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Zinselmeier MH, Casas-Mollano JA, Cors J, Sychla A, Heinsch SC, Voytas DF, Smanski MJ. Optimized dCas9 programmable transcriptional activators for plants. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024. [PMID: 39058765 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew H Zinselmeier
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Juan Armando Casas-Mollano
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jonathan Cors
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Applied Plant Sciences Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Adam Sychla
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Stephen C Heinsch
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Daniel F Voytas
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Michael J Smanski
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
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Casas-Mollano JA, Zinselmeier M, Sychla A, Smanski MJ. Efficient gene activation in plants by the MoonTag programmable transcriptional activator. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.15.528671. [PMID: 36824723 PMCID: PMC9948947 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.15.528671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas-based transcriptional activators have been developed to induce gene expression in eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. The main advantages of CRISPR-Cas based systems is that they can achieve high levels of transcriptional activation and are very easy to program via pairing between the guide RNA and the DNA target strand. SunTag is a second-generation system that activates transcription by recruiting multiple copies of an activation domain (AD) to its target promoters. SunTag is a strong activator; however, in some species it is difficult to stably express. To overcome this problem, we designed MoonTag, a new activator that worked on the same basic principle as SunTag, but whose components are better tolerated when stably expressed in transgenic plants. We demonstrate that MoonTag is capable of inducing high levels of transcription in all plants tested. In Setaria, MoonTag is capable of inducing high levels of transcription of reporter genes as well as of endogenous genes. More important, MoonTag components are expressed in transgenic plants to high levels without any deleterious effects. MoonTag is also able to efficiently activate genes in eudicotyledonous species such as Arabidopsis and tomato. Finally, we show that MoonTag activation is functional across a range of temperatures, which is promising for potential field applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Armando Casas-Mollano
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
| | - Matthew Zinselmeier
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
- Department of Genetics, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
| | - Adam Sychla
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
| | - Michael J Smanski
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
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