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Zhang R, Chai N, Liu T, Zheng Z, Lin Q, Xie X, Wen J, Yang Z, Liu YG, Zhu Q. The type V effectors for CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome engineering in plants. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 74:108382. [PMID: 38801866 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108382] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
A plethora of CRISPR effectors, such as Cas3, Cas9, and Cas12a, are commonly employed as gene editing tools. Among these, Cas12 effectors developed based on Class II type V proteins exhibit distinct characteristics compared to Class II type VI and type II effectors, such as their ability to generate non-allelic DNA double-strand breaks, their compact structures, and the presence of a single RuvC-like nuclease domain. Capitalizing on these advantages, Cas12 family proteins have been increasingly explored and utilized in recent years. However, the characteristics and applications of different subfamilies within the type V protein family have not been systematically summarized. In this review, we focus on the characteristics of type V effector (CRISPR/Cas12) proteins and the current methods used to discover new effector proteins. We also summarize recent modifications based on engineering of type V effectors. In addition, we introduce the applications of type V effectors for gene editing in animals and plants, including the development of base editors, tools for regulating gene expression, methods for gene targeting, and biosensors. We emphasize the prospects for development and application of CRISPR/Cas12 effectors with the goal of better utilizing toolkits based on this protein family for crop improvement and enhanced agricultural production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Nan Chai
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Taoli Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhiye Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qiupeng Lin
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xianrong Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jun Wen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zi Yang
- College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92507, USA
| | - Yao-Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Qinlong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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Zhang L, Li G, Zhang Y, Cheng Y, Roberts N, Glenn SE, DeZwaan-McCabe D, Rube HT, Manthey J, Coleman G, Vakulskas CA, Qi Y. Boosting genome editing efficiency in human cells and plants with novel LbCas12a variants. Genome Biol 2023; 24:102. [PMID: 37122009 PMCID: PMC10150537 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02929-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cas12a (formerly known as Cpf1), the class II type V CRISPR nuclease, has been widely used for genome editing in mammalian cells and plants due to its distinct characteristics from Cas9. Despite being one of the most robust Cas12a nucleases, LbCas12a in general is less efficient than SpCas9 for genome editing in human cells, animals, and plants. RESULTS To improve the editing efficiency of LbCas12a, we conduct saturation mutagenesis in E. coli and identify 1977 positive point mutations of LbCas12a. We selectively assess the editing efficiency of 56 LbCas12a variants in human cells, identifying an optimal LbCas12a variant (RVQ: G146R/R182V/E795Q) with the most robust editing activity. We further test LbCas12a-RV, LbCas12a-RRV, and LbCas12a-RVQ in plants and find LbCas12a-RV has robust editing activity in rice and tomato protoplasts. Interestingly, LbCas12a-RRV, resulting from the stacking of RV and D156R, displays improved editing efficiency in stably transformed rice and poplar plants, leading to up to 100% editing efficiency in T0 plants of both plant species. Moreover, this high-efficiency editing occurs even at the non-canonical TTV PAM sites. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that LbCas12a-RVQ is a powerful tool for genome editing in human cells while LbCas12a-RRV confers robust genome editing in plants. Our study reveals the tremendous potential of these LbCas12a variants for advancing precision genome editing applications across a wide range of organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyang Zhang
- Integrated DNA Technologies, Coralville, IA, 52241, USA
- Current Address: Aera Therapeutics, 50 Northern Ave, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - Gen Li
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Yingxiao Zhang
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Current Address: Syngenta, 9 Davis Dr, Research Triangle, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Yanhao Cheng
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | | | - Steve E Glenn
- Integrated DNA Technologies, Coralville, IA, 52241, USA
| | | | - H Tomas Rube
- Department of Applied Mathematics, University of California-Merced, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - Jeff Manthey
- Integrated DNA Technologies, Coralville, IA, 52241, USA
| | - Gary Coleman
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | | | - Yiping Qi
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.
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Das D, Singha DL, Paswan RR, Chowdhury N, Sharma M, Reddy PS, Chikkaputtaiah C. Recent advancements in CRISPR/Cas technology for accelerated crop improvement. PLANTA 2022; 255:109. [PMID: 35460444 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-022-03894-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Precise genome engineering approaches could be perceived as a second paradigm for targeted trait improvement in crop plants, with the potential to overcome the constraints imposed by conventional CRISPR/Cas technology. The likelihood of reduced agricultural production due to highly turbulent climatic conditions increases as the global population expands. The second paradigm of stress-resilient crops with enhanced tolerance and increased productivity against various stresses is paramount to support global production and consumption equilibrium. Although traditional breeding approaches have substantially increased crop production and yield, effective strategies are anticipated to restore crop productivity even further in meeting the world's increasing food demands. CRISPR/Cas, which originated in prokaryotes, has surfaced as a coveted genome editing tool in recent decades, reshaping plant molecular biology in unprecedented ways and paving the way for engineering stress-tolerant crops. CRISPR/Cas is distinguished by its efficiency, high target specificity, and modularity, enables precise genetic modification of crop plants, allowing for the creation of allelic variations in the germplasm and the development of novel and more productive agricultural practices. Additionally, a slew of advanced biotechnologies premised on the CRISPR/Cas methodologies have augmented fundamental research and plant synthetic biology toolkits. Here, we describe gene editing tools, including CRISPR/Cas and its imitative tools, such as base and prime editing, multiplex genome editing, chromosome engineering followed by their implications in crop genetic improvement. Further, we comprehensively discuss the latest developments of CRISPR/Cas technology including CRISPR-mediated gene drive, tissue-specific genome editing, dCas9 mediated epigenetic modification and programmed self-elimination of transgenes in plants. Finally, we highlight the applicability and scope of advanced CRISPR-based techniques in crop genetic improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debajit Das
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, 785006, India
| | - Dhanawantari L Singha
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, 785006, India
| | - Ricky Raj Paswan
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, 785013, India
| | - Naimisha Chowdhury
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, 785006, India
| | - Monica Sharma
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, 785006, India
| | - Palakolanu Sudhakar Reddy
- International Crop Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, Hyderabad, 502 324, India
| | - Channakeshavaiah Chikkaputtaiah
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, 785006, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India.
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Li JW, Zeng T, Xu ZZ, Li JJ, Hu H, Yu Q, Zhou L, Zheng RR, Luo J, Wang CY. Ribozyme-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) hairy roots using a RNA polymerase II-dependent promoter. PLANT METHODS 2022; 18:32. [PMID: 35292048 PMCID: PMC8925089 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-022-00863-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditional CRISPR/Cas9 systems that rely on U6 or U3 snRNA promoters (RNA polymerase III-dependent promoters) can only achieve constitutive gene editing in plants, hampering the functional analysis of specifically expressed genes. Ribozyme-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 systems increase the types of promoters which can be used to transcribe sgRNA. Therefore, such systems allow specific gene editing; for example, transcription of the artificial gene Ribozyme-sgRNA-Ribozyme (RGR) is initiated by an RNA polymerase II-dependent promoter. Genetic transformation is indispensable for editing plant genes. In certain plant species, including pyrethrum, genetic transformation remains challenging to do, limiting the functional verification of novel CRISPR/Cas9 systems. Thus, this study's aim was to develop a simple Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated hairy root transformation system to analyze the function of a ribozyme-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 system in pyrethrum. RESULTS A hairy root transformation system for pyrethrum is described, with a mean transformation frequency of 7%. Transgenic hairy roots transformed with the pBI121 vector exhibited significantly increased beta-glucuronidase staining as a visual marker of transgene expression. Further, a ribozyme-based CRISPR/Cas9 vector was constructed to edit the TcEbFS gene, which catalyzes synthesis of the defense-related compound (E)-β-farnesene in pyrethrum. The vector was transferred into the hairy roots of pyrethrum and two stably transformed hairy root transgenic lines obtained. Editing of the TcEbFS gene in the hairy roots was evaluated by gene sequencing, demonstrating that both hairy root transgenic lines had DNA base loss at the editing target site. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that the (E)-β-farnesene content was significantly decreased in both hairy root transgenic lines compared with the empty vector control group. Altogether, these results show that RGR can be driven by the CaMV35S promoter to realize TcEbFS gene editing in pyrethrum hairy roots. CONCLUSION An A. rhizogenes-mediated hairy root transformation and ribozyme-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system in pyrethrum was established, thereby facilitating gene editing in specific organs or at a particular developmental stage in future pyrethrum research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Wen Li
- Key Laboratory for Biology of Horticultural Plants, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Tuo Zeng
- Key Laboratory for Biology of Horticultural Plants, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Zhi-Zhuo Xu
- Key Laboratory for Biology of Horticultural Plants, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jin-Jin Li
- Key Laboratory for Biology of Horticultural Plants, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Hao Hu
- Key Laboratory for Biology of Horticultural Plants, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Qin Yu
- Key Laboratory for Biology of Horticultural Plants, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Li Zhou
- Key Laboratory for Biology of Horticultural Plants, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Ri-Ru Zheng
- Key Laboratory for Biology of Horticultural Plants, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Key Laboratory for Biology of Horticultural Plants, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Cai-Yun Wang
- Key Laboratory for Biology of Horticultural Plants, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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Zhang Y, Cheng Y, Fang H, Roberts N, Zhang L, Vakulskas CA, Niedz RP, Culver JN, Qi Y. Highly Efficient Genome Editing in Plant Protoplasts by Ribonucleoprotein Delivery of CRISPR-Cas12a Nucleases. Front Genome Ed 2022; 4:780238. [PMID: 35174354 PMCID: PMC8842731 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2022.780238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) mediated genome editing is a powerful approach for crop improvement. Traditional transformation methods based on plasmid delivery pose concerns associated with transgene integration and off-target effects. CRISPR delivered as ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) can prevent exogenous DNA integration, minimize off-target effects, and reduce cellular toxicity. Although RNP delivered CRISPR genome editing has been demonstrated in many plant species, optimization strategies that yield high editing efficiencies have not been thoroughly investigated. Using rice and citrus protoplast systems we demonstrated highly efficient genome editing using Cas12a delivered as RNPs. Four Cas12a variants, including LbCas12a, LbCas12a-E795L, AsCas12a, and AsCas12a Ultra, were investigated. Nearly 100% editing efficiency was observed for three out of four target sites by LbCas12a, LbCas12a-E795L, and AsCas12a Ultra, as measured by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and verified by next generation sequencing of PCR amplicons. RNP delivery resulted in higher editing efficiencies than plasmid delivery at 32°C and 25°C. LbCas12a and LbCas12a-E795L demonstrated increased editing efficiencies in comparison to AsCas12a and AsCas12a Ultra, especially when used at lower RNP concentrations. In addition, we discovered that a 1:1 Cas12a:crRNA molar ratio is sufficient to achieve efficient genome editing. Nuclear localization signals (NLSs) are essential for efficient RNP-based genome editing. However, the different crRNA modifications tested did not significantly improve genome editing efficiency. Finally, we applied the Cas12a RNP system in citrus protoplasts and obtained similarly high editing efficiencies at the target site. Our study provides a comprehensive guideline for Cas12a-mediated genome editing using RNP delivery in plant cells, setting the foundation for the generation of transgene-free genome edited plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxiao Zhang
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Yanhao Cheng
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong Fang
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
| | | | - Liyang Zhang
- Integrated DNA Technologies, Coralville, IA, United States
| | | | - Randall P. Niedz
- U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Fort Pierce, FL, United States
| | - James N. Culver
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Yiping Qi
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Yiping Qi,
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Lin Q, Zhu Z, Liu G, Sun C, Lin D, Xue C, Li S, Zhang D, Gao C, Wang Y, Qiu JL. Genome editing in plants with MAD7 nuclease. J Genet Genomics 2021; 48:444-451. [PMID: 34120856 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
MAD7 is an engineered nuclease of the Class 2 type V-A CRISPR-Cas (Cas12a/Cpf1) family with a low level of homology to canonical Cas12a nucleases. It has been publicly released as a royalty-free nuclease for both academic and commercial use. Here, we demonstrate that the CRISPR-MAD7 system can be used for genome editing and recognizes T-rich PAM sequences (YTTN) in plants. Its editing efficiency in rice and wheat is comparable to that of the widely used CRISPR-LbCas12a system. We develop two variants, MAD7-RR and MAD7-RVR that increase the target range of MAD7, as well as an M-AFID (a MAD7-APOBEC fusion-induced deletion) system that creates predictable deletions from 5'-deaminated Cs to the MAD7-cleavage site. Moreover, we show that MAD7 can be used for multiplex gene editing and that it is effective in generating indels when combined with other CRISPR RNA orthologs. Using the CRISPR-MAD7 system, we have obtained regenerated mutant rice and wheat plants with up to 65.6% efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiupeng Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zixu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guanwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dexing Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chenxiao Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shengnan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Caixia Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Jin-Long Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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Ah‐Fong AM, Boyd AM, Matson ME, Judelson HS. A Cas12a-based gene editing system for Phytophthora infestans reveals monoallelic expression of an elicitor. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2021; 22:737-752. [PMID: 33724663 PMCID: PMC8126191 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Phytophthora infestans is a destructive pathogen of potato and a model for investigations of oomycete biology. The successful application of a CRISPR gene editing system to P. infestans is so far unreported. We discovered that it is difficult to express CRISPR/Cas9 but not a catalytically inactive form in transformants, suggesting that the active nuclease is toxic. We were able to achieve editing with CRISPR/Cas12a using vectors in which the nuclease and its guide RNA were expressed from a single transcript. Using the elicitor gene Inf1 as a target, we observed editing of one or both alleles in up to 13% of transformants. Editing was more efficient when guide RNA processing relied on the Cas12a direct repeat instead of ribozyme sequences. INF1 protein was not made when both alleles were edited in the same transformant, but surprisingly also when only one allele was altered. We discovered that the isolate used for editing, 1306, exhibited monoallelic expression of Inf1 due to insertion of a copia-like element in the promoter of one allele. The element exhibits features of active retrotransposons, including a target site duplication, long terminal repeats, and an intact polyprotein reading frame. Editing occurred more often on the transcribed allele, presumably due to differences in chromatin structure. The Cas12a system not only provides a tool for modifying genes in P. infestans, but also for other members of the genus by expanding the number of editable sites. Our work also highlights a natural mechanism that remodels oomycete genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey M.V. Ah‐Fong
- Department of Microbiology and Plant PathologyUniversity of CaliforniaRiversideCaliforniaUSA
| | - Amy M. Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Plant PathologyUniversity of CaliforniaRiversideCaliforniaUSA
| | - Michael E.H. Matson
- Department of Microbiology and Plant PathologyUniversity of CaliforniaRiversideCaliforniaUSA
| | - Howard S. Judelson
- Department of Microbiology and Plant PathologyUniversity of CaliforniaRiversideCaliforniaUSA
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Zhang Y, Ren Q, Tang X, Liu S, Malzahn AA, Zhou J, Wang J, Yin D, Pan C, Yuan M, Huang L, Yang H, Zhao Y, Fang Q, Zheng X, Tian L, Cheng Y, Le Y, McCoy B, Franklin L, Selengut JD, Mount SM, Que Q, Zhang Y, Qi Y. Expanding the scope of plant genome engineering with Cas12a orthologs and highly multiplexable editing systems. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1944. [PMID: 33782402 PMCID: PMC8007695 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22330-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas12a is a promising genome editing system for targeting AT-rich genomic regions. Comprehensive genome engineering requires simultaneous targeting of multiple genes at defined locations. Here, to expand the targeting scope of Cas12a, we screen nine Cas12a orthologs that have not been demonstrated in plants, and identify six, ErCas12a, Lb5Cas12a, BsCas12a, Mb2Cas12a, TsCas12a and MbCas12a, that possess high editing activity in rice. Among them, Mb2Cas12a stands out with high editing efficiency and tolerance to low temperature. An engineered Mb2Cas12a-RVRR variant enables editing with more relaxed PAM requirements in rice, yielding two times higher genome coverage than the wild type SpCas9. To enable large-scale genome engineering, we compare 12 multiplexed Cas12a systems and identify a potent system that exhibits nearly 100% biallelic editing efficiency with the ability to target as many as 16 sites in rice. This is the highest level of multiplex edits in plants to date using Cas12a. Two compact single transcript unit CRISPR-Cas12a interference systems are also developed for multi-gene repression in rice and Arabidopsis. This study greatly expands the targeting scope of Cas12a for crop genome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxiao Zhang
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Qiurong Ren
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xu Tang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Shishi Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Aimee A Malzahn
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Jianping Zhou
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiaheng Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Desuo Yin
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Food Crop Institute, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Changtian Pan
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Mingzhu Yuan
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Lan Huang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Han Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuxin Zhao
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Qing Fang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuelian Zheng
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Tian
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanhao Cheng
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ysa Le
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Bailey McCoy
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Lidiya Franklin
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Jeremy D Selengut
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Stephen M Mount
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | | | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Yiping Qi
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD, USA.
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Van Eck J. Applying gene editing to tailor precise genetic modifications in plants. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:13267-13276. [PMID: 32723863 PMCID: PMC7504920 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev120.010850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to tailor alterations in genomes, including plant genomes, in a site-specific manner has been greatly advanced through approaches that reduced the complexity and time of genome sequencing along with development of gene editing technologies. These technologies provide a valuable foundation for studies of gene function, metabolic engineering, and trait modification for crop improvement. Development of genome editing methodologies began ∼20 years ago, first with meganucleases and followed by zinc finger nucleases, transcriptional activator-like effector nucleases and, most recently, clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein (Cas) (CRISPR/Cas), which is by far the most utilized method. The premise of CRISPR/Cas centers on the cleaving of one or both DNA strands by a Cas protein, an endonuclease, followed by mending of the DNA by repair mechanisms inherent in cells. Its user-friendly construct design, greater flexibility in targeting genomic regions, and cost-effective attributes have resulted in it being widely adopted and revolutionizing precise modification of the genomes of many organisms. Indeed, the CRISPR/Cas system has been utilized for gene editing in many plant species, including important food crops, such as maize, wheat, rice, and potatoes. This review summarizes the various approaches, including the most recent designs being used to make modifications from as small as a single-base-pair change to insertion of DNA fragments. On the gene expression level, strategies are presented that make it possible to knock out or modulate through activation and repression. Also discussed are prerequisites necessary for CRISPR/Cas-mediated editing as well as the current challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Van Eck
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
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Chen S, Jia Y, Liu Z, Shan H, Chen M, Yu H, Lai L, Li Z. Robustly improved base editing efficiency of Cpf1 base editor using optimized cytidine deaminases. Cell Discov 2020; 6:62. [PMID: 33014423 PMCID: PMC7490413 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-020-00195-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, 130062 Changchun, China
| | - Yingqi Jia
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, 130062 Changchun, China
| | - Zhiquan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, 130062 Changchun, China
| | - Huanhuan Shan
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, 130062 Changchun, China
| | - Mao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, 130062 Changchun, China
| | - Hao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, 130062 Changchun, China
| | - Liangxue Lai
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, 130062 Changchun, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guang Dong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), 510005 Guangzhou, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China
| | - Zhanjun Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, 130062 Changchun, China
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Ghogare R, Williamson-Benavides B, Ramírez-Torres F, Dhingra A. CRISPR-associated nucleases: the Dawn of a new age of efficient crop improvement. Transgenic Res 2019; 29:1-35. [PMID: 31677059 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-019-00181-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The world stands at a new threshold today. As a planet, we face various challenges, and the key one is how to continue to produce enough food, feed, fiber, and fuel to support the burgeoning population. In the past, plant breeding and the ability to genetically engineer crops contributed to increasing food production. However, both approaches rely on random mixing or integration of genes, and the process can be unpredictable and time-consuming. Given the challenge of limited availability of natural resources and changing environmental conditions, the need to rapidly and precisely improve crops has become urgent. The discovery of CRISPR-associated endonucleases offers a precise yet versatile platform for rapid crop improvement. This review summarizes a brief history of the discovery of CRISPR-associated nucleases and their application in genome editing of various plant species. Also provided is an overview of several new endonucleases reported recently, which can be utilized for editing of specific genes in plants through various forms of DNA sequence alteration. Genome editing, with its ever-expanding toolset, increased efficiency, and its potential integration with the emerging synthetic biology approaches hold promise for efficient crop improvement to meet the challenge of supporting the needs of future generations.
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