one of the most extensively used cell factories, E. coli has been engineered to produce various high value-added chemical compounds such as pharmaceuticals, biochemicals, and biofuels. Therefore, to improve the production of valuable metabolites, many investigations have been performed by focusing on CRISPR-Cas- based metabolic engineering of this host. In the current review, the biology underlying CRISPR-Cas9 system was briefly explained and then the applications of CRISPR-Cas9/CRISPRi tools were considered for cell factory construction in E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atieh Hashemi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, No. 2660, Vali-e-Asr Ave, Tehran, Iran.
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Brito LF, Schultenkämper K, Passaglia LMP, Wendisch VF. CRISPR interference-based gene repression in the plant growth promoter Paenibacillus sonchi genomovar Riograndensis SBR5. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:5095-5106. [PMID: 32274563 PMCID: PMC7229006 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10571-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Gene repression using the endonucleolytically deactivated dCas9 protein and sgRNAs (CRISPR interference or CRISPRi) is a useful approach to study gene functions. Here, we established CRISPRi in Paenibacillus sonchi genomovar Riograndensis SBR5, a plant growth promoting bacterium. CRISPRi system with sgRNAs targeting SBR5 endogenous genes spo0A, yaaT and ydjJ and plasmid-borne gfpUV was constructed and analyzed. Flow cytometry analysis revealed a significant decrease of reporter protein GFPUV signal in P. sonchi strains expressing gfpUV sgRNA in comparison with non-targeting controls. CRISPRi-based repression of chromosomal genes for regulation of sporulation spo0A and yaaT decreased sporulation and increased biofilm formation in SBR5. Repression of the sorbitol catabolic gene ydjJ revealed decreased specific activity of YdjJ in crude cell extracts and reduced biomass formation from sorbitol in growth experiments. Our work on CRISPRi-based gene repression serves as basis for gene function studies of the plant growth promoter P. sonchi SBR5. To our knowledge, the present study presents the first tool for gene repression established in Paenibacillus species.Key points• CRISPRi toward gene repression was applied for the first time in Paenibacillus.• CRISPRi of spo0A and yaaT depleted spores and increased biofilms in SBR5.• CRISPRi-based ydjJ repression decreased specific activity of sorbitol dehydrogenase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana F Brito
- Genetics of Prokaryotes, Faculty of Biology and CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kerstin Schultenkämper
- Genetics of Prokaryotes, Faculty of Biology and CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Luciane M P Passaglia
- Department of Genetics UFRGS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Volker F Wendisch
- Genetics of Prokaryotes, Faculty of Biology and CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
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