Gene-targeting vectors

Beyond the membrane: Exploring non-viral methods for mitochondrial gene delivery

Mitochondrial disorders, stemming from mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), present a significant therapeutic challenge due to their complex pathophysiology and broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. Traditional gene therapy approaches, primarily reliant on viral vectors, face obstacles such as potential immunogenicity, insertional mutagenesis, and the specificity of targeting mtDNA. This review delves into non-viral methods for mitochondrial gene delivery, emerging as a promising alternative to overcome these limitations. Focusing on lipid-based nanoparticles, polymer-based vectors, and mitochondrial-targeted peptides, the mechanisms of action, advantages, and current applications in treating mitochondrial diseases was well elucidated. Non-viral vectors offer several benefits, including reduced immunogenicity, enhanced safety profiles, and the flexibility to carry a wide range of genetic material. We examine case studies where these methods have been applied, highlighting their potential in correcting pathogenic mtDNA mutations and mitigating disease phenotypes. Despite their promise, challenges such as delivery efficiency, specificity, and long-term expression stability persist. The review underscores the need for ongoing research to refine these delivery systems carry a wide range of genetic material. We examine case studies where these methods settings. As we advance our understanding of mitochondrial biology and gene delivery technologies, non-viral methods hold the potential to revolutionize the treatment of mitochondrial disorders, offering hope for therapies that can precisely target and correct the underlying genetic defects.

Genetics Matters: Voyaging from the Past into the Future of Humanity and Sustainability

The understanding of how genetic information may be inherited through generations was established by Gregor Mendel in the 1860s when he developed the fundamental principles of inheritance. The science of genetics, however, began to flourish only during the mid-1940s when DNA was identified as the carrier of genetic information. The world has since then witnessed rapid development of genetic technologies, with the latest being genome-editing tools, which have revolutionized fields from medicine to agriculture. This review walks through the historical timeline of genetics research and deliberates how this discipline might furnish a sustainable future for humanity.

Replacement of homologous mouse DNA sequence with pathogenic 6-base human CREB1 promoter sequence creates murine model of major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Families with recurrent, early-onset MDD (RE-MDD), a severe, familial form of MDD, have provided an important resource for identifying and characterizing genetic variants that confer susceptibility to MDD and related disorders. Previous studies identified a rare, highly penetrant A(-115)G transition within the human CREB1 promoter that reduced promoter activity in vitro and was associated with depressive disorders in RE-MDD families. The development of an etiology-based recombinant animal model for MDD would facilitate the advancement of our limited understanding of the pathophysiology of MDD, as well as the development of improved treatments. Here we report the construction and initial characterization of a congenic mutant C57BL/6NTac mouse model that carries the human pathogenic sequence at the homologous position of the mouse Creb1 promoter. The recombinant strain exhibited decreases in reproductive capacity and pup survival that may be related to increased infant mortality observed in RE-MDD families; enlargement of the cerebral ventricles; reduced levels of CREB protein in the mouse cerebral cortex, as predicted from transfection experiments employing the pathogenic human CREB1 promoter; and alterations in two standardized behavioral tests, the forced swim and marble burying tests. These initial findings support the pathogenicity of the human A(-115)G promoter variant, and invite further characterization of this etiology-based recombinant animal model for MDD. Human promoter variants that have highly penetrant effects on disease expression provide an attractive opportunity for creating etiology-based mouse models of human diseases, with minimal disruption of the mouse genome.