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Rajanathadurai J, Perumal E, Sindya J. Advances in targeting cancer epigenetics using CRISPR-dCas9 technology: A comprehensive review and future prospects. Funct Integr Genomics 2024; 24:164. [PMID: 39292321 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-024-01455-3] [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: 07/09/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024]
Abstract
Cancer, a complex and multifaceted group of diseases, continues to challenge the boundaries of medical science and healthcare. Its relentless impact on global health, both in terms of prevalence and mortality, underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive understanding of its underlying mechanisms and innovative therapeutic approaches. In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in identifying the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that cause cancer development and treatment resistance. Researchers are currently investigating the possibility of epigenetic editing such as CRISPR-dCas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/deactivated CRISPR-associated protein 9) technologies, for targeting and modifying cancer related epigenetic alterations. A revolutionary form of precision cancer treatment called CRISPR-dCas9 is derived from the bacterial CRISPR-Cas (CRISPR-associated nuclease) system. CRISPR-dCas9 can be combined with epigenetic effectors (EE) to alter malignant epigenetic characteristics associated with cancer. The purpose of this review article is to provide a thorough analysis of recent advancements in utilizing CRISPR-dCas9 technology to target and modify epigenetic changes associated with cancer. This review aims to summarize the latest research developments, evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of CRISPR-dCas9 applications in cancer therapy, identify key challenges such as delivery methods and explore future directions for improving and expanding these technologies. Here, we address the various obstacles that may arise in clinical applications while showcasing the latest advancements and potential future uses of CRISPR-Cas9 in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeevitha Rajanathadurai
- Cancer Genomics Lab, Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 602105, India
| | - Elumalai Perumal
- Cancer Genomics Lab, Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 602105, India.
| | - Jospin Sindya
- Cancer Genomics Lab, Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 602105, India
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2
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Fosseprez O, Cuvier O. Uncovering the functions and mechanisms of regulatory elements-associated non-coding RNAs. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2024; 1867:195059. [PMID: 39226990 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2024.195059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Over the past decade, regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) produced by RNA Pol II have been revealed as meaningful players in various essential cellular functions. In particular, thousands of ncRNAs are produced at transcriptional regulatory elements such as enhancers and promoters, where they may exert multiple functions to regulate proper development, cellular programming, transcription or genomic stability. Here, we review the mechanisms involving these regulatory element-associated ncRNAs, and particularly enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) and PROMoter uPstream Transcripts (PROMPTs). We contextualize the mechanisms described to the processing and degradation of these short lived RNAs. We summarize recent findings explaining how ncRNAs operate locally at promoters and enhancers, or further away, either shortly after their production by RNA Pol II, or through post-transcriptional stabilization. Such discoveries lead to a converging model accounting for how ncRNAs influence cellular fate, by acting on transcription and chromatin structure, which may further involve factors participating to 3D nuclear organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Fosseprez
- Chromatin Dynamics and Cell Proliferation team; Center of Integrative Biology (CBI), Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology Unit (MCD/UMR5077) Center of Integrative Biology (CBI-CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UPS), F-31000, France.
| | - Olivier Cuvier
- Chromatin Dynamics and Cell Proliferation team; Center of Integrative Biology (CBI), Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology Unit (MCD/UMR5077) Center of Integrative Biology (CBI-CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UPS), F-31000, France.
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3
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Roth GV, Gengaro IR, Qi LS. Precision epigenetic editing: Technological advances, enduring challenges, and therapeutic applications. Cell Chem Biol 2024:S2451-9456(24)00309-X. [PMID: 39137782 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
The epigenome is a complex framework through which gene expression is precisely and flexibly modulated to incorporate heritable memory and responses to environmental stimuli. It governs diverse cellular processes, including cell fate, disease, and aging. The need to understand this system and precisely control gene expression outputs for therapeutic purposes has precipitated the development of a diverse set of epigenetic editing tools. Here, we review the existing toolbox for targeted epigenetic editing, technical considerations of the current technologies, and opportunities for future development. We describe applications of therapeutic epigenetic editing and their potential for treating disease, with a discussion of ongoing delivery challenges that impede certain clinical interventions, particularly in the brain. With simultaneous advancements in available engineering tools and appropriate delivery technologies, we predict that epigenetic editing will increasingly cement itself as a powerful approach for safely treating a wide range of disorders in all tissues of the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goldie V Roth
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Isabella R Gengaro
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lei S Qi
- Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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4
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McCutcheon SR, Rohm D, Iglesias N, Gersbach CA. Epigenome editing technologies for discovery and medicine. Nat Biotechnol 2024; 42:1199-1217. [PMID: 39075148 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02320-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Epigenome editing has rapidly evolved in recent years, with diverse applications that include elucidating gene regulation mechanisms, annotating coding and noncoding genome functions and programming cell state and lineage specification. Importantly, given the ubiquitous role of epigenetics in complex phenotypes, epigenome editing has unique potential to impact a broad spectrum of diseases. By leveraging powerful DNA-targeting technologies, such as CRISPR, epigenome editing exploits the heritable and reversible mechanisms of epigenetics to alter gene expression without introducing DNA breaks, inducing DNA damage or relying on DNA repair pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean R McCutcheon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dahlia Rohm
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nahid Iglesias
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Charles A Gersbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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5
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Habib AM, Cox JJ, Okorokov AL. Out of the dark: the emerging roles of lncRNAs in pain. Trends Genet 2024; 40:694-705. [PMID: 38926010 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2024.04.009] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The dark genome, the nonprotein-coding part of the genome, is replete with long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). These functionally versatile transcripts, with specific temporal and spatial expression patterns, are critical gene regulators that play essential roles in health and disease. In recent years, FAAH-OUT was identified as the first lncRNA associated with an inherited human pain insensitivity disorder. Several other lncRNAs have also been studied for their contribution to chronic pain and genome-wide association studies are frequently identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms that map to lncRNAs. For a long time overlooked, lncRNAs are coming out of the dark and into the light as major players in human pain pathways and as potential targets for new RNA-based analgesic medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdella M Habib
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - James J Cox
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Andrei L Okorokov
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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6
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Tapia A, Liu X, Malhi NK, Yuan D, Chen M, Southerland KW, Luo Y, Chen ZB. Role of long noncoding RNAs in diabetes-associated peripheral arterial disease. Cardiovasc Diabetol 2024; 23:274. [PMID: 39049097 PMCID: PMC11271017 DOI: 10.1186/s12933-024-02327-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease that heightens the risks of many vascular complications, including peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Various types of cells, including but not limited to endothelial cells (ECs), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and macrophages (MΦs), play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of DM-PAD. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are epigenetic regulators that play important roles in cellular function, and their dysregulation in DM can contribute to PAD. This review focuses on the developing field of lncRNAs and their emerging roles in linking DM and PAD. We review the studies investigating the role of lncRNAs in crucial cellular processes contributing to DM-PAD, including those in ECs, VSMCs, and MΦ. By examining the intricate molecular landscape governed by lncRNAs in these relevant cell types, we hope to shed light on the roles of lncRNAs in EC dysfunction, inflammatory responses, and vascular remodeling contributing to DM-PAD. Additionally, we provide an overview of the research approach and methodologies, from identifying disease-relevant lncRNAs to characterizing their molecular and cellular functions in the context of DM-PAD. We also discuss the potential of leveraging lncRNAs in the diagnosis and therapeutics for DM-PAD. Collectively, this review provides a summary of lncRNA-regulated cell functions contributing to DM-PAD and highlights the translational potential of leveraging lncRNA biology to tackle this increasingly prevalent and complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alonso Tapia
- Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Xuejing Liu
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Naseeb Kaur Malhi
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Dongqiang Yuan
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Muxi Chen
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Kevin W Southerland
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Yingjun Luo
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Zhen Bouman Chen
- Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA.
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA.
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7
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Cowan QT, Gu S, Gu W, Ranzau BL, Simonson TS, Komor AC. Development of multiplexed orthogonal base editor (MOBE) systems. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02240-0. [PMID: 38773305 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02240-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Base editors (BEs) enable efficient, programmable installation of point mutations while avoiding the use of double-strand breaks. Simultaneous application of two or more different BEs, such as an adenine BE (which converts A·T base pairs to G·C) and a cytosine BE (which converts C·G base pairs to T·A), is not feasible because guide RNA crosstalk results in non-orthogonal editing, with all BEs modifying all target loci. Here we engineer both adenine BEs and cytosine BEs that can be orthogonally multiplexed by using RNA aptamer-coat protein systems to recruit the DNA-modifying enzymes directly to the guide RNAs. We generate four multiplexed orthogonal BE systems that enable rates of precise co-occurring edits of up to 7.1% in the same DNA strand without enrichment or selection strategies. The addition of a fluorescent enrichment strategy increases co-occurring edit rates up to 24.8% in human cells. These systems are compatible with expanded protospacer adjacent motif and high-fidelity Cas9 variants, function well in multiple cell types, have equivalent or reduced off-target propensities compared with their parental systems and can model disease-relevant point mutation combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn T Cowan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sifeng Gu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Wanjun Gu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine, and Physiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Brodie L Ranzau
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tatum S Simonson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine, and Physiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alexis C Komor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Huang P, Wen F, Li Y, Li Q. The tale of SOX2: Focusing on lncRNA regulation in cancer progression and therapy. Life Sci 2024; 344:122576. [PMID: 38492918 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122576] [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: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as influential contributors to diverse cellular processes, which regulate gene function and expression via multiple mechanistic pathways. Therefore, it is essential to exploit the structures and interactions of lncRNAs to comprehend their mechanistic functions within cells. A growing body of evidence has revealed that deregulated lncRNAs are involved in multiple regulations of malignant events including cell proliferation, growth, invasion, and metabolism. SRY-related high mobility group box (SOX)2, a well-recognized member of the SOX family, is commonly overexpressed in various types of cancer, contributing to tumor progression and maintenance of stemness. Emerging studies have shown that lncRNAs interact with SOX2 to remarkably contribute to carcinogenesis and disease states. This review elaborates on the crosstalk between the intricate and complicated functions of lncRNAs and SOX2 in the context of malignant diseases. We elucidate distinct molecular mechanisms that contribute to the onset/advancement of cancer, indicating that lncRNAs/SOX2 axes hold immense promise for potential therapeutic targets. Furthermore, we delve into the modalities of emerging feasible treatment options for targeting lncRNAs, highlighting the limitations of such therapies and providing novel insights into further ameliorations of targeted strategies of lncRNAs to promote the clinical implications. Translating current discoveries into clinical applications could ultimately boost improved survival and prognosis of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Huang
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Feng Wen
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - YiShan Li
- Thoracic Oncology Ward, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, West China School of Nursing, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Qiu Li
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
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9
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Li C, Huang Y, Yi X, Tang Y, Okita R, He J. Pan-cancer prognostic model and immune microenvironment analysis of natural killer cell-related genes. Transl Cancer Res 2024; 13:1936-1953. [PMID: 38737690 PMCID: PMC11082681 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-24-434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Background Natural killer (NK) cells play a significant role in antitumor immunity and are closely related to tumor prognosis and recurrence. NK cell-based tumor immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibition and CAR-engineered NK cells, is a promising area of research. However, there is a need for better NK cell-related models and associated biomarkers. Methods The sequences of NK cell-related genes were obtained from the published NK cell CRISPR/Cas9 library data, and the common genes were selected as NK cell-related genes. The RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and clinical data of 32 solid tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were downloaded from the UCSC Xena database, and the RNA-seq data of normal samples were downloaded from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database. The differentially expressed NK cell-related genes (DENKGs) between the tumor and normal samples were analyzed. The DENKGs related to the prognosis of solid tumors were selected via univariate Cox analysis, and 32 kinds of solid tumor prognostic models were constructed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate Cox analysis. Survival, receiver operating characteristic (ROC), and independent prognostic analyses were employed to test the effectiveness of the model, along with a nomogram model and prediction curve. Differences in the immune pathways and microenvironment cells were analyzed between the high- and low-risk groups identified by the model. Results We constructed a pan-cancer prognostic model with 63 NK cell-related genes and further identified DEPDC1 and ASPM as potentially offering new directions in tumor research by literature screening. Conclusions In this study, 63 prognostic solid tumor markers were investigated using NK cell-related genes, and for the first time, a pan-cancer prognostic model was constructed to analyze their role in the immune microenvironment, which may contribute new insights into tumor research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caihong Li
- Department of Radiotherapy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yuxin Huang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiaojuan Yi
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Youpan Tang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongjiang People’s Hospital, Deyang, China
| | - Riki Okita
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Hospital Organization Yamaguchi Ube Medical Center, Ube, Japan
| | - Jun He
- Department of Oncology, The Third Hospital of Mian Yang (Sichuan Mental Health Center), Mianyang, China
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Srinivas T, Siqueira E, Guil S. Techniques for investigating lncRNA transcript functions in neurodevelopment. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:874-890. [PMID: 38145986 PMCID: PMC11176085 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02377-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are sequences of 200 nucleotides or more that are transcribed from a large portion of the mammalian genome. While hypothesized to have a variety of biological roles, many lncRNAs remain largely functionally uncharacterized due to unique challenges associated with their investigation. For example, some lncRNAs overlap with other genomic loci, are expressed in a cell-type-specific manner, and/or are differentially processed at the post-transcriptional level. The mammalian CNS contains a vast diversity of lncRNAs, and lncRNAs are highly abundant in the mammalian brain. However, interrogating lncRNA function in models of the CNS, particularly in vivo, can be complex and challenging. Here we review the breadth of methods used to investigate lncRNAs in the CNS, their merits, and the understanding they can provide with respect to neurodevelopment and pathophysiology. We discuss remaining challenges in the field and provide recommendations to assay lncRNAs based on current methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Srinivas
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916, Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Edilene Siqueira
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916, Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sonia Guil
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916, Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
- Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute, 08916, Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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11
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Patel A, Dharap A. An Emerging Role for Enhancer RNAs in Brain Disorders. Neuromolecular Med 2024; 26:7. [PMID: 38546891 PMCID: PMC11263973 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-024-08776-3] [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: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Noncoding DNA undergoes widespread context-dependent transcription to produce noncoding RNAs. In recent decades, tremendous advances in genomics and transcriptomics have revealed important regulatory roles for noncoding DNA elements and the RNAs that they produce. Enhancers are one such element that are well-established drivers of gene expression changes in response to a variety of factors such as external stimuli, cellular responses, developmental cues, and disease states. They are known to act at long distances, interact with multiple target gene loci simultaneously, synergize with other enhancers, and associate with dynamic chromatin architectures to form a complex regulatory network. Recent advances in enhancer biology have revealed that upon activation, enhancers transcribe long noncoding RNAs, known as enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), that have been shown to play important roles in enhancer-mediated gene regulation and chromatin-modifying activities. In the brain, enhancer dysregulation and eRNA transcription has been reported in numerous disorders from acute injuries to chronic neurodegeneration. Because this is an emerging area, a comprehensive understanding of eRNA function has not yet been achieved in brain disorders; however, the findings to date have illuminated a role for eRNAs in activity-driven gene expression and phenotypic outcomes. In this review, we highlight the breadth of the current literature on eRNA biology in brain health and disease and discuss the challenges as well as focus areas and strategies for future in-depth research on eRNAs in brain health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Patel
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
- Byrd Alzheimer's Center & Research Institute, USF Health Neuroscience Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ashutosh Dharap
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
- Byrd Alzheimer's Center & Research Institute, USF Health Neuroscience Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
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12
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McGee AV, Liu YV, Griffith AL, Szegletes ZM, Wen B, Kraus C, Miller NW, Steger RJ, Escude Velasco B, Bosch JA, Zirin JD, Viswanatha R, Sontheimer EJ, Goodale A, Greene MA, Green TM, Doench JG. Modular vector assembly enables rapid assessment of emerging CRISPR technologies. CELL GENOMICS 2024; 4:100519. [PMID: 38484704 PMCID: PMC10943585 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The diversity of CRISPR systems, coupled with scientific ingenuity, has led to an explosion of applications; however, to test newly described innovations in their model systems, researchers typically embark on cumbersome, one-off cloning projects to generate custom reagents that are optimized for their biological questions. Here, we leverage Golden Gate cloning to create the Fragmid toolkit, a modular set of CRISPR cassettes and delivery technologies, along with a web portal, resulting in a combinatorial platform that enables scalable vector assembly within days. We further demonstrate that multiple CRISPR technologies can be assessed in parallel in a pooled screening format using this resource, enabling the rapid optimization of both novel technologies and cellular models. These results establish Fragmid as a robust system for the rapid design of CRISPR vectors, and we anticipate that this assembly approach will be broadly useful for systematic development, comparison, and dissemination of CRISPR technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby V McGee
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Yanjing V Liu
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Audrey L Griffith
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Zsofia M Szegletes
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Bronte Wen
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Carolyn Kraus
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Nathan W Miller
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Ryan J Steger
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Berta Escude Velasco
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Justin A Bosch
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jonathan D Zirin
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Raghuvir Viswanatha
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Erik J Sontheimer
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Amy Goodale
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Matthew A Greene
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Thomas M Green
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - John G Doench
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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13
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Swain T, Pflueger C, Freytag S, Poppe D, Pflueger J, Nguyen T, Li J, Lister R. A modular dCas9-based recruitment platform for combinatorial epigenome editing. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:474-491. [PMID: 38000387 PMCID: PMC10783489 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted epigenome editing tools allow precise manipulation and investigation of genome modifications, however they often display high context dependency and variable efficacy between target genes and cell types. While systems that simultaneously recruit multiple distinct 'effector' chromatin regulators can improve efficacy, they generally lack control over effector composition and spatial organisation. To overcome this we have created a modular combinatorial epigenome editing platform, called SSSavi. This system is an interchangeable and reconfigurable docking platform fused to dCas9 that enables simultaneous recruitment of up to four different effectors, allowing precise control of effector composition and spatial ordering. We demonstrate the activity and specificity of the SSSavi system and, by testing it against existing multi-effector targeting systems, demonstrate its comparable efficacy. Furthermore, we demonstrate the importance of the spatial ordering of the recruited effectors for effective transcriptional regulation. Together, the SSSavi system enables exploration of combinatorial effector co-recruitment to enhance manipulation of chromatin contexts previously resistant to targeted editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Swain
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Christian Pflueger
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Saskia Freytag
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Daniel Poppe
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Jahnvi Pflueger
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Trung Viet Nguyen
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Ji Kevin Li
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Ryan Lister
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
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14
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Yagci ZB, Kelkar GR, Johnson TJ, Sen D, Keung AJ. Designing Epigenome Editors: Considerations of Biochemical and Locus Specificities. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2842:23-55. [PMID: 39012589 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4051-7_2] [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] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
The advent of locus-specific protein recruitment technologies has enabled a new class of studies in chromatin biology. Epigenome editors (EEs) enable biochemical modifications of chromatin at almost any specific endogenous locus. Their locus-specificity unlocks unique information including the functional roles of distinct modifications at specific genomic loci. Given the growing interest in using these tools for biological and translational studies, there are many specific design considerations depending on the scientific question or clinical need. Here, we present and discuss important design considerations and challenges regarding the biochemical and locus specificities of epigenome editors. These include how to: account for the complex biochemical diversity of chromatin; control for potential interdependency of epigenome editors and their resultant modifications; avoid sequestration effects; quantify the locus specificity of epigenome editors; and improve locus-specificity by considering concentration, affinity, avidity, and sequestration effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Begum Yagci
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Gautami R Kelkar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Tyler J Johnson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Dilara Sen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Albert J Keung
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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15
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Malakar P, Shukla S, Mondal M, Kar RK, Siddiqui JA. The nexus of long noncoding RNAs, splicing factors, alternative splicing and their modulations. RNA Biol 2024; 21:1-20. [PMID: 38017665 PMCID: PMC10761143 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2023.2286099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The process of alternative splicing (AS) is widely deregulated in a variety of cancers. Splicing is dependent upon splicing factors. Recently, several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to regulate AS by directly/indirectly interacting with splicing factors. This review focuses on the regulation of AS by lncRNAs through their interaction with splicing factors. AS mis-regulation caused by either mutation in splicing factors or deregulated expression of splicing factors and lncRNAs has been shown to be involved in cancer development and progression, making aberrant splicing, splicing factors and lncRNA suitable targets for cancer therapy. This review also addresses some of the current approaches used to target AS, splicing factors and lncRNAs. Finally, we discuss research challenges, some of the unanswered questions in the field and provide recommendations to advance understanding of the nexus of lncRNAs, AS and splicing factors in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pushkar Malakar
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, School of Biological Sciences, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational Research Institute (RKMVERI), Kolkata, India
| | - Sudhanshu Shukla
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad, Dharwad, Karnataka, India
| | - Meghna Mondal
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, School of Biological Sciences, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational Research Institute (RKMVERI), Kolkata, India
| | - Rajesh Kumar Kar
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jawed Akhtar Siddiqui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
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16
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Shi P, Wu X. Programmable RNA targeting with CRISPR-Cas13. RNA Biol 2024; 21:1-9. [PMID: 38764173 PMCID: PMC11110701 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2024.2351657] [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] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13 system has enabled precise engineering of endogenous RNAs, significantly advancing our understanding of RNA regulation and the development of RNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This review aims to provide a summary of Cas13-based RNA targeting tools and applications, discuss limitations and challenges of existing tools and suggest potential directions for further development of the RNA targeting system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiguo Shi
- Department of Medicine and Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xuebing Wu
- Department of Medicine and Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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17
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Aggarwal T, Wang L, Gutierrez B, Guven H, Erguven H, Izgu EC. A Small-Molecule Approach to Bypass In Vitro Selection of New Aptamers: Designer Pre-Ligands Turn Baby Spinach into Sensors for Reactive Inorganic Targets. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.29.551132. [PMID: 38168427 PMCID: PMC10760011 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.29.551132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Fluorescent light-up aptamer (FLAP) systems are promising biosensing platforms that can be genetically encoded. Here, we describe how a single FLAP that works with specific organic ligands can detect multiple, structurally unique, non-fluorogenic, and reactive inorganic targets. We developed 4-O-functionalized benzylidene imidazolinones as pre-ligands with suppressed fluorescent binding interactions with the RNA aptamer Baby Spinach. Inorganic targets, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), can specifically convert these pre-ligands into the native benzylidene imidazolinones, and thus be detected with Baby Spinach. Adaptation of this approach to live cells opened a new opportunity for top-down construction of whole-cell sensors: Escherichia coli transformed with a Baby Spinach-encoding plasmid and incubated with pre-ligands generated fluorescence in response to exogenous H2S or H2O2. Our approach eliminates the requirement of in vitro selection of a new aptamer sequence for molecular target detection, allows for the detection of short-lived targets, thereby advancing FLAP systems beyond their current capabilities. Leveraging the functional group reactivity of small molecules can lead to cell-based sensors for inorganic molecular targets, exploiting a new synergism between synthetic organic chemistry and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar Aggarwal
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Liming Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Bryan Gutierrez
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Hakan Guven
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Huseyin Erguven
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Enver Cagri Izgu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
- Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
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18
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Wang H, Yu L, Cheng L, Guo Z. The roles of lncRNAs in Th17-associated diseases, with special focus on JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:3349-3359. [PMID: 37743424 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01181-3] [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: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
One of the most crucial T cell subsets in a variety of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory illnesses is T helper (Th) 17 cells. Th17 cells appear to have an essential role in the clearance of extracellular pathogens during infections. However, Th17 cells are also involved in inflammation and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases and human inflammatory conditions. Due to the involvement of Th17 cells in the onset of Th17-associated diseases, understanding molecular mechanisms of Th17 cell functions may open the door to developing tailored therapies to address these difficult disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms governing Th17 differentiation in various diseases are still not well understood. The JAK/STAT signaling pathway plays a critical role in immune responses and has been linked to various aspects of Th17 cell differentiation and function. In this article, we conducted a comprehensive review of various molecular mechanisms (JAK/STAT, microRNAs, etc.), that can affect the differentiation of Th17 cells in various Th17-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Lanlan Yu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Li Cheng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Zhigang Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130031, China.
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19
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Arnold M, Stengel KR. Emerging insights into enhancer biology and function. Transcription 2023; 14:68-87. [PMID: 37312570 PMCID: PMC10353330 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2023.2222032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell type-specific gene expression is coordinated by DNA-encoded enhancers and the transcription factors (TFs) that bind to them in a sequence-specific manner. As such, these enhancers and TFs are critical mediators of normal development and altered enhancer or TF function is associated with the development of diseases such as cancer. While initially defined by their ability to activate gene transcription in reporter assays, putative enhancer elements are now frequently defined by their unique chromatin features including DNase hypersensitivity and transposase accessibility, bidirectional enhancer RNA (eRNA) transcription, CpG hypomethylation, high H3K27ac and H3K4me1, sequence-specific transcription factor binding, and co-factor recruitment. Identification of these chromatin features through sequencing-based assays has revolutionized our ability to identify enhancer elements on a genome-wide scale, and genome-wide functional assays are now capitalizing on this information to greatly expand our understanding of how enhancers function to provide spatiotemporal coordination of gene expression programs. Here, we highlight recent technological advances that are providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms by which these critical cis-regulatory elements function in gene control. We pay particular attention to advances in our understanding of enhancer transcription, enhancer-promoter syntax, 3D organization and biomolecular condensates, transcription factor and co-factor dependencies, and the development of genome-wide functional enhancer screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Arnold
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Kristy R. Stengel
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Health System, Bronx, NY, USA
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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20
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McGee AV, Liu YV, Griffith AL, Szegletes ZM, Wen B, Kraus C, Miller NW, Steger RJ, Velasco BE, Bosch JA, Zirin JD, Viswanatha R, Sontheimer EJ, Goodale A, Greene MA, Green TM, Doench JG. Modular vector assembly enables rapid assessment of emerging CRISPR technologies. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.25.564061. [PMID: 37961518 PMCID: PMC10634825 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.25.564061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The diversity of CRISPR systems, coupled with scientific ingenuity, has led to an explosion of applications; however, to test newly-described innovations in their model systems, researchers typically embark on cumbersome, one-off cloning projects to generate custom reagents that are optimized for their biological questions. Here, we leverage Golden Gate cloning to create the Fragmid toolkit, a modular set of CRISPR cassettes and delivery technologies, along with a web portal, resulting in a combinatorial platform that enables scalable vector assembly within days. We further demonstrate that multiple CRISPR technologies can be assessed in parallel in a pooled screening format using this resource, enabling the rapid optimization of both novel technologies and cellular models. These results establish Fragmid as a robust system for the rapid design of CRISPR vectors, and we anticipate that this assembly approach will be broadly useful for systematic development, comparison, and dissemination of CRISPR technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby V McGee
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Yanjing V Liu
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Audrey L Griffith
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Zsofia M Szegletes
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Bronte Wen
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Carolyn Kraus
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Nathan W Miller
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Ryan J Steger
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Berta Escude Velasco
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Justin A Bosch
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jonathan D Zirin
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Raghuvir Viswanatha
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Erik J Sontheimer
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Amy Goodale
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Matthew A Greene
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Thomas M Green
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - John G Doench
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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21
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King CR, Liu Y, Amato KA, Schaack GA, Mickelson C, Sanders AE, Hu T, Gupta S, Langlois RA, Smith JA, Mehle A. Pathogen-driven CRISPR screens identify TREX1 as a regulator of DNA self-sensing during influenza virus infection. Cell Host Microbe 2023; 31:1552-1567.e8. [PMID: 37652009 PMCID: PMC10528757 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.08.001] [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: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Host:pathogen interactions dictate the outcome of infection, yet the limitations of current approaches leave large regions of this interface unexplored. Here, we develop a novel fitness-based screen that queries factors important during the middle to late stages of infection. This is achieved by engineering influenza virus to direct the screen by programming dCas9 to modulate host gene expression. Our genome-wide screen for pro-viral factors identifies the cytoplasmic DNA exonuclease TREX1. TREX1 degrades cytoplasmic DNA to prevent inappropriate innate immune activation by self-DNA. We reveal that this same process aids influenza virus replication. Infection triggers release of mitochondrial DNA into the cytoplasm, activating antiviral signaling via cGAS and STING. TREX1 metabolizes the DNA, preventing its sensing. Collectively, these data show that self-DNA is deployed to amplify innate immunity, a process tempered by TREX1. Moreover, they demonstrate the power and generality of pathogen-driven fitness-based screens to pinpoint key host regulators of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cason R King
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Yiping Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Katherine A Amato
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Grace A Schaack
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Clayton Mickelson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Autumn E Sanders
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Tony Hu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Srishti Gupta
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Ryan A Langlois
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Judith A Smith
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Andrew Mehle
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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22
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Olazagoitia-Garmendia A, Senovilla-Ganzo R, García-Moreno F, Castellanos-Rubio A. Functional evolutionary convergence of long noncoding RNAs involved in embryonic development. Commun Biol 2023; 6:908. [PMID: 37670146 PMCID: PMC10480150 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05278-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs have been identified in most vertebrates, but the functional characterization of these molecules is challenging, mainly due to the lack of linear sequence homology between species. In this work, we aimed to find functional evolutionary convergent lncRNAs involved in development by screening of k-mer content (nonlinear similarity) and secondary structure-based approaches combining in silico, in vitro and in vivo validation analysis. From the Madagascar gecko genes, we have found a non-orthologous lncRNA with a similar k-mer content and structurally concordant with the human lncRNA EVX1AS. Analysis of function-related characteristics together with locus-specific targeting of human EVX1AS and gecko EVX1AS-like (i.e., CRISPR Display) in human neuroepithelial cells and chicken mesencephalon have confirmed that gecko EVX1AS-like lncRNA mimics human EVX1AS function and induces EVX1 expression independently of the target species. Our data shows functional convergence of non-homologous lncRNAs and presents a useful approach for the definition and manipulation of lncRNA function within different model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ane Olazagoitia-Garmendia
- University of the Basque Country, UPV-EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | | | - Fernando García-Moreno
- University of the Basque Country, UPV-EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Ainara Castellanos-Rubio
- University of the Basque Country, UPV-EHU, Leioa, Spain.
- Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain.
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
- CIBERDEM/CIBERER, Madrid, Spain.
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23
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Su-Tobon Q, Fan J, Feeney K, Ren H, Autissier P, Wang P, Huang Y, Niu J. CRISPR-Hybrid: A CRISPR-Mediated Intracellular Directed Evolution Platform for RNA Aptamers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.29.555185. [PMID: 37693461 PMCID: PMC10491168 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.29.555185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in gene editing and precise regulation of gene expression based on CRISPR technologies have provided powerful tools for the understanding and manipulation of gene functions. Fusing RNA aptamers to the sgRNA of CRISPR can recruit cognate RNA-binding protein (RBP) effectors to target genomic sites, and the expression of sgRNA containing different RNA aptamers permit simultaneous multiplexed and multifunctional gene regulations. Here, we report an intracellular directed evolution platform for RNA aptamers against intracellularly expressed RBPs. We optimized a bacterial CRISPR-hybrid system coupled with FACS, and identified novel high affinity RNA aptamers orthogonal to existing aptamer-RBP pairs. Application of orthogonal aptamer-RBP pairs in multiplexed CRISPR allowed effective simultaneous transcriptional activation and repression of endogenous genes in mammalian cells.
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24
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van Staalduinen J, van Staveren T, Grosveld F, Wendt KS. Live-cell imaging of chromatin contacts opens a new window into chromatin dynamics. Epigenetics Chromatin 2023; 16:27. [PMID: 37349773 PMCID: PMC10288748 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-023-00503-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the organization of the chromatin fiber within the cell nucleus has made great progress in the last few years. High-resolution techniques based on next-generation sequencing as well as optical imaging that can investigate chromatin conformations down to the single cell level have revealed that chromatin structure is highly heterogeneous at the level of the individual allele. While TAD boundaries and enhancer-promoter pairs emerge as hotspots of 3D proximity, the spatiotemporal dynamics of these different types of chromatin contacts remain largely unexplored. Investigation of chromatin contacts in live single cells is necessary to close this knowledge gap and further enhance the current models of 3D genome organization and enhancer-promoter communication. In this review, we first discuss the potential of single locus labeling to study architectural and enhancer-promoter contacts and provide an overview of the available single locus labeling techniques such as FROS, TALE, CRISPR-dCas9 and ANCHOR, and discuss the latest developments and applications of these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jente van Staalduinen
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus MC, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas van Staveren
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus MC, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank Grosveld
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus MC, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kerstin S Wendt
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus MC, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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25
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Fang M, Li H, Xie X, Wang H, Jiang Y, Li T, Zhang B, Jiang X, Cao Y, Zhang R, Zhang D, Zhao Y, Zhu L, Chen X, Yang Y. Imaging intracellular metabolite and protein changes in live mammalian cells with bright fluorescent RNA-based genetically encoded sensors. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 235:115411. [PMID: 37236014 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent RNA (FR)-based genetically encoded sensors have been engineered to detect various essential metabolites in living systems. However, the unfavorable characteristics of FR impede sensor applications. Here, we describe a strategy for converting Pepper fluorescent RNA into a series of fluorescent sensors to detect their cognate targets both in vitro and in live cells. Compared to previously developed FR-based sensors, Pepper-based sensors exhibited expanded emission of up to 620 nm and markedly improved cellular brightness, allowing robust and real-time monitoring of the pharmacologic-triggered dynamics changes in the intracellular level of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and the optogenetic manipulated protein translocation in live mammalian cells. Furthermore, signal amplification in fluorescence imaging of the target was achieved using the CRISPR-display strategy by incorporating a Pepper-based sensor into the sgRNA scaffold. Together, these results demonstrate that Pepper can be readily developed into high-performance FR-based sensors to detect various cellular targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyue Fang
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Huiwen Li
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Xin Xie
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Ying Jiang
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Tianyu Li
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Bibi Zhang
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Xin Jiang
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yueyang Cao
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Dasheng Zhang
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yuzheng Zhao
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Linyong Zhu
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xianjun Chen
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Yi Yang
- Optogenetics & Synthetic Biology Interdisciplinary Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, China.
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Shabna A, Bindhya S, Sidhanth C, Garg M, Ganesan TS. Long non-coding RNAs: Fundamental regulators and emerging targets of cancer stem cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188899. [PMID: 37105414 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, primarily due to the dearth of efficient therapies that result in long-lasting remission. This is especially true in cases of metastatic cancer where drug resistance causes the disease to recur after treatment. One of the factors contributing to drug resistance, metastasis, and aggressiveness of the cancer is cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor-initiating cells. As a result, CSCs have emerged as a potential target for drug development. In the present review, we have examined and highlighted the lncRNAs with their regulatory functions specific to CSCs. Moreover, we have discussed the difficulties and various methods involved in identifying lncRNAs that can play a particular role in regulating and maintaining CSCs. Interestingly, this review only focuses on those lncRNAs with strong functional evidence for CSC specificity and the mechanistic role that allows them to be CSC regulators and be the focus of CSC-specific drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aboo Shabna
- Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Departments of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research, Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai 600020, India; Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Department of Medical Oncology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai 610016, India; Department of Endocrinology, Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Nutrtion, Tarnaka, Hyderabad 50007, India
| | - Sadanadhan Bindhya
- Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Departments of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research, Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai 600020, India
| | - Chirukandath Sidhanth
- Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Departments of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research, Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai 600020, India
| | - Manoj Garg
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Sector-125, Noida 201301, India
| | - Trivadi S Ganesan
- Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Departments of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research, Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai 600020, India; Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Department of Medical Oncology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai 610016, India.
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27
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Cosma MP, Neguembor MV. The magic of unraveling genome architecture and function. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112361. [PMID: 37059093 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112361] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, technological breakthroughs in super-resolution microscopy have allowed us to reach molecular resolution and design experiments of unprecedented complexity. Investigating how chromatin is folded in 3D, from the nucleosome level up to the entire genome, is becoming possible by "magic" (imaging genomic), i.e., the combination of imaging and genomic approaches. This offers endless opportunities to delve into the relationship between genome structure and function. Here, we review recently achieved objectives and the conceptual and technical challenges the field of genome architecture is currently undertaking. We discuss what we have learned so far and where we are heading. We elucidate how the different super-resolution microscopy approaches and, more specifically, live-cell imaging have contributed to the understanding of genome folding. Moreover, we discuss how future technical developments could address remaining open questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pia Cosma
- Medical Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, 106 Zhongshan Er Road, Yuexiu District, 510080 Guangzhou, China; Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Maria Victoria Neguembor
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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28
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Kulkarni V, Jayakumar S, Mohan M, Kulkarni S. Aid or Antagonize: Nuclear Long Noncoding RNAs Regulate Host Responses and Outcomes of Viral Infections. Cells 2023; 12:987. [PMID: 37048060 PMCID: PMC10093752 DOI: 10.3390/cells12070987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts measuring >200 bp in length and devoid of protein-coding potential. LncRNAs exceed the number of protein-coding mRNAs and regulate cellular, developmental, and immune pathways through diverse molecular mechanisms. In recent years, lncRNAs have emerged as epigenetic regulators with prominent roles in health and disease. Many lncRNAs, either host or virus-encoded, have been implicated in critical cellular defense processes, such as cytokine and antiviral gene expression, the regulation of cell signaling pathways, and the activation of transcription factors. In addition, cellular and viral lncRNAs regulate virus gene expression. Viral infections and associated immune responses alter the expression of host lncRNAs regulating immune responses, host metabolism, and viral replication. The influence of lncRNAs on the pathogenesis and outcomes of viral infections is being widely explored because virus-induced lncRNAs can serve as diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Future studies should focus on thoroughly characterizing lncRNA expressions in virus-infected primary cells, investigating their role in disease prognosis, and developing biologically relevant animal or organoid models to determine their suitability for specific therapeutic targeting. Many cellular and viral lncRNAs localize in the nucleus and epigenetically modulate viral transcription, latency, and host responses to infection. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of nuclear lncRNAs in the pathogenesis and outcomes of viral infections, such as the Influenza A virus, Sendai Virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Hepatitis C virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and Herpes Simplex Virus. We also address significant advances and barriers in characterizing lncRNA function and explore the potential of lncRNAs as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viraj Kulkarni
- Disease Intervention and Prevention Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA;
| | - Sahana Jayakumar
- Host-Pathogen Interaction Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA; (S.J.); (M.M.)
| | - Mahesh Mohan
- Host-Pathogen Interaction Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA; (S.J.); (M.M.)
| | - Smita Kulkarni
- Host-Pathogen Interaction Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA; (S.J.); (M.M.)
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29
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King CR, Liu Y, Amato KA, Schaack GA, Hu T, Smith JA, Mehle A. Pathogen-driven CRISPR screens identify TREX1 as a regulator of DNA self-sensing during influenza virus infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.07.527556. [PMID: 36798235 PMCID: PMC9934597 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.07.527556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular pathogens interact with host factors, exploiting those that enhance replication while countering those that suppress it. Genetic screens have begun to define the host:pathogen interface and establish a mechanistic basis for host-directed therapies. Yet, limitations of current approaches leave large regions of this interface unexplored. To uncover host factors with pro-pathogen functions, we developed a novel fitness-based screen that queries factors important during the middle-to-late stages of infection. This was achieved by engineering influenza virus to direct the screen by programing dCas9 to modulate host gene expression. A genome-wide screen identified the cytoplasmic DNA exonuclease TREX1 as a potent pro-viral factor. TREX1 normally degrades cytoplasmic DNA to prevent inappropriate innate immune activation by self DNA. Our mechanistic studies revealed that this same process functions during influenza virus infection to enhance replication. Infection triggered release of mitochondrial DNA into the cytoplasm, activating antiviral signaling via cGAS and STING. TREX1 metabolized the mitochondrial DNA preventing its sensing. Collectively, these data show that self-DNA is deployed to amplify host innate sensing during RNA virus infection, a process tempered by TREX1. Moreover, they demonstrate the power and generality of pathogen driven fitness-based screens to pinpoint key host regulators of intracellular pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cason R. King
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Yiping Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Katherine A. Amato
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Grace A. Schaack
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Tony Hu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Judith A Smith
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Andrew Mehle
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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30
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Chang HY, Qi LS. Reversing the Central Dogma: RNA-guided control of DNA in epigenetics and genome editing. Mol Cell 2023; 83:442-451. [PMID: 36736311 PMCID: PMC10044466 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Central Dogma of the flow of genetic information is arguably the crowning achievement of 20th century molecular biology. Reversing the flow of information from RNA to DNA or chromatin has come to the fore in recent years, from the convergence of fundamental discoveries and synthetic biology. Inspired by the example of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in mammalian genomes that direct chromatin modifications and gene expression, synthetic biologists have repurposed prokaryotic RNA-guided genome defense systems such as CRISPR to edit eukaryotic genomes and epigenomes. Here we explore the parallels of these two fields and highlight opportunities for synergy and future breakthroughs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard Y Chang
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulome, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Lei S Qi
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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31
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Cao C, Li A, Xu C, Wu B, Liu J, Liu Y. Enhancement of protein translation by CRISPR/dCasRx coupled with SINEB2 repeat of noncoding RNAs. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e33. [PMID: 36715335 PMCID: PMC10085674 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of new long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as biotechnological or therapeutic tools is still in its infancy, despite recent efforts to uncover their involvement in various biological processes including mRNA translation. An important question is whether lncRNA functional elements can be used to target translation of mRNAs of interest by incorporating the RNA-targeting CRISPR tools. The CRISPR/dCasRx-SINEB2 technology was developed in this research by coupling the sgRNA of a catalytically inactive Type VI-D Cas13 enzyme (CasRx) to an integrated SINEB2 domain of uchl1 lncRNA that promotes the translation of targeted mRNA. It has been demonstrated to be effective and adaptable in selectively increasing the expression of a variety of exogenous and endogenous proteins with a variety of functions with minimal off-target effects. dCasRx-SINEB2 is currently the sole CRISPR-related technique for translational control of gene expression, and works just as well or even better than the traditional RNAe tool under comparable conditions. Additionally, human cancer cells can be prevented from proliferating and migrating both in vitro and in vivo by dCasRx-SINEB2-targeted mRNA translation of transcripts encoding for antitumor proteins, including PTEN and P53. The present study provides an innovative protein enhancement method that will have several applications in biopharmaceuticals production and cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Cao
- Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China.,Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Aolin Li
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Chaojie Xu
- Department of Urology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Baorui Wu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230000, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Urology and Lithotripsy Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.,Peking University Applied Lithotripsy Institute, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China.,Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
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32
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Zhan Y, Cao C, Li A, Mei H, Liu Y. Enhanced RNA knockdown efficiency with engineered fusion guide RNAs that function with both CRISPR-CasRx and hammerhead ribozyme. Genome Biol 2023; 24:9. [PMID: 36650600 PMCID: PMC9843992 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02852-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CRISPR-Cas13 is a newly emerging RNA knockdown technology that is comparable to RNAi. Among all members of Cas13, CasRx degrades RNA in human cells with high precision and effectiveness. However, it remains unclear whether the efficiency of this technology can be further improved and applied to gene therapy. RESULTS In this study, we fuse CasRx crRNA with an antisense ribozyme to construct a synthetic fusion guide RNA that can interact with both CasRx protein and ribozyme and tested the ability of this approach in RNA knockdown and cancer gene therapy. We show that the CasRx-crRNA-ribozyme system (CCRS) is more efficient for RNA knockdown of mRNAs and non-coding RNAs than conventional methods, including CasRx, shRNA, and ribozyme. In particular, CCRS is more effective than wild-type CasRx when targeting multiple transcripts simultaneously. We next use bladder cancer as a model to evaluate the anticancer effects of CCRS targeting multiple genes in vitro and in vivo. CCRS shows a higher anticancer effect than conventional methods, consistent with the gene knockdown results. CONCLUSIONS Thus, our study demonstrates that CCRS expands the design ideas and RNA knockdown capabilities of Cas13 technology and has the potential to be used in disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghao Zhan
- grid.263488.30000 0001 0472 9649Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518035 China ,grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052 China
| | - Congcong Cao
- grid.263488.30000 0001 0472 9649Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518035 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| | - Aolin Li
- grid.263488.30000 0001 0472 9649Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518035 China ,grid.263488.30000 0001 0472 9649Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518035 China
| | - Hongbing Mei
- grid.263488.30000 0001 0472 9649Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518035 China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- grid.263488.30000 0001 0472 9649Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518035 China
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Levy S, Ruohola-Baker H. AI-driven designed protein epigenomics. CLINICAL RESEARCH IN ONCOLOGY 2023; 1:1-3. [PMID: 38037660 PMCID: PMC10686789 DOI: 10.46439/oncology.1.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The biological revolutions of computationally designed proteins, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and the CRISPR-Cas9 system finally enables modifications that can spur deep understanding of spatial requirement of epigenetic information. This commentary describes the utility of a computationally designed protein, EED Binder (EB), when fused to dCas9 (EBdCas9) for identifying critical sites of PRC2 dependent histone H3K27me3 marks in the chromatin. By using EBdCas9 and gRNA, PRC2 function can be inhibited at specific loci, resulting in precise reduction of EZH2 and H3K27me3 marks, and in some (but not all) locations, activation of the gene and functional outcomes (such as regulation of cell cycle or trophoblast transdifferentiation). Interestingly, a functional TATA box located more than 500bp upstream of a TBX18 TSS was found to be repressed by PRC2, supporting the theory that epigenetic regulators control the repression of transcriptional elements on the promoter region. The EBdCas9 technology may provide a useful tool for controlling gene regulation through epigenomic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiri Levy
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Hannele Ruohola-Baker
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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34
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Bashtrykov P, Rajaram N, Jeltsch A. Efficient Targeted DNA Methylation with dCas9-Coupled DNMT3A-DNMT3L Methyltransferase. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2577:177-188. [PMID: 36173573 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2724-2_12] [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] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Epigenome editing is a powerful approach for the establishment of a chromatin environment with desired properties at a selected genomic locus, which is used to influence the transcription of target genes and to study properties and functions of gene regulatory elements. Targeted DNA methylation is one of the most often used types of epigenome editing, which typically aims for gene silencing by methylation of gene promoters. Here, we describe the design principles of EpiEditors for targeted DNA methylation and provide step-by-step guidelines for the realization of this approach. We focus on the dCas9 protein as the state-of-the-art DNA targeting module fused to 10×SunTag as the most frequently used system for editing enhancement. Further, we discuss different flavors of DNA methyltransferase modules used for this purpose including the most specific variants developed recently. Finally, we explain the principles of gRNA selection, outline the setup of the cell culture experiments, and briefly introduce the available options for the downstream DNA methylation data analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Bashtrykov
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Nivethika Rajaram
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Albert Jeltsch
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
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35
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Ono H, Saito H. Sensing intracellular signatures with synthetic mRNAs. RNA Biol 2023; 20:588-602. [PMID: 37582192 PMCID: PMC10431736 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2023.2244791] [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] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The bottom-up assembly of biological components in synthetic biology has contributed to a better understanding of natural phenomena and the development of new technologies for practical applications. Over the past few decades, basic RNA research has unveiled the regulatory roles of RNAs underlying gene regulatory networks; while advances in RNA biology, in turn, have highlighted the potential of a wide variety of RNA elements as building blocks to construct artificial systems. In particular, synthetic mRNA-based translational regulators, which respond to signals in cells and regulate the production of encoded output proteins, are gaining attention with the recent rise of mRNA therapeutics. In this Review, we discuss recent progress in RNA synthetic biology, mainly focusing on emerging technologies for sensing intracellular protein and RNA molecules and controlling translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Ono
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Sakyo-Ku, Japan
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Sakyo-Ku, Japan
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36
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Hu LF, Li YX, Wang JZ, Zhao YT, Wang Y. Controlling CRISPR-Cas9 by guide RNA engineering. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1731. [PMID: 35393779 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system is a product of million years of evolution by microbes to fight against invading genetic materials. Around 10 years ago, scientists started to repurpose the CRISPR as genetic tools by molecular engineering approaches. The guide RNA provides a versatile and unique platform for the innovation to improve and expand the application of CRISPR-Cas9 system. In this review, we will first introduce the basic sequence and structure of guide RNA and its role during the function of CRISPR-Cas9. We will then summarize recent progress on the development of various guide RNA engineering strategies. These strategies have been dedicated to improve the performance of CRISPR-Cas9, to achieve precise spatiotemporal control of CRISPR-Cas9, and to broaden the application of CRISPR-Cas9. Finally, we will briefly discuss the uniqueness and advantage of guide RNA-engineering based systems versus those with engineered Cas9 proteins and speculate potential future directions in guide RNA engineering. This article is categorized under: RNA Methods > RNA Analyses In Vitro and In Silico RNA Methods > RNA Nanotechnology Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu-Feng Hu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Xuan Li
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Zhen Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Ting Zhao
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yangming Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Yang K, Zeng L, Ge A, Wang S, Zeng J, Yuan X, Mei Z, Wang G, Ge J. A systematic review of the research progress of non-coding RNA in neuroinflammation and immune regulation in cerebral infarction/ischemia-reperfusion injury. Front Immunol 2022; 13:930171. [PMID: 36275741 PMCID: PMC9585453 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.930171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral infarction/ischemia-reperfusion injury is currently the disease with the highest mortality and disability rate of cardiovascular disease. Current studies have shown that nerve cells die of ischemia several hours after ischemic stroke, which activates the innate immune response in the brain, promotes the production of neurotoxic substances such as inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, reactive oxygen species and − nitrogen oxide, and mediates the destruction of blood-brain barrier and the occurrence of a series of inflammatory cascade reactions. Meanwhile, the expression of adhesion molecules in cerebral vascular endothelial cells increased, and immune inflammatory cells such as polymorphonuclear neutrophils, lymphocytes and mononuclear macrophages passed through vascular endothelial cells and entered the brain tissue. These cells recognize antigens exposed by the central nervous system in the brain, activate adaptive immune responses, and further mediate secondary neuronal damage, aggravating neurological deficits. In order to reduce the above-mentioned damage, the body induces peripheral immunosuppressive responses through negative feedback, which increases the incidence of post-stroke infection. This process is accompanied by changes in the immune status of the ischemic brain tissue in local and systemic systems. A growing number of studies implicate noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) as novel epigenetic regulatory elements in the dysfunction of various cell subsets in the neurovascular unit after cerebral infarction/ischemia-reperfusion injury. In particular, recent studies have revealed advances in ncRNA biology that greatly expand the understanding of epigenetic regulation of immune responses and inflammation after cerebral infarction/ischemia-reperfusion injury. Identification of aberrant expression patterns and associated biological effects of ncRNAs in patients revealed their potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cerebral infarction/ischemia-reperfusion injury. Therefore, this review systematically presents recent studies on the involvement of ncRNAs in cerebral infarction/ischemia-reperfusion injury and neuroimmune inflammatory cascades, and elucidates the functions and mechanisms of cerebral infarction/ischemia-reperfusion-related ncRNAs, providing new opportunities for the discovery of disease biomarkers and targeted therapy. Furthermore, this review introduces clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Display as a possible transformative tool for studying lncRNAs. In the future, ncRNA is expected to be used as a target for diagnosing cerebral infarction/ischemia-reperfusion injury, judging its prognosis and treatment, thereby significantly improving the prognosis of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kailin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Liuting Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Anqi Ge
- The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Shanshan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Jinsong Zeng
- The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Xiao Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Zhigang Mei
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Guozuo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Jinwen Ge
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
- Hunan Academy of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Jinwen Ge,
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Panahi-Moghadam S, Hassani S, Farivar S, Vakhshiteh F. Emerging Role of Enhancer RNAs as Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers in Cancer. Noncoding RNA 2022; 8:ncrna8050066. [PMID: 36287118 PMCID: PMC9607539 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna8050066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are distal cis-acting elements that are commonly recognized to regulate gene expression via cooperation with promoters. Along with regulating gene expression, enhancers can be transcribed and generate a class of non-coding RNAs called enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). The current discovery of abundant tissue-specific transcription of enhancers in various diseases such as cancers raises questions about the potential role of eRNAs in disease diagnosis and therapy. This review aimed to demonstrate the current understanding of eRNAs in cancer research with a focus on the potential roles of eRNAs as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Panahi-Moghadam
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 1411713116, Iran
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 1983969411, Iran
| | - Shokoufeh Hassani
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1417614411, Iran
- Toxicology and Diseases Group, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center (PSRC), The Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (TIPS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran 1417614411, Iran
| | - Shirin Farivar
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 1983969411, Iran
| | - Faezeh Vakhshiteh
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran 1449614535, Iran
- Correspondence:
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39
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Pelea O, Fulga TA, Sauka-Spengler T. RNA-Responsive gRNAs for Controlling CRISPR Activity: Current Advances, Future Directions, and Potential Applications. CRISPR J 2022; 5:642-659. [PMID: 36206027 PMCID: PMC9618385 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2022.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 has emerged as a major genome manipulation tool. As Cas9 can cause off-target effects, several methods for controlling the expression of CRISPR systems were developed. Recent studies have shown that CRISPR activity could be controlled by sensing expression levels of endogenous transcripts. This is particularly interesting, as endogenous RNAs could harbor important information about the cell type, disease state, and environmental challenges cells are facing. Single-guide RNA (sgRNA) engineering played a major role in the development of RNA-responsive CRISPR systems. Following further optimizations, RNA-responsive sgRNAs could enable the development of novel therapeutic and research applications. This review introduces engineering strategies that could be employed to modify Streptococcus pyogenes sgRNAs with a focus on recent advances made toward the development of RNA-responsive sgRNAs. Future directions and potential applications of these technologies are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oana Pelea
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; and Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Tudor A. Fulga
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; and Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Tatjana Sauka-Spengler
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; and Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
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40
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Nair SJ, Suter T, Wang S, Yang L, Yang F, Rosenfeld MG. Transcriptional enhancers at 40: evolution of a viral DNA element to nuclear architectural structures. Trends Genet 2022; 38:1019-1047. [PMID: 35811173 PMCID: PMC9474616 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Gene regulation by transcriptional enhancers is the dominant mechanism driving cell type- and signal-specific transcriptional diversity in metazoans. However, over four decades since the original discovery, how enhancers operate in the nuclear space remains largely enigmatic. Recent multidisciplinary efforts combining real-time imaging, genome sequencing, and biophysical strategies provide insightful but conflicting models of enhancer-mediated gene control. Here, we review the discovery and progress in enhancer biology, emphasizing the recent findings that acutely activated enhancers assemble regulatory machinery as mesoscale architectural structures with distinct physical properties. These findings help formulate novel models that explain several mysterious features of the assembly of transcriptional enhancers and the mechanisms of spatial control of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreejith J Nair
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
| | - Tom Suter
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Susan Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Cellular and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Lu Yang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Feng Yang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Michael G Rosenfeld
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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41
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Qin G, Yang J, Zhao C, Ren J, Qu X. Manipulating complex chromatin folding via CRISPR-guided bioorthogonal chemistry. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2204725119. [PMID: 36037371 PMCID: PMC9457169 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2204725119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Precise manipulation of chromatin folding is important for understanding the relationship between the three-dimensional genome and nuclear function. Existing tools can reversibly establish individual chromatin loops but fail to manipulate two or more chromatin loops. Here, we engineer a powerful CRISPR system which can manipulate multiple chromatin contacts using bioorthogonal reactions, termed the bioorthogonal reaction-mediated programmable chromatin loop (BPCL) system. The multiinput BPCL system employs engineered single-guide RNAs recognized by discrete bioorthogonal adaptors to independently and dynamically control different chromatin loops formation without cross-talk in the same cell or to establish hubs of multiway chromatin contacts. We use the BPCL system to successfully juxtapose the pluripotency gene promoters to enhancers and activate their endogenous expression. BPCL enables us to independently engineer multiway chromatin contacts without cross-talk, which provides a way to precisely dissect the high complexity and dynamic nature of chromatin folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Changchun 130022, People’s Republic of China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Changchun 130022, People’s Republic of China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chuanqi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Changchun 130022, People’s Republic of China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinsong Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Changchun 130022, People’s Republic of China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaogang Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Changchun 130022, People’s Republic of China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of China
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42
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Pothoulakis G, Nguyen MTA, Andersen E. Utilizing RNA origami scaffolds in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for dCas9-mediated transcriptional control. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:7176-7187. [PMID: 35648481 PMCID: PMC9262615 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Designer RNA scaffolds constitute a promising tool for synthetic biology, as they can be genetically expressed to perform specific functions in vivo such as scaffolding enzymatic cascades and regulating gene expression through CRISPR-dCas9 applications. RNA origami is a recently developed RNA design approach that allows construction of large RNA nanostructures that can position aptamer motifs to spatially organize other molecules, including proteins. However, it is still not fully understood how positioning multiple aptamers on a scaffold and the orientation of a scaffold affects functional properties. Here, we investigate fusions of single-guide RNAs and RNA origami scaffolds (termed sgRNAO) capable of recruiting activating domains for control of gene expression in yeast. Using MS2 and PP7 as orthogonal protein-binding aptamers, we observe a gradual increase in transcriptional activation for up to four aptamers. We demonstrate that different aptamer positions on a scaffold and scaffold orientation affect transcriptional activation. Finally, sgRNAOs are used to regulate expression of enzymes of the violacein biosynthesis pathway to control metabolic flux. The integration of RNA origami nanostructures at promoter sites achieved here, can in the future be expanded by the addition of functional motifs such as riboswitches, ribozymes and sensor elements to allow for complex gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael T A Nguyen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Ebbe S Andersen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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43
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Emran TB, Shahriar A, Mahmud AR, Rahman T, Abir MH, Siddiquee MFR, Ahmed H, Rahman N, Nainu F, Wahyudin E, Mitra S, Dhama K, Habiballah MM, Haque S, Islam A, Hassan MM. Multidrug Resistance in Cancer: Understanding Molecular Mechanisms, Immunoprevention and Therapeutic Approaches. Front Oncol 2022; 12:891652. [PMID: 35814435 PMCID: PMC9262248 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.891652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 71.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Several treatments are available for cancer treatment, but many treatment methods are ineffective against multidrug-resistant cancer. Multidrug resistance (MDR) represents a major obstacle to effective therapeutic interventions against cancer. This review describes the known MDR mechanisms in cancer cells and discusses ongoing laboratory approaches and novel therapeutic strategies that aim to inhibit, circumvent, or reverse MDR development in various cancer types. In this review, we discuss both intrinsic and acquired drug resistance, in addition to highlighting hypoxia- and autophagy-mediated drug resistance mechanisms. Several factors, including individual genetic differences, such as mutations, altered epigenetics, enhanced drug efflux, cell death inhibition, and various other molecular and cellular mechanisms, are responsible for the development of resistance against anticancer agents. Drug resistance can also depend on cellular autophagic and hypoxic status. The expression of drug-resistant genes and the regulatory mechanisms that determine drug resistance are also discussed. Methods to circumvent MDR, including immunoprevention, the use of microparticles and nanomedicine might result in better strategies for fighting cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talha Bin Emran
- Department of Pharmacy, BGC Trust University Bangladesh, Chittagong, Bangladesh
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Asif Shahriar
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX, United States
| | - Aar Rafi Mahmud
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail, Bangladesh
| | - Tanjilur Rahman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Mehedy Hasan Abir
- Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | | | - Hossain Ahmed
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Nova Rahman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Firzan Nainu
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
| | - Elly Wahyudin
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
| | - Saikat Mitra
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kuldeep Dhama
- Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Mahmoud M Habiballah
- Medical Laboratory Technology Department, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
- SMIRES for Consultation in Specialized Medical Laboratories, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shafiul Haque
- Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
- Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey
| | | | - Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan
- Queensland Alliance for One Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia
- Department of Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, Bangladesh
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44
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Hou TY, Kraus WL. Analysis of estrogen-regulated enhancer RNAs identifies a functional motif required for enhancer assembly and gene expression. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110944. [PMID: 35705040 PMCID: PMC9246336 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
To better understand the functions of non-coding enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), we annotated the estrogen-regulated eRNA transcriptome in estrogen receptor α (ERα)-positive breast cancer cells using PRO-cap and RNA sequencing. We then cloned a subset of the eRNAs identified, fused them to single guide RNAs, and targeted them to their ERα enhancers of origin using CRISPR/dCas9. Some of the eRNAs tested modulated the expression of cognate, but not heterologous, target genes after estrogen treatment by increasing ERα recruitment and stimulating p300-catalyzed H3K27 acetylation at the enhancer. We identified a ∼40 nucleotide functional eRNA regulatory motif (FERM) present in many eRNAs that was necessary and sufficient to modulate gene expression, but not the specificity of activation, after estrogen treatment. The FERM interacted with BCAS2, an RNA-binding protein amplified in breast cancers. The ectopic expression of a targeted eRNA controlling the expression of an oncogene resulted in increased cell proliferation, demonstrating the regulatory potential of eRNAs in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Y Hou
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Division of Basic Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - W Lee Kraus
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Division of Basic Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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45
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Zhou M, Cao Y, Sui M, Shu X, Wan F, Zhang B. Dead Cas(t) light on new life: CRISPRa-mediated reprogramming of somatic cells into neurons. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:315. [PMID: 35610381 PMCID: PMC11073076 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04324-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Overexpression of exogenous lineage-specific transcription factors could directly induce terminally differentiated somatic cells into target cell types. However, the low conversion efficiency and the concern about introducing exogenous genes limit the clinical application. With the rapid progress in genome editing, the application of CRISPR/dCas9 has been expanding rapidly, including converting somatic cells into other types of cells in vivo and in vitro. Using the CRISPR/dCas9 system, direct neuronal reprogramming could be achieved by activating endogenous genes. Here, we will discuss the latest progress, new insights, and future challenges of the application of the dCas9 system in direct neuronal reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiling Zhou
- Wuhan Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Yu Cao
- Wuhan Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Ming Sui
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xiji Shu
- Wuhan Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Feng Wan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- The Institute for Brain Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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46
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Park H, Osman EA, Cromwell CR, St Laurent CD, Liu Y, Kitova EN, Klassen JS, Hubbard BP, Macauley MS, Gibbs JM. CRISPR-Click Enables Dual-Gene Editing with Modular Synthetic sgRNAs. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 33:858-868. [PMID: 35436106 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00106] [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: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Gene-editing systems such as CRISPR-Cas9 readily enable individual gene phenotypes to be studied through loss of function. However, in certain instances, gene compensation can obfuscate the results of these studies, necessitating the editing of multiple genes to properly identify biological pathways and protein function. Performing multiple genetic modifications in cells remains difficult due to the requirement for multiple rounds of gene editing. While fluorescently labeled guide RNAs (gRNAs) are routinely used in laboratories for targeting CRISPR-Cas9 to disrupt individual loci, technical limitations in single gRNA (sgRNA) synthesis hinder the expansion of this approach to multicolor cell sorting. Here, we describe a modular strategy for synthesizing sgRNAs where each target sequence is conjugated to a unique fluorescent label, which enables fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to isolate cells that incorporate the desired combination of gene-editing constructs. We demonstrate that three short strands of RNA functionalized with strategically placed 5'-azide and 3'-alkyne terminal deoxyribonucleotides can be assembled in a one-step, template-assisted, copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition to generate fully functional, fluorophore-modified sgRNAs. Using these synthetic sgRNAs in combination with FACS, we achieved selective cleavage of two targeted genes, either separately as a single-color experiment or in combination as a dual-color experiment. These data indicate that our strategy for generating double-clicked sgRNA allows for Cas9 activity in cells. By minimizing the size of each RNA fragment to 41 nucleotides or less, this strategy is well suited for custom, scalable synthesis of sgRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hansol Park
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Eiman A Osman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | | | - Chris D St Laurent
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Yuning Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Elena N Kitova
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - John S Klassen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Basil P Hubbard
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Matthew S Macauley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R7, Canada
| | - Julianne M Gibbs
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
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47
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Lewis MW, Wisniewska K, King CM, Li S, Coffey A, Kelly MR, Regner MJ, Franco HL. Enhancer RNA Transcription Is Essential for a Novel CSF1 Enhancer in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:1852. [PMID: 35406623 PMCID: PMC8997997 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are critical regulatory elements in the genome that help orchestrate spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression during development and normal physiology. In cancer, enhancers are often rewired by various genetic and epigenetic mechanisms for the activation of oncogenes that lead to initiation and progression. A key feature of active enhancers is the production of non-coding RNA molecules called enhancer RNAs, whose functions remain unknown but can be used to specify active enhancers de novo. Using a combination of eRNA transcription and chromatin modifications, we have identified a novel enhancer located 30 kb upstream of Colony Stimulating Factor 1 (CSF1). Notably, CSF1 is implicated in the progression of breast cancer, is overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines, and its enhancer is primarily active in TNBC patient tumors. Genomic deletion of the enhancer (via CRISPR/Cas9) enabled us to validate this regulatory element as a bona fide enhancer of CSF1 and subsequent cell-based assays revealed profound effects on cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration. Epigenetic silencing of the enhancer via CRISPR-interference assays (dCas9-KRAB) coupled to RNA-sequencing, enabled unbiased identification of additional target genes, such as RSAD2, that are predictive of clinical outcome. Additionally, we repurposed the RNA-guided RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13 machinery to specifically degrade the eRNAs transcripts produced at this enhancer to determine the consequences on CSF1 mRNA expression, suggesting a post-transcriptional role for these non-coding transcripts. Finally, we test our eRNA-dependent model of CSF1 enhancer function and demonstrate that our results are extensible to other forms of cancer. Collectively, this work describes a novel enhancer that is active in the TNBC subtype, which is associated with cellular growth, and requires eRNA transcripts for proper enhancer function. These results demonstrate the significant impact of enhancers in cancer biology and highlight their potential as tractable targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W. Lewis
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Kamila Wisniewska
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Caitlin M. King
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Shen Li
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Alisha Coffey
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Michael R. Kelly
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Matthew J. Regner
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hector L. Franco
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- The Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Zhan Y, Li A, Cao C, Liu Y. CRISPR signal conductor 2.0 for redirecting cellular information flow. Cell Discov 2022; 8:26. [PMID: 35288535 PMCID: PMC8921274 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-021-00371-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A key challenge in designing intelligent artificial gene circuits is generating flexible connections between arbitrary components and directly coupling them with endogenous signaling pathways. The CRISPR signal conductor based on conditionally inducible artificial transcriptional regulators can link classic cellular protein signals with targeted gene expression, but there are still problems with multiple signal processing and gene delivery. With the discovery and characterization of new Cas systems and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) functional motifs, and because of the compatibility of guide RNA with noncoding RNA elements at multiple sites, it is increasingly possible to solve these problems. In this study, we developed CRISPR signal conductor version 2.0 by integrating various lncRNA functional motifs into different parts of the crRNA in the CRISPR-dCasΦ system. This system can directly regulate the expression of target genes by recruiting cellular endogenous transcription factors and efficiently sense a variety of protein signals that are not detected by a classical synthetic system. The new system solved the problems of background leakage and insensitive signaling responses and enabled the construction of logic gates with as many as six input signals, which can be used to specifically target cancer cells. By rewiring endogenous signaling networks, we further demonstrated the effectiveness and biosafety of this system for in vivo cancer gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghao Zhan
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Aolin Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Congcong Cao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. .,Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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49
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Levy S, Somasundaram L, Raj IX, Ic-Mex D, Phal A, Schmidt S, Ng WI, Mar D, Decarreau J, Moss N, Alghadeer A, Honkanen H, Sarthy J, Vitanza N, Hawkins RD, Mathieu J, Wang Y, Baker D, Bomsztyk K, Ruohola-Baker H. dCas9 fusion to computer-designed PRC2 inhibitor reveals functional TATA box in distal promoter region. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110457. [PMID: 35235780 PMCID: PMC8984963 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bifurcation of cellular fates, a critical process in development, requires histone 3 lysine 27 methylation (H3K27me3) marks propagated by the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). However, precise chromatin loci of functional H3K27me3 marks are not yet known. Here, we identify critical PRC2 functional sites at high resolution. We fused a computationally designed protein, EED binder (EB), which competes with EZH2 and thereby inhibits PRC2 function, to dCas9 (EBdCas9) to allow for PRC2 inhibition at a precise locus using gRNA. Targeting EBdCas9 to four different genes (TBX18, p16, CDX2, and GATA3) results in precise H3K27me3 and EZH2 reduction, gene activation, and functional outcomes in the cell cycle (p16) or trophoblast transdifferentiation (CDX2 and GATA3). In the case of TBX18, we identify a PRC2-controlled, functional TATA box >500 bp upstream of the TBX18 transcription start site (TSS) using EBdCas9. Deletion of this TATA box eliminates EBdCas9-dependent TATA binding protein (TBP) recruitment and transcriptional activation. EBdCas9 technology may provide a broadly applicable tool for epigenomic control of gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiri Levy
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Logeshwaran Somasundaram
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Infencia Xavier Raj
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Diego Ic-Mex
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ashish Phal
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Sven Schmidt
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Weng I Ng
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Daniel Mar
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Justin Decarreau
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Nicholas Moss
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ammar Alghadeer
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Oral Health Sciences, University of Washington, School of Dentistry, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Biomedical Dental Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, College of Dentistry, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Henrik Honkanen
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jay Sarthy
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Cancer and Blood Disorder Center, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Nicholas Vitanza
- The Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA; Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - R David Hawkins
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Julie Mathieu
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Yuliang Wang
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - David Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Karol Bomsztyk
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Hannele Ruohola-Baker
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Oral Health Sciences, University of Washington, School of Dentistry, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
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50
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Marx N, Eisenhut P, Weinguny M, Klanert G, Borth N. How to train your cell - Towards controlling phenotypes by harnessing the epigenome of Chinese hamster ovary production cell lines. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 56:107924. [PMID: 35149147 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in omics technologies and the broad availability of big datasets have revolutionized our understanding of Chinese hamster ovary cells in their role as the most prevalent host for production of complex biopharmaceuticals. In consequence, our perception of this "workhorse of the biopharmaceutical industry" has successively shifted from that of a nicely working, but unknown recombinant protein producing black box to a biological system governed by multiple complex regulatory layers that might possibly be harnessed and manipulated at will. Despite the tremendous progress that has been made to characterize CHO cells on various omics levels, our understanding is still far from complete. The well-known inherent genetic plasticity of any immortalized and rapidly dividing cell line also characterizes CHO cells and can lead to problematic instability of recombinant protein production. While the high mutational frequency has been a focus of CHO cell research for decades, the impact of epigenetics and its role in differential gene expression has only recently been addressed. In this review we provide an overview about the current understanding of epigenetic regulation in CHO cells and discuss its significance for shaping the cell's phenotype. We also look into current state-of-the-art technology that can be applied to harness and manipulate the epigenetic network so as to nudge CHO cells towards a specific phenotype. Here, we revise current strategies on site-directed integration and random as well as targeted epigenome modifications. Finally, we address open questions that need to be investigated to exploit the full repertoire of fine-tuned control of multiplexed gene expression using epigenetic and systems biology tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Marx
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Eisenhut
- Austrian Centre for Industrial Biotechnology GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marcus Weinguny
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria; Austrian Centre for Industrial Biotechnology GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerald Klanert
- Austrian Centre for Industrial Biotechnology GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nicole Borth
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria; Austrian Centre for Industrial Biotechnology GmbH, Vienna, Austria.
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