1
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Lei H, Xiong W, Li M, Qi Q, Liu X, Wang S, Tian T, Zhou X. Enhanced control of RNA modification and CRISPR-Cas activity through redox-triggered disulfide cleavage. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 112:117878. [PMID: 39167979 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.117878] [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: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Chemical RNA modification has emerged as a flexible approach for post-synthetic modifications in chemical biology research. Guide RNA (gRNA) plays a crucial role in the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and associated protein system (CRISPR-Cas). Several toolkits have been developed to regulate gene expression and editing through modifications of gRNA. However, conditional regulation strategies to control gene editing in cells as required are still lacking. In this context, we introduce a strategy employing a cyclic disulfide-substituted acylating agent to randomly acylate the 2'-OH group on the gRNA strand. The CRISPR-Cas systems demonstrate off-on transformation activity driven by redox-triggered disulfide cleavage and undergo intramolecular cyclization, which releases the functionalized gRNA. Dithiothreitol (DTT) exhibits superior reductive capabilities in cleaving disulfides compared to glutathione (GSH), requiring fewer reductants. This acylation method with cyclic disulfides enables conditional control of CRISPR-Cas9, CRISPR-Cas13a, RNA hybridization, and aptamer folding. Our strategy facilitates precise in vivo control of gene editing, making it particularly valuable for targeted applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huajun Lei
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education, The Institute of Molecular Medicine, Wuhan University People's Hospital, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education, The Institute of Molecular Medicine, Wuhan University People's Hospital, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Ming Li
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education, The Institute of Molecular Medicine, Wuhan University People's Hospital, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Qianqian Qi
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education, The Institute of Molecular Medicine, Wuhan University People's Hospital, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Xingyu Liu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education, The Institute of Molecular Medicine, Wuhan University People's Hospital, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Shaoru Wang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education, The Institute of Molecular Medicine, Wuhan University People's Hospital, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Tian Tian
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education, The Institute of Molecular Medicine, Wuhan University People's Hospital, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China.
| | - Xiang Zhou
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education, The Institute of Molecular Medicine, Wuhan University People's Hospital, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
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2
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Aqib RM, Umer A, Li J, Liu J, Ding B. Light Responsive DNA Nanomaterials and Their Biomedical Applications. Chem Asian J 2024; 19:e202400226. [PMID: 38514391 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202400226] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
DNA nanomaterials have been widely employed for various biomedical applications. With rapid development of chemical modification of nucleic acid, serials of stimuli-responsive elements are included in the multifunctional DNA nanomaterials. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in light responsive DNA nanomaterials based on photocleavage/photodecage, photoisomerization, and photocrosslinking for efficient bioimaging (including imaging of small molecule, microRNA, and protein) and drug delivery (including delivery of small molecule, nucleic acid, and gene editing system). We also discuss the remaining challenges and future perspectives of the light responsive DNA nanomaterials in biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raja Muhammad Aqib
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Arsalan Umer
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jialin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Jianbing Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Baoquan Ding
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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3
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Chen H, Liu D, Guo J, Aditham A, Zhou Y, Tian J, Luo S, Ren J, Hsu A, Huang J, Kostas F, Wu M, Liu DR, Wang X. Branched chemically modified poly(A) tails enhance the translation capacity of mRNA. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02174-7. [PMID: 38519719 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02174-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Although messenger RNA (mRNA) has proved effective as a vaccine, its potential as a general therapeutic modality is limited by its instability and low translation capacity. To increase the duration and level of protein expression from mRNA, we designed and synthesized topologically and chemically modified mRNAs with multiple synthetic poly(A) tails. Here we demonstrate that the optimized multitailed mRNA yielded ~4.7-19.5-fold higher luminescence signals than the control mRNA from 24 to 72 h post transfection in cellulo and 14 days detectable signal versus <7 days signal from the control in vivo. We further achieve efficient multiplexed genome editing of the clinically relevant genes Pcsk9 and Angptl3 in mouse liver at a minimal mRNA dosage. Taken together, these results provide a generalizable approach to synthesize capped branched mRNA with markedly enhanced translation capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Dangliang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jianting Guo
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Abhishek Aditham
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yiming Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jiakun Tian
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shuchen Luo
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jingyi Ren
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alvin Hsu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jiahao Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Franklin Kostas
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mingrui Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - David R Liu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Liu R, Jiang D, Yun Y, Feng Z, Zheng F, Xiang Y, Fan H, Zhang J. Photoactivatable Engineering of CRISPR/Cas9-Inducible DNAzyme Probe for In Situ Imaging of Nuclear Zinc Ions. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202315536. [PMID: 38253802 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202315536] [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: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
DNAzyme-based fluorescent probes for imaging metal ions in living cells have received much attention recently. However, employing in situ metal ions imaging within subcellular organelles, such as nucleus, remains a significant challenge. We developed a three-stranded DNAzyme probe (TSDP) that contained a 20-base-pair (20-bp) recognition site of a CRISPR/Cas9, which blocks the DNAzyme activity. When Cas9, with its specialized nuclear localization function, forms an active complex with sgRNA within the cell nucleus, it cleaves the TSDP at the recognition site, resulting in the in situ formation of catalytic DNAzyme structure. With this design, the CRISPR/Cas9-inducible imaging of nuclear Zn2+ is demonstrated in living cells. Moreover, the superiority of CRISPR-DNAzyme for spatiotemporal control imaging was demonstrated by integrating it with photoactivation strategy and Boolean logic gate for dynamic monitoring nuclear Zn2+ in both HeLa cells and mice. Collectively, this conceptual design expands the DNAzyme toolbox for visualizing nuclear metal ions and thus provides new analytical methods for nuclear metal-associated biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Difei Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Changhui Rd. 666, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212003, China
| | - Yangfang Yun
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Zhe Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Fenfen Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Changhui Rd. 666, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212003, China
| | - Yu Xiang
- Department of Chemistry, Beijing Key Laboratory for Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Huanhuan Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jingjing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
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5
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Shi Y, Zhen X, Zhang Y, Li Y, Koo S, Saiding Q, Kong N, Liu G, Chen W, Tao W. Chemically Modified Platforms for Better RNA Therapeutics. Chem Rev 2024; 124:929-1033. [PMID: 38284616 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
RNA-based therapies have catalyzed a revolutionary transformation in the biomedical landscape, offering unprecedented potential in disease prevention and treatment. However, despite their remarkable achievements, these therapies encounter substantial challenges including low stability, susceptibility to degradation by nucleases, and a prominent negative charge, thereby hindering further development. Chemically modified platforms have emerged as a strategic innovation, focusing on precise alterations either on the RNA moieties or their associated delivery vectors. This comprehensive review delves into these platforms, underscoring their significance in augmenting the performance and translational prospects of RNA-based therapeutics. It encompasses an in-depth analysis of various chemically modified delivery platforms that have been instrumental in propelling RNA therapeutics toward clinical utility. Moreover, the review scrutinizes the rationale behind diverse chemical modification techniques aiming at optimizing the therapeutic efficacy of RNA molecules, thereby facilitating robust disease management. Recent empirical studies corroborating the efficacy enhancement of RNA therapeutics through chemical modifications are highlighted. Conclusively, we offer profound insights into the transformative impact of chemical modifications on RNA drugs and delineates prospective trajectories for their future development and clinical integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesi Shi
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xueyan Zhen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yiming Zhang
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yongjiang Li
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Seyoung Koo
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Qimanguli Saiding
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Na Kong
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Gang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Wei Tao
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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6
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Bollu A, Schepers H, Klöcker N, Erguven M, Lawrence-Dörner AM, Rentmeister A. Visible Light Activates Coumarin-Caged mRNA for Cytoplasmic Cap Methylation in Cells. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202303174. [PMID: 37883670 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202303174] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Protein synthesis is important and regulated by various mechanisms in the cell. Translation initiation in eukaryotes starts at the 5' cap and is the most complex of the three phases of mRNA translation. It requires methylation of the N7 position of the terminal guanosine (m7 G). The canonical capping occurs in the nucleus, however, cytoplasmic recapping has been discovered. It functions in switching mRNAs between translating and non-translating states, but the individual steps are difficult to dissect. We targeted cytoplasmic cap methylation as the ultimate step of cytoplasmic recapping. We present an N7G photocaged 5' cap that can be activated for cytoplasmic methylation by visible light. We report chemical and chemo-enzymatic synthesis of this 5' cap with 7-(diethylamino)-4-methyl-coumarin (DEACM) at the N7G and validate that it is not bound by translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E). We demonstrate incorporation into mRNA, the release of unmethylated cap analog and enzymatic remethylation to functional cap 0 after irradiation at 450 nm. In cells, irradiation triggers translation of mRNAs with the N7G photocaged 5' cap via cytoplasmic cap methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amarnath Bollu
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 36, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Helena Schepers
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 36, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Nils Klöcker
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 36, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Mehmet Erguven
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 36, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Cells in Motion Interfaculty Centre, University of Münster, Waldeyerstraße 15, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Ann-Marie Lawrence-Dörner
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 36, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Andrea Rentmeister
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 36, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Cells in Motion Interfaculty Centre, University of Münster, Waldeyerstraße 15, 48149, Münster, Germany
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7
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Yun D, Jung C. MiRNA-Responsive CRISPR-Cas System via a DNA Regulator. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:975. [PMID: 37998150 PMCID: PMC10669420 DOI: 10.3390/bios13110975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)- CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) genome editing technology is widely used for gene editing because it provides versatility in genetic manipulation. Several methods for regulating CRISPR activity already exist for accurate editing, but these require complex engineering. Thus, a simple and convenient regulatory system is required. In this study, we devised a CRISPR activation system using a DNA regulator that can be activated by miRNAs. The designed regulator was divided into two parts. The inhibition component consisted of the protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) and seed sequence, which are important for Cas9 target recognition and bind to the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex for inhibition. The miRNA recognition component has a single-stranded toehold DNA for target miRNA binding and a partial double-stranded DNA complementary to the remaining miRNA sequence. In the presence of target miRNAs, the structure of the regulator is disrupted by the miRNAs, leading to its dissociation from the RNP complex and subsequent restoration of CRISPR activity. This method is easy to design and can be applied to various miRNAs via simple sequence manipulation. Therefore, this strategy provides a general platform for controlled genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cheulhee Jung
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea;
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8
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Tota EM, Devaraj NK. RNA-TAG Mediated Protein-RNA Conjugation. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300454. [PMID: 37500587 PMCID: PMC11182364 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300454] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Combinations of biological macromolecules can provide researchers with precise control and unique methods for regulating, studying, and manipulating cellular processes. For instance, combining the unmatched encodability afforded by nucleic acids with the diverse functionality of proteins has transformed our approach to solving several problems in chemical biology. Despite these benefits, there remains a need for new methods to site-specifically generate conjugates between different classes of biomolecules. Here we present a fully enzymatic strategy for combining nucleic acids and proteins using SNAP-tag and RNA-TAG (transglycosylation at guanosine) technologies via a bifunctional preQ1-benzylguanine small molecule probe. We demonstrate the robust ability of this technology to assemble site-specific SNAP-tag - RNA conjugates with RNAs of varying length and use our conjugation strategy to recruit an endonuclease to an RNA of interest for targeted degradation. We foresee that combining SNAP-tag and RNA-TAG will facilitate researchers to predictably engineer novel macromolecular complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ember M Tota
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Natural Sciences Building 3328, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Neal K Devaraj
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Natural Sciences Building 3328, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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9
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Yu F, Li X, Zhao J, Zhao Y, Li L. Photoactivated DNA Assembly and Disassembly for On-Demand Activation and Termination of cGAS-STING Signaling. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202305837. [PMID: 37365782 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202305837] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Despite significant progress in DNA self-assembly for interfacing with biology, spatiotemporally controlled regulation of biological process via in situ dynamic DNA assembly remains an outstanding challenge. Here, we report an optically triggered DNA assembly and disassembly strategy that enables on-demand activation and termination of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway. In the design, an activatable DNA hairpin is engineered with a photocleavable group at defined site to modulate its self-assembly activity. Light activation induces the configurational switching and consequent self-assembly of the DNA hairpins to form long linear double-stranded structures, allowing to stimulate cGAS protein to synthesize 2',3'-cyclic-GMP-AMP (cGAMP) for STING stimulation. Furthermore, by endowing the pre-assembled DNA scaffold with a built-in photolysis feature, we demonstrate that the cGAS-STING stimulation can be efficiently terminated through remote photo-triggering, providing for the first time a route to control the temporal "dose" on-demand for such a stimulation. We envision that this regulation strategy will benefit and inspire both fundamental research and therapeutic applications regarding the cGAS-STING pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangzhi Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, 100190, Beijing, China
- College of Materials Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangfei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, 100190, Beijing, China
- College of Materials Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, 100190, Beijing, China
- College of Materials Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yuliang Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, 100190, Beijing, China
- College of Materials Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Lele Li
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, 100190, Beijing, China
- College of Materials Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
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10
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Hu Z, Sun A, Yang J, Naz G, Sun G, Li Z, Gogo Liu JJ, Zhang S, Zhang X. Regulation of the CRISPR-Cas12a system by methylation and demethylation of guide RNA. Chem Sci 2023; 14:5945-5955. [PMID: 37293662 PMCID: PMC10246701 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc00629h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical modifications of CRISPR-Cas nucleases help decrease off-target editing and expand the biomedical applications of CRISPR-based gene manipulation tools. Here, we found that epigenetic modifications of guide RNA, such as m6A and m1A methylation, can effectively inhibit both the cis- and trans-DNA cleavage activities of CRISPR-Cas12a. The underlying mechanism is that methylations destabilize the secondary and tertiary structure of gRNA which prevents the assembly of the Cas12a-gRNA nuclease complex, leading to decreased DNA targeting ability. A minimum of three adenine methylated nucleotides are required to completely inhibit the nuclease activity. We also demonstrate that these effects are reversible through the demethylation of gRNA by demethylases. This strategy has been used in the regulation of gene expression, demethylase imaging in living cells and controllable gene editing. The results demonstrate that the methylation-deactivated and demethylase-activated strategy is a promising tool for regulation of the CRISPR-Cas12a system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhian Hu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District Beijing 100083 P. R. China
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P. R. China
| | - Ao Sun
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P. R. China
| | - Jinlei Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P. R. China
| | - Gul Naz
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P. R. China
| | - Gongwei Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P. R. China
| | - Zhengping Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District Beijing 100083 P. R. China
| | - Jun-Jie Gogo Liu
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P. R. China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P. R. China
| | - Sichun Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P. R. China
| | - Xinrong Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 P. R. China
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11
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Liu Y, Shi Y, Yu L, Wu Z, Jiang JH. Reversible Acylation of RNA Enables Activatable Biosensing. Anal Chem 2023; 95:6490-6495. [PMID: 37053522 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c00723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
There is a high demand to develop chemical tools to control the property and function of RNA. Current methods mainly rely on ultraviolet light-based caging strategies, which may cause phototoxicity in live cell-based experiments. We herein report an endogenous stimulus-responsive RNA acylation approach by introducing boronate ester (BE) groups to 2'-hydroxyls through postsynthetic modification. Treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) yields a phenol derivative which undergoes a 1,6-eliminaton for the traceless release of 2'-hydroxyl. We demonstrated that the acylation of crRNA enabled conditional regulation of CRISPR/Cas13a activity for activatable detection of target RNA. We also showed that the highly specific acylation of the single RNA in 8-17 DNAzyme allowed reversible control of the catalytic activity of DNAzyme, which was further applied to the cell-selective imaging of metal ions in cancer cells. Thus, our strategy provides a simple, general, and cell-selective method to control RNA activity, affording great potential in the construction of activatable RNA sensors and pre-RNA medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yining Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Yang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Lanxing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Zhenkun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Jian-Hui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
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Lei H, Zeng T, Ye X, Fan R, Xiong W, Tian T, Zhou X. Chemical Control of CRISPR Gene Editing via Conditional Diacylation Crosslinking of Guide RNAs. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2206433. [PMID: 36737854 PMCID: PMC10074079 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202206433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Conditional control of RNA structure and function has emerged as an effective toolkit. Here, a strategy based on a one-step introduction of diacylation linkers and azide groups on the 2'-OH of RNA is advance. Selected from eight phosphine reagents, it is found that 2-(diphenylphosphino)ethylamine has excellent performance in reducing azides via a Staudinger reduction to obtain the original RNA. It is demonstrated that the enzymatic activities of Cas13 and Cas9 can be regulated by chemically modified guide RNAs, and further achieved ligand-induced gene editing in living cells by a controllable CRISPR/Cas9 system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huajun Lei
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesKey Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of EducationThe Institute of Molecular MedicineWuhan University People's HospitalHubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and ImmunologyWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430072China
| | - Tianying Zeng
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesKey Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of EducationThe Institute of Molecular MedicineWuhan University People's HospitalHubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and ImmunologyWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430072China
| | - Xiaofang Ye
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesKey Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of EducationThe Institute of Molecular MedicineWuhan University People's HospitalHubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and ImmunologyWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430072China
| | - Ruochen Fan
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesKey Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of EducationThe Institute of Molecular MedicineWuhan University People's HospitalHubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and ImmunologyWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430072China
| | - Wei Xiong
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesKey Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of EducationThe Institute of Molecular MedicineWuhan University People's HospitalHubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and ImmunologyWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430072China
| | - Tian Tian
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesKey Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of EducationThe Institute of Molecular MedicineWuhan University People's HospitalHubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and ImmunologyWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430072China
| | - Xiang Zhou
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesKey Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of EducationThe Institute of Molecular MedicineWuhan University People's HospitalHubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and ImmunologyWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430072China
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13
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Tota EM, Devaraj NK. Site-specific Covalent Labeling of DNA Substrates by an RNA Transglycosylase. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.23.525207. [PMID: 36747847 PMCID: PMC9900779 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.23.525207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial tRNA guanine transglycosylases (TGTs) catalyze the exchange of guanine for the 7-deazaguanine queuine precursor, prequeuosine1 (preQ1). While the native nucleic acid substrate for bacterial TGTs is the anticodon loop of queuine-cognate tRNAs, the minimum recognition sequence for the enzyme is a structured hairpin containing the target G nucleobase in a "UGU" loop motif. Previous work has established an RNA modification system, RNA-TAG, in which E. coli TGT exchanges the target G on an RNA of interest for chemically modified preQ1 substrates linked to a small molecule reporter such as biotin or a fluorophore. While extending the substrate scope of RNA transglycosylases to include DNA would enable numerous applications, it has been previously reported that TGT is incapable of modifying native DNA. Here we demonstrate that TGT can in fact recognize and label specific DNA substrates. Through iterative testing of rationally mutated DNA hairpin sequences, we determined the minimal sequence requirements for transglycosylation of unmodified DNA by E. coli TGT. Controlling steric constraint in the DNA hairpin dramatically affects labeling efficiency, and, when optimized, can lead to near quantitative site-specific modification. We demonstrate the utility of our newly developed DNA-TAG system by rapidly synthesizing probes for fluorescent Northern blotting of spliceosomal U6 RNA and RNA FISH visualization of the long noncoding RNA, MALAT1. The ease and convenience of the DNA-TAG system will provide researchers with a tool for accessing a wide variety of affordable modified DNA substrates.
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14
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Cai W, Liu J, Chen X, Mao L, Wang M. Orthogonal Chemical Activation of Enzyme-Inducible CRISPR/Cas9 for Cell-Selective Genome Editing. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:22272-22280. [PMID: 36367552 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The precision and therapeutic potential of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing are greatly challenged by the less control over Cas9-mediated DNA cleavage. Herein, we introduce a conditional and cell-selective genome editing system controlled by disease-associated enzymes, termed enzyme-inducible CRISPR (eiCRISPR). eiCRISPR comprises Cas9 protein, a self-blocked inactive single-guide RNA (bsgRNA), and a chemically caged deoxyribozyme (DNAzyme) that activates bsgRNA and eiCRISPR in a controllable manner. We design chemical modifications of DNAzyme to suppress its ability to cleave the blocking region of bsgRNA, while the decaging of DNAzyme triggered by the tumor cell-overexpressed enzyme, for instance, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), restores the activity of bsgRNA and switches on eiCRISPR selectively for genome editing in cancer cells. Moreover, using a biodegradable lipid nanoparticle to deliver eiCRISPR in a tumor-bearing xenograft, we show that the in vivo activation of eiCRISPR enables the editing of human papillomavirus 18 E6 for potential cancer therapy. The strategy of postsynthetic and site-specific modification of DNAzyme is compatible with endogenous chemistries for regulating eiCRISPR for cell-selective genome editing and targeted gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Cai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ji Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xianghan Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lanqun Mao
- College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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15
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Xiong H, Xu Y, Kim B, Rha H, Zhang B, Li M, Yang GF, Kim JS. Photo-controllable biochemistry: Exploiting the photocages in phototherapeutic window. Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2022.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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