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Genna V, Reyes-Fraile L, Iglesias-Fernandez J, Orozco M. Nucleic acids in modern molecular therapies: A realm of opportunities for strategic drug design. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 87:102838. [PMID: 38759298 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102838] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
RNA vaccines have made evident to society what was already known by the scientific community: nucleic acids will be the "drugs of the future." By modifying the genome, interfering in transcription or translation, and by introducing new catalysts into the cell or by mimicking antibody effects, nucleic acids can generate therapeutic activities that are not accessible by any other therapeutic agents. There are, however, challenges that need to be solved in the next few years to make nucleic acids usable in a wide range of therapeutic scenarios. This review illustrates how simulation methods can help achieve this goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vito Genna
- NBD|Nostrum Biodiscovery, Josep Tarradellas 8-10, Barcelona 08019, Spain. https://twitter.com/_VitoGenna_
| | - Laura Reyes-Fraile
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, Barcelona 08028, Spain; Sixfold Bioscience Ltd, Translational & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Ln, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
| | | | - Modesto Orozco
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, Barcelona 08028, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
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2
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Horvath A, Janapala Y, Woodward K, Mahmud S, Cleynen A, Gardiner E, Hannan R, Eyras E, Preiss T, Shirokikh N. Comprehensive translational profiling and STE AI uncover rapid control of protein biosynthesis during cell stress. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:7925-7946. [PMID: 38721779 PMCID: PMC11260467 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae365] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Translational control is important in all life, but it remains a challenge to accurately quantify. When ribosomes translate messenger (m)RNA into proteins, they attach to the mRNA in series, forming poly(ribo)somes, and can co-localize. Here, we computationally model new types of co-localized ribosomal complexes on mRNA and identify them using enhanced translation complex profile sequencing (eTCP-seq) based on rapid in vivo crosslinking. We detect long disome footprints outside regions of non-random elongation stalls and show these are linked to translation initiation and protein biosynthesis rates. We subject footprints of disomes and other translation complexes to artificial intelligence (AI) analysis and construct a new, accurate and self-normalized measure of translation, termed stochastic translation efficiency (STE). We then apply STE to investigate rapid changes to mRNA translation in yeast undergoing glucose depletion. Importantly, we show that, well beyond tagging elongation stalls, footprints of co-localized ribosomes provide rich insight into translational mechanisms, polysome dynamics and topology. STE AI ranks cellular mRNAs by absolute translation rates under given conditions, can assist in identifying its control elements and will facilitate the development of next-generation synthetic biology designs and mRNA-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila Horvath
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Yoshika Janapala
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Katrina Woodward
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Shafi Mahmud
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Alice Cleynen
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
- Institut Montpelliérain Alexander Grothendieck, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Elizabeth E Gardiner
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The National Platelet Research and Referral Centre, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Ross D Hannan
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia 4067, Australia
| | - Eduardo Eyras
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The Centre for Computational Biomedical Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
- EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network at the Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Thomas Preiss
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Nikolay E Shirokikh
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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3
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Guasp P, Reiche C, Sethna Z, Balachandran VP. RNA vaccines for cancer: Principles to practice. Cancer Cell 2024; 42:1163-1184. [PMID: 38848720 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2024.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Vaccines are the most impactful medicines to improve health. Though potent against pathogens, vaccines for cancer remain an unfulfilled promise. However, recent advances in RNA technology coupled with scientific and clinical breakthroughs have spurred rapid discovery and potent delivery of tumor antigens at speed and scale, transforming cancer vaccines into a tantalizing prospect. Yet, despite being at a pivotal juncture, with several randomized clinical trials maturing in upcoming years, several critical questions remain: which antigens, tumors, platforms, and hosts can trigger potent immunity with clinical impact? Here, we address these questions with a principled framework of cancer vaccination from antigen detection to delivery. With this framework, we outline features of emergent RNA technology that enable rapid, robust, real-time vaccination with somatic mutation-derived neoantigens-an emerging "ideal" antigen class-and highlight latent features that have sparked the belief that RNA could realize the enduring vision for vaccines against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Guasp
- Immuno-Oncology Service, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charlotte Reiche
- Immuno-Oncology Service, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zachary Sethna
- Immuno-Oncology Service, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vinod P Balachandran
- Immuno-Oncology Service, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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4
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Yang CH, Li HC, Lo SY. Enhancing recombinant antibody yield in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Tzu Chi Med J 2024; 36:240-250. [PMID: 38993821 PMCID: PMC11236083 DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_315_23] [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: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
A range of recombinant monoclonal antibodies (rMAbs) have found application in treating diverse diseases, spanning various cancers and immune system disorders. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells have emerged as the predominant choice for producing these rMAbs due to their robustness, ease of transfection, and capacity for posttranslational modifications akin to those in human cells. Transient transfection and/or stable expression could be conducted to express rMAbs in CHO cells. To bolster the yield of rMAbs in CHO cells, a multitude of approaches have been developed, encompassing vector optimization, medium formulation, cultivation parameters, and cell engineering. This review succinctly outlines these methodologies when also addressing challenges encountered in the production process, such as issues with aggregation and fucosylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chee-Hing Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Chun Li
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Yen Lo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical, Hualien, Taiwan
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5
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Castillo-Hair S, Fedak S, Wang B, Linder J, Havens K, Certo M, Seelig G. Optimizing 5'UTRs for mRNA-delivered gene editing using deep learning. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5284. [PMID: 38902240 PMCID: PMC11189900 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49508-2] [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: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
mRNA therapeutics are revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry, but methods to optimize the primary sequence for increased expression are still lacking. Here, we design 5'UTRs for efficient mRNA translation using deep learning. We perform polysome profiling of fully or partially randomized 5'UTR libraries in three cell types and find that UTR performance is highly correlated across cell types. We train models on our datasets and use them to guide the design of high-performing 5'UTRs using gradient descent and generative neural networks. We experimentally test designed 5'UTRs with mRNA encoding megaTALTM gene editing enzymes for two different gene targets and in two different cell lines. We find that the designed 5'UTRs support strong gene editing activity. Editing efficiency is correlated between cell types and gene targets, although the best performing UTR was specific to one cargo and cell type. Our results highlight the potential of model-based sequence design for mRNA therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Castillo-Hair
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- eScience Institute, University of Washington, WA, Seattle, USA
| | | | - Ban Wang
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Johannes Linder
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Georg Seelig
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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6
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Švajger U, Kamenšek U. Interleukins and interferons in mesenchymal stromal stem cell-based gene therapy of cancer. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2024; 77:76-90. [PMID: 38508954 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2024.03.002] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment is importantly shaped by various cytokines, where interleukins (ILs) and interferons (IFNs) shape the balance of immune activity within tumor niche and associated lymphoid organs. Their importance in activation and tuning of both innate and adaptive immune responses prompted their use in several clinical trials, albeit with limited therapeutic efficacy and risk of toxicity due to systemic administration. Increasing preclinical evidence suggests that local delivery of ILs and IFNs could significantly increase their effectiveness, while simultaneously attenuate the known side effects and issues related to their biological activity. A prominent way to achieve this is to use cell-based delivery vehicles. For this purpose, mesenchymal stromal stem cells (MSCs) are considered an almost ideal candidate. Namely, MSCs can be obtained in large quantities and from obtainable sources (e.g. umbilical cord or adipose tissue), their ex vivo expansion is relatively straightforward compared to other cell types and they possess very low immunogenicity making them suitable for allogeneic use. Importantly, MSCs have shown an intrinsic capacity to respond to tumor-directed chemotaxis. This review provides a focused and detailed discussion on MSC-based gene therapy using ILs and IFNs, engineering techniques and insights on potential future advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urban Švajger
- Slovenian Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Department for Therapeutic Services, Šlajmerjeva Ulica 6, Ljubljana SI-1000, Slovenia; Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva Cesta 7, Ljubljana SI-1000, Slovenia.
| | - Urška Kamenšek
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška Cesta 2, Ljubljana SI-1000, Slovenia; Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva Ulica 101, Ljubljana SI-1000, Slovenia
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7
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Chakarborty S, Irshad IU, Mahima, Sharma AK. TIR predictor and optimizer: Web-tools for accurate prediction of translation initiation rate and precision gene design in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2400081. [PMID: 38719586 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202400081] [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: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Translation initiation is the primary determinant of the rate of protein production. The variation in the rate with which this step occurs can cause up to three orders of magnitude differences in cellular protein levels. Several mRNA features, including mRNA stability in proximity to the start codon, coding sequence length, and presence of specific motifs in the mRNA molecule, have been shown to influence the translation initiation rate. These molecular factors acting at different strengths allow precise control of in vivo translation initiation rate and thus the rate of protein synthesis. However, despite the paramount importance of translation initiation rate in protein synthesis, accurate prediction of the absolute values of initiation rate remains a challenge. In fact, as of now, there is no available model for predicting the initiation rate in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To address this, we train a machine learning model for predicting the in vivo initiation rate in S. cerevisiae transcripts. The model is trained using a diverse set of mRNA transcripts, enabling the comparison of initiation rates across different transcripts. Our model exhibited excellent accuracy in predicting the translation initiation rate and demonstrated its effectiveness with both endogenous and exogenous transcripts. Then, by combining the machine learning model with the Monte-Carlo search algorithm, we have also devised a method to optimize the nucleotide sequence of any gene to achieve a specific target initiation rate. The machine learning model we've developed for predicting translation initiation rates, along with the gene optimization method, are deployed as a web server. Both web servers are accessible for free at the following link: ajeetsharmalab.com/TIRPredictor. Thus, this research advances our fundamental understanding of translation initiation processes, with direct applications in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mahima
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu, India
| | - Ajeet K Sharma
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu, India
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu, India
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8
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Park S, Kim M, Lee JW. Optimizing Nucleic Acid Delivery Systems through Barcode Technology. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1006-1018. [PMID: 38526308 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00602] [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: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Conventional biological experiments often focus on in vitro assays because of the inherent limitations when handling multiple variables in vivo, including labor-intensive and time-consuming procedures. Often only a subset of samples demonstrating significant efficacy in the in vitro assays can be evaluated in vivo. Nonetheless, because of the low correlation between the in vitro and in vivo tests, evaluation of the variables under examination in vivo and not solely in vitro is critical. An emerging approach to achieve high-throughput in vivo tests involves using a barcode system consisting of various nucleotide combinations. Unique barcodes for each variant enable the simultaneous testing of multiple entities, eliminating the need for separate individual tests. Subsequently, to identify crucial parameters, samples were collected and analyzed using barcode sequencing. This review explores the development of barcode design and its applications, including the evaluation of nucleic acid delivery systems and the optimization of gene expression in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soan Park
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 CheongamRo, Gyeongbuk, 37673 NamGu, Pohang, Republic of Korea
| | - Mibang Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 CheongamRo, Gyeongbuk, 37673 NamGu, Pohang, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Wook Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 CheongamRo, Gyeongbuk, 37673 NamGu, Pohang, Republic of Korea
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 CheongamRo, Gyeongbuk, 37673 NamGu, Pohang, Republic of Korea
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9
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Chu Y, Yu D, Li Y, Huang K, Shen Y, Cong L, Zhang J, Wang M. A 5' UTR Language Model for Decoding Untranslated Regions of mRNA and Function Predictions. NAT MACH INTELL 2024; 6:449-460. [PMID: 38855263 PMCID: PMC11155392 DOI: 10.1038/s42256-024-00823-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The 5' UTR, a regulatory region at the beginning of an mRNA molecule, plays a crucial role in regulating the translation process and impacts the protein expression level. Language models have showcased their effectiveness in decoding the functions of protein and genome sequences. Here, we introduced a language model for 5' UTR, which we refer to as the UTR-LM. The UTR-LM is pre-trained on endogenous 5' UTRs from multiple species and is further augmented with supervised information including secondary structure and minimum free energy. We fine-tuned the UTR-LM in a variety of downstream tasks. The model outperformed the best known benchmark by up to 5% for predicting the Mean Ribosome Loading, and by up to 8% for predicting the Translation Efficiency and the mRNA Expression Level. The model also applies to identifying unannotated Internal Ribosome Entry Sites within the untranslated region and improves the AUPR from 0.37 to 0.52 compared to the best baseline. Further, we designed a library of 211 novel 5' UTRs with high predicted values of translation efficiency and evaluated them via a wet-lab assay. Experiment results confirmed that our top designs achieved a 32.5% increase in protein production level relative to well-established 5' UTR optimized for therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyi Chu
- Center for Statistics and Machine Learning and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Dan Yu
- RVAC Medicines, Waltham, MA 02451, USA
| | - Yupeng Li
- RVAC Medicines, Waltham, MA 02451, USA
| | - Kaixuan Huang
- Center for Statistics and Machine Learning and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Yue Shen
- RVAC Medicines, Waltham, MA 02451, USA
| | - Le Cong
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Mengdi Wang
- Center for Statistics and Machine Learning and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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10
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Tang X, Huo M, Chen Y, Huang H, Qin S, Luo J, Qin Z, Jiang X, Liu Y, Duan X, Wang R, Chen L, Li H, Fan N, He Z, He X, Shen B, Li SC, Song X. A novel deep generative model for mRNA vaccine development: Designing 5' UTRs with N1-methyl-pseudouridine modification. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:1814-1826. [PMID: 38572113 PMCID: PMC10985129 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.11.003] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient translation mediated by the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) is essential for the robust efficacy of mRNA vaccines. However, the N1-methyl-pseudouridine (m1Ψ) modification of mRNA can impact the translation efficiency of the 5' UTR. We discovered that the optimal 5' UTR for m1Ψ-modified mRNA (m1Ψ-5' UTR) differs significantly from its unmodified counterpart, highlighting the need for a specialized tool for designing m1Ψ-5' UTRs rather than directly utilizing high-expression endogenous gene 5' UTRs. In response, we developed a novel machine learning-based tool, Smart5UTR, which employs a deep generative model to identify superior m1Ψ-5' UTRs in silico. The tailored loss function and network architecture enable Smart5UTR to overcome limitations inherent in existing models. As a result, Smart5UTR can successfully design superior 5' UTRs, greatly benefiting mRNA vaccine development. Notably, Smart5UTR-designed superior 5' UTRs significantly enhanced antibody titers induced by COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against the Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, surpassing the performance of vaccines using high-expression endogenous gene 5' UTRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshan Tang
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Miaozhe Huo
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 99907, China
| | - Yuting Chen
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Hai Huang
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Shugang Qin
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Jiaqi Luo
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 99907, China
| | - Zeyi Qin
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Boston, MA 02453, USA
| | - Xin Jiang
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Yongmei Liu
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Xing Duan
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Ruohan Wang
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 99907, China
| | - Lingxi Chen
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 99907, China
| | - Hao Li
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Na Fan
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Zhongshan He
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Xi He
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Bairong Shen
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Shuai Cheng Li
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 99907, China
| | - Xiangrong Song
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
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11
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Liu X, Lian M, Zhao M, Huang M. Advances in recombinant protease production: current state and perspectives. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:144. [PMID: 38532149 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03957-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Proteases, enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in proteins, are important in the food industry, biotechnology, and medical fields. With increasing demand for proteases, there is a growing emphasis on enhancing their expression and production through microbial systems. However, proteases' native hosts often fall short in high-level expression and compatibility with downstream applications. As a result, the recombinant production of proteases has become a significant focus, offering a solution to these challenges. This review presents an overview of the current state of protease production in prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems, highlighting key findings and trends. In prokaryotic systems, the Bacillus spp. is the predominant host for proteinase expression. Yeasts are commonly used in eukaryotic systems. Recent advancements in protease engineering over the past five years, including rational design and directed evolution, are also highlighted. By exploring the progress in both expression systems and engineering techniques, this review provides a detailed understanding of the current landscape of recombinant protease research and its prospects for future advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiufang Liu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, China
- Guangdong Food Green Processing and Nutrition Regulation Technologies Research Center, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Mulin Lian
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, China
- Guangdong Food Green Processing and Nutrition Regulation Technologies Research Center, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Mouming Zhao
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, China
- Guangdong Food Green Processing and Nutrition Regulation Technologies Research Center, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Mingtao Huang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, China.
- Guangdong Food Green Processing and Nutrition Regulation Technologies Research Center, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
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12
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Kim YA, Mousavi K, Yazdi A, Zwierzyna M, Cardinali M, Fox D, Peel T, Coller J, Aggarwal K, Maruggi G. Computational design of mRNA vaccines. Vaccine 2024; 42:1831-1840. [PMID: 37479613 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.07.024] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
mRNA technology has emerged as a successful vaccine platform that offered a swift response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Accumulating evidence shows that vaccine efficacy, thermostability, and other important properties, are largely impacted by intrinsic properties of the mRNA molecule, such as RNA sequence and structure, both of which can be optimized. Designing mRNA sequence for vaccines presents a combinatorial problem due to an extremely large selection space. For instance, due to the degeneracy of the genetic code, there are over 10632 possible mRNA sequences that could encode the spike protein, the COVID-19 vaccines' target. Moreover, designing different elements of the mRNA sequence simultaneously against multiple objectives such as translational efficiency, reduced reactogenicity, and improved stability requires an efficient and sophisticated optimization strategy. Recently, there has been a growing interest in utilizing computational tools to redesign mRNA sequences to improve vaccine characteristics and expedite discovery timelines. In this review, we explore important biophysical features of mRNA to be considered for vaccine design and discuss how computational approaches can be applied to rapidly design mRNA sequences with desirable characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jeff Coller
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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13
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Reis-Claro I, Silva MI, Moutinho A, Garcia BC, Pereira-Castro I, Moreira A. Application of the iPLUS non-coding sequence in improving biopharmaceuticals production. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1355957. [PMID: 38380261 PMCID: PMC10876878 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1355957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The biotechnological landscape has witnessed significant growth in biological therapeutics particularly in the field of recombinant protein production. Here we investigate the function of 3'UTR cis-regulatory elements in increasing mRNA and protein levels in different biological therapeutics and model systems, spanning from monoclonal antibodies to mRNA vaccines. We explore the regulatory function of iPLUS - a universal sequence capable of consistently augmenting recombinant protein levels. By incorporating iPLUS in a vector to express a monoclonal antibody used in immunotherapy, in a mammalian cell line used by the industry (ExpiCHO), trastuzumab production increases by 2-fold. As yeast Pichia pastoris is widely used in the manufacture of industrial enzymes and pharmaceuticals, we then used iPLUS in tandem (3x) and iPLUSv2 (a variant of iPLUS) to provide proof-of-concept data that it increases the production of a reporter protein more than 100-fold. As iPLUS functions by also increasing mRNA levels, we hypothesize that these sequences could be used as an asset in the mRNA vaccine industry. In fact, by including iPLUSv2 downstream of Spike we were able to double its production. Moreover, the same effect was observed when we introduced iPLUSv2 downstream of MAGEC2, a tumor-specific antigen tested for cancer mRNA vaccines. Taken together, our study provides data (TLR4) showing that iPLUS may be used as a valuable asset in a variety of systems used by the biotech and biopharmaceutical industry. Our results underscore the critical role of non-coding sequences in controlling gene expression, offering a promising avenue to accelerate, enhance, and cost-effectively optimize biopharmaceutical production processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Reis-Claro
- Gene Regulation, i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Inês Silva
- Gene Regulation, i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Moutinho
- Gene Regulation, i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Beatriz C. Garcia
- Gene Regulation, i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel Pereira-Castro
- Gene Regulation, i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Moreira
- Gene Regulation, i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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14
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Cooper SE, Coelho MA, Strauss ME, Gontarczyk AM, Wu Q, Garnett MJ, Marioni JC, Bassett AR. scSNV-seq: high-throughput phenotyping of single nucleotide variants by coupled single-cell genotyping and transcriptomics. Genome Biol 2024; 25:20. [PMID: 38225637 PMCID: PMC10789043 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03169-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
CRISPR screens with single-cell transcriptomic readouts are a valuable tool to understand the effect of genetic perturbations including single nucleotide variants (SNVs) associated with diseases. Interpretation of these data is currently limited as genotypes cannot be accurately inferred from guide RNA identity alone. scSNV-seq overcomes this limitation by coupling single-cell genotyping and transcriptomics of the same cells enabling accurate and high-throughput screening of SNVs. Analysis of variants across the JAK1 gene with scSNV-seq demonstrates the importance of determining the precise genetic perturbation and accurately classifies clinically observed missense variants into three functional categories: benign, loss of function, and separation of function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Cooper
- Cellular and Gene Editing Research, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Matthew A Coelho
- Translational Cancer Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Magdalena E Strauss
- EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Aleksander M Gontarczyk
- Cellular and Gene Editing Research, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Qianxin Wu
- Cellular and Gene Editing Research, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Mathew J Garnett
- Translational Cancer Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - John C Marioni
- EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
- Cellular Genetics, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
- Present Address: Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew R Bassett
- Cellular and Gene Editing Research, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK.
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15
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Reshetnikov V, Terenin I, Shepelkova G, Yeremeev V, Kolmykov S, Nagornykh M, Kolosova E, Sokolova T, Zaborova O, Kukushkin I, Kazakova A, Kunyk D, Kirshina A, Vasileva O, Seregina K, Pateev I, Kolpakov F, Ivanov R. Untranslated Region Sequences and the Efficacy of mRNA Vaccines against Tuberculosis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:888. [PMID: 38255961 PMCID: PMC10815675 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020888] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
mRNA vaccines have been shown to be effective in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The amount of research on the use of mRNAs as preventive and therapeutic modalities has undergone explosive growth in the last few years. Nonetheless, the issue of the stability of mRNA molecules and their translation efficiency remains incompletely resolved. These characteristics of mRNA directly affect the expression level of a desired protein. Regulatory elements of RNA-5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs)-are responsible for translation efficiency. An optimal combination of the regulatory sequences allows mRNA to significantly increase the target protein's expression. We assessed the translation efficiency of mRNA encoding of firefly luciferase with various 5' and 3'UTRs in vitro on cell lines DC2.4 and THP1. We found that mRNAs containing 5'UTR sequences from eukaryotic genes HBB, HSPA1A, Rabb, or H4C2, or from the adenoviral leader sequence TPL, resulted in higher levels of luciferase bioluminescence 4 h after transfection of DC2.4 cells as compared with 5'UTR sequences used in vaccines mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 from Moderna and BioNTech. mRNA containing TPL as the 5'UTR also showed higher efficiency (as compared with the 5'UTR from Moderna) at generating a T-cell response in mice immunized with mRNA vaccines encoding a multiepitope antigen. By contrast, no effects of various 5'UTRs and 3'UTRs were detectable in THP1 cells, suggesting that the observed effects are cell type specific. Further analyses enabled us to identify potential cell type-specific RNA-binding proteins that differ in landing sites within mRNAs with various 5'UTRs and 3'UTRs. Taken together, our data indicate high translation efficiency of TPL as a 5'UTR, according to experiments on DC2.4 cells and C57BL/6 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliy Reshetnikov
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Ilya Terenin
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Semyon Kolmykov
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Maxim Nagornykh
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Elena Kolosova
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Tatiana Sokolova
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Olga Zaborova
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Ivan Kukushkin
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Alisa Kazakova
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Dmitry Kunyk
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Anna Kirshina
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Olga Vasileva
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Kristina Seregina
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Ildus Pateev
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Fedor Kolpakov
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Roman Ivanov
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
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16
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Zeng J, Song K, Wang J, Wen H, Zhou J, Ni T, Lu H, Yu Y. Characterization and optimization of 5´ untranslated region containing poly-adenine tracts in Kluyveromyces marxianus using machine-learning model. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:7. [PMID: 38172836 PMCID: PMC10763412 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02271-3] [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: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 5´ untranslated region (5´ UTR) plays a key role in regulating translation efficiency and mRNA stability, making it a favored target in genetic engineering and synthetic biology. A common feature found in the 5´ UTR is the poly-adenine (poly(A)) tract. However, the effect of 5´ UTR poly(A) on protein production remains controversial. Machine-learning models are powerful tools for explaining the complex contributions of features, but models incorporating features of 5´ UTR poly(A) are currently lacking. Thus, our goal is to construct such a model, using natural 5´ UTRs from Kluyveromyces marxianus, a promising cell factory for producing heterologous proteins. RESULTS We constructed a mini-library consisting of 207 5´ UTRs harboring poly(A) and 34 5´ UTRs without poly(A) from K. marxianus. The effects of each 5´ UTR on the production of a GFP reporter were evaluated individually in vivo, and the resulting protein abundance spanned an approximately 450-fold range throughout. The data were used to train a multi-layer perceptron neural network (MLP-NN) model that incorporated the length and position of poly(A) as features. The model exhibited good performance in predicting protein abundance (average R2 = 0.7290). The model suggests that the length of poly(A) is negatively correlated with protein production, whereas poly(A) located between 10 and 30 nt upstream of the start codon (AUG) exhibits a weak positive effect on protein abundance. Using the model as guidance, the deletion or reduction of poly(A) upstream of 30 nt preceding AUG tended to improve the production of GFP and a feruloyl esterase. Deletions of poly(A) showed inconsistent effects on mRNA levels, suggesting that poly(A) represses protein production either with or without reducing mRNA levels. CONCLUSION The effects of poly(A) on protein production depend on its length and position. Integrating poly(A) features into machine-learning models improves simulation accuracy. Deleting or reducing poly(A) upstream of 30 nt preceding AUG tends to enhance protein production. This optimization strategy can be applied to enhance the yield of K. marxianus and other microbial cell factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyuan Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Kunfeng Song
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Jingqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Haimei Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Jungang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Ting Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Hong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Yao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, 200438, China.
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17
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Ye Z, Bonam SR, McKay LGA, Plante JA, Walker J, Zhao Y, Huang C, Chen J, Xu C, Li Y, Liu L, Harmon J, Gao S, Song D, Zhang Z, Plante KS, Griffiths A, Chen J, Hu H, Xu Q. Monovalent SARS-COV-2 mRNA vaccine using optimal UTRs and LNPs is highly immunogenic and broadly protective against Omicron variants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311752120. [PMID: 38134199 PMCID: PMC10756290 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311752120] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of highly transmissible severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) that are resistant to the current COVID-19 vaccines highlights the need for continued development of broadly protective vaccines for the future. Here, we developed two messenger RNA (mRNA)-lipid nanoparticle (LNP) vaccines, TU88mCSA and ALCmCSA, using the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 spike sequence, optimized 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs), and LNP combinations. Our data showed that these nanocomplexes effectively activate CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses and humoral immune response and provide complete protection against WA1/2020, Omicron BA.1 and BQ.1 infection in hamsters. Critically, in Omicron BQ.1 challenge hamster models, TU88mCSA and ALCmCSA not only induced robust control of virus load in the lungs but also enhanced protective efficacy in the upper respiratory airways. Antigen-specific immune analysis in mice revealed that the observed cross-protection is associated with superior UTRs [Carboxylesterase 1d (Ces1d)/adaptor protein-3β (AP3B1)] and LNP formulations that elicit robust lung tissue-resident memory T cells. Strong protective effects of TU88mCSA or ALCmCSA against both WA1/2020 and VOCs suggest that this mRNA-LNP combination can be a broadly protective vaccine platform in which mRNA cargo uses the ancestral antigen sequence regardless of the antigenic drift. This approach could be rapidly adapted for clinical use and timely deployment of vaccines against emerging and reemerging VOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongfeng Ye
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
| | - Srinivasa Reddy Bonam
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
| | - Lindsay G. A. McKay
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories and Department of Virology, Immunology, and Microbiology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA02215
| | - Jessica A. Plante
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
| | - Jordyn Walker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
| | - Changfeng Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
| | - Jinjin Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
| | - Chutian Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
| | - Yamin Li
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY13210
| | - Lihan Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
| | - Joseph Harmon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
| | - Shuliang Gao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
| | - Donghui Song
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
| | - Zhibo Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
| | - Kenneth S. Plante
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
| | - Anthony Griffiths
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories and Department of Virology, Immunology, and Microbiology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA02215
| | - Jianzhu Chen
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Haitao Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
| | - Qiaobing Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA02155
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18
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Zheng W, Fong JHC, Wan YK, Chu AHY, Huang Y, Wong ASL, Ho JWK. Discovery of regulatory motifs in 5' untranslated regions using interpretable multi-task learning models. Cell Syst 2023; 14:1103-1112.e6. [PMID: 38016465 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.10.011] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The sequence in the 5' untranslated regions (UTRs) is known to affect mRNA translation rates. However, the underlying regulatory grammar remains elusive. Here, we propose MTtrans, a multi-task translation rate predictor capable of learning common sequence patterns from datasets across various experimental techniques. The core premise is that common motifs are more likely to be genuinely involved in translation control. MTtrans outperforms existing methods in both accuracy and the ability to capture transferable motifs across species, highlighting its strength in identifying evolutionarily conserved sequence motifs. Our independent fluorescence-activated cell sorting coupled with deep sequencing (FACS-seq) experiment validates the impact of most motifs identified by MTtrans. Additionally, we introduce "GRU-rewiring," a technique to interpret the hidden states of the recurrent units. Gated recurrent unit (GRU)-rewiring allows us to identify regulatory element-enriched positions and examine the local effects of 5' UTR mutations. MTtrans is a powerful tool for deciphering the translation regulatory motifs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhong Zheng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - John H C Fong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuk Kei Wan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Athena H Y Chu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Centre for Oncology and Immunology, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuanhua Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Center for Translational Stem Cell Biology, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alan S L Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Centre for Oncology and Immunology, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Joshua W K Ho
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H) Limited, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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19
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Chen C, Wang Z, Kang M, Lee KB, Ge X. High-fidelity large-diversity monoclonal mammalian cell libraries by cell cycle arrested recombinase-mediated cassette exchange. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e113. [PMID: 37941133 PMCID: PMC10711435 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1001] [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: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian cells carrying defined genetic variations have shown great potentials in both fundamental research and therapeutic development. However, their full use was limited by lack of a robust method to construct large monoclonal high-quality combinatorial libraries. This study developed cell cycle arrested recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (aRMCE), able to provide monoclonality, precise genomic integration and uniform transgene expression. Via optimized nocodazole-mediated mitotic arrest, 20% target gene replacement efficiency was achieved without antibiotic selection, and the improved aRMCE efficiency was applicable to a variety of tested cell clones, transgene targets and transfection methods. As a demonstration of this versatile method, we performed directed evolution of fragment crystallizable (Fc), for which error-prone libraries of over 107 variants were constructed and displayed as IgG on surface of CHO cells. Diversities of constructed libraries were validated by deep sequencing, and panels of novel Fc mutants were identified showing improved binding towards specific Fc gamma receptors and enhanced effector functions. Due to its large cargo capacity and compatibility with different mutagenesis approaches, we expect this mammalian cell platform technology has broad applications for directed evolution, multiplex genetic assays, cell line development and stem cell engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Chen
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Zening Wang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Minhyo Kang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Ki Baek Lee
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xin Ge
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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20
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Kirshina A, Vasileva O, Kunyk D, Seregina K, Muslimov A, Ivanov R, Reshetnikov V. Effects of Combinations of Untranslated-Region Sequences on Translation of mRNA. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1677. [PMID: 38002359 PMCID: PMC10669451 DOI: 10.3390/biom13111677] [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: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
mRNA-based therapeutics have been found to be a promising treatment strategy in immunotherapy, gene therapy, and cancer treatments. Effectiveness of mRNA therapeutics depends on the level and duration of a desired protein's expression, which is determined by various cis- and trans-regulatory elements of the mRNA. Sequences of 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) are responsible for translational efficiency and stability of mRNA. An optimal combination of the regulatory sequences allows researchers to significantly increase the target protein's expression. Using both literature data and previously obtained experimental data, we chose six sequences of 5'UTRs (adenoviral tripartite leader [TPL], HBB, rabbit β-globin [Rabb], H4C2, Moderna, and Neo2) and five sequences of 3'UTRs (mtRNR-EMCV, mtRNR-AES, mtRNR-mtRNR, BioNTech, and Moderna). By combining them, we constructed 30 in vitro transcribed RNAs encoding firefly luciferase with various combinations of 5'- and 3'UTRs, and the resultant bioluminescence was assessed in the DC2.4 cell line at 4, 8, 24, and 72 h after transfection. The cellular data enabled us to identify the best seven combinations of 5'- and 3'UTRs, whose translational efficiency was then assessed in BALB/c mice. Two combinations of 5'- and 3'UTRs (5'Rabb-3'mtRNR-EMCV and 5'TPL-3'Biontech) led to the most pronounced increase in the luciferase amount in the in vivo experiment in mice. Subsequent analysis of the stability of the mRNA indicated that the increase in luciferase expression is explained primarily by the efficiency of translation, not by the number of RNA molecules. Altogether, these findings suggest that 5'UTR-and-3'UTR combinations 5'Rabb-3'mtRNR- EMCV and 5'TPL-3'Biontech lead to high expression of target proteins and may be considered for use in preventive and therapeutic modalities based on mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kirshina
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Olga Vasileva
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Dmitry Kunyk
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Kristina Seregina
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Albert Muslimov
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Roman Ivanov
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Vasiliy Reshetnikov
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
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21
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Geng K, Rice-Boucher PJ, Kashentseva EA, Dmitriev IP, Lu ZH, Goedegebuure SP, Gillanders WE, Curiel DT. Engineering a Novel Modular Adenoviral mRNA Delivery Platform Based on Tag/Catcher Bioconjugation. Viruses 2023; 15:2277. [PMID: 38005953 PMCID: PMC10674448 DOI: 10.3390/v15112277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
mRNA vaccines have attracted widespread research attention with clear advantages in terms of molecular flexibility, rapid development, and potential for personalization. However, current mRNA vaccine platforms have not been optimized for induction of CD4/CD8 T cell responses. In addition, the mucosal administration of mRNA based on lipid nanoparticle technology faces challenges in clinical translation. In contrast, adenovirus-based vaccines induce strong T cell responses and have been approved for intranasal delivery. To leverage the inherent strengths of both the mRNA and adenovirus platforms, we developed a novel modular adenoviral mRNA delivery platform based on Tag/Catcher bioconjugation. Specifically, we engineered adenoviral vectors integrating Tag/Catcher proteins at specific locales on the Ad capsid proteins, allowing us to anchor mRNA to the surface of engineered Ad viruses. In proof-of-concept studies, the Ad-mRNA platform successfully mediated mRNA delivery and could be optimized via the highly flexible modular design of both the Ad-mRNA and protein bioconjugation systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Geng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biologic Therapeutics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (K.G.); (P.J.R.-B.); (E.A.K.); (I.P.D.); (Z.H.L.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
| | - Paul J. Rice-Boucher
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biologic Therapeutics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (K.G.); (P.J.R.-B.); (E.A.K.); (I.P.D.); (Z.H.L.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
| | - Elena A. Kashentseva
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biologic Therapeutics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (K.G.); (P.J.R.-B.); (E.A.K.); (I.P.D.); (Z.H.L.)
| | - Igor P. Dmitriev
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biologic Therapeutics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (K.G.); (P.J.R.-B.); (E.A.K.); (I.P.D.); (Z.H.L.)
| | - Zhi Hong Lu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biologic Therapeutics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (K.G.); (P.J.R.-B.); (E.A.K.); (I.P.D.); (Z.H.L.)
| | - S. Peter Goedegebuure
- Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (S.P.G.); (W.E.G.)
- Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - William E. Gillanders
- Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (S.P.G.); (W.E.G.)
- Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - David T. Curiel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biologic Therapeutics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (K.G.); (P.J.R.-B.); (E.A.K.); (I.P.D.); (Z.H.L.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
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22
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Zhu K, Chen D, Cai Y, Zhang T, Ma J, Bao L, Zhao F, Wu L, Chen S. Engineering the Ultrasensitive Visual Whole-Cell Biosensors by Evolved MerR and 5' UTR for Detection of Ultratrace Mercury. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:16964-16973. [PMID: 37863904 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
The existing mercury whole-cell biosensors (WCBs, parts per billion range) are not able to meet the real-world requirements due to their lack of sensitivity for the detection of ultratrace mercury in the environment. Ultratrace mercury is a potential threat to human health via the food chain. Here, we developed an ultrasensitive mercury WCB by directed evolution of the mercury-responsive transcriptional activator (MerR) sensing module to detect ultratrace mercury. Subsequently, the mutant WCB (m4-1) responding to mercury in the parts per trillion range after 1 h of induction was obtained. Its detection limit (LOD) was 0.313 ng/L, comparable to those of some analytical instruments. Surprisingly, the m4-1 WCB also responded to methylmercury (LOD = 98 ng/L), which is far more toxic than inorganic mercury. For more convenient detection, we have increased another green fluorescent protein reporter module with an optimized 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) sequence. This yields two visual WCBs with an enhanced fluorescence output. At a concentration of 2.5 ng/L, the fluorescence signals can be directly observed by the naked eye. With the combination of mobile phone imaging and image processing software, the 2GC WCB provided simple, rapid, and reliable quantitative and qualitative analysis of real samples (LOD = 0.307 ng/L). Taken together, these results indicate that the ultrasensitive visual whole-cell biosensors for ultratrace mercury detection are successfully designed using a combination of directed evolution and synthetic biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaili Zhu
- Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, P. R. China
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China, P. R. China
| | - Dongdong Chen
- Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, P. R. China
| | - Yeshen Cai
- Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, P. R. China
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China, P. R. China
| | - TianYi Zhang
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, P. R. China
| | - Jie Ma
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, P. R. China
| | - Lingzhi Bao
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, P. R. China
| | - Feng Zhao
- East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai 200090, P. R. China
| | - Lijun Wu
- Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, P. R. China
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China, P. R. China
| | - Shaopeng Chen
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, P. R. China
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23
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Neill B, Romero AR, Fenton OS. Advances in Nonviral mRNA Delivery Materials and Their Application as Vaccines for Melanoma Therapy. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023:10.1021/acsabm.3c00721. [PMID: 37930174 PMCID: PMC11220486 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are promising platforms for cancer immunotherapy because of their potential to encode for a variety of tumor antigens, high tolerability, and capacity to induce strong antitumor immune responses. However, the clinical translation of mRNA cancer vaccines can be hindered by the inefficient delivery of mRNA in vivo. In this review, we provide an overview of mRNA cancer vaccines by discussing their utility in treating melanoma. Specifically, we begin our review by describing the barriers that can impede mRNA delivery to target cells. We then review native mRNA structure and discuss various modification methods shown to enhance mRNA stability and transfection. Next, we outline the advantages and challenges of three nonviral carrier platforms (lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, and lipopolyplexes) frequently used for mRNA delivery. Last, we summarize preclinical and clinical studies that have investigated nonviral mRNA vaccines for the treatment of melanoma. In writing this review, we aim to highlight innovative nonviral strategies designed to address mRNA delivery challenges while emphasizing the exciting potential of mRNA vaccines as next-generation therapies for the treatment of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bevin Neill
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Adriana Retamales Romero
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Owen S. Fenton
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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24
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Deo S, Desai K, Patare A, Wadapurkar R, Rade S, Mahudkar S, Sathe M, Srivastava S, Prasanna P, Singh A. Evaluation of self-amplifying mRNA platform for protein expression and genetic stability: Implication for mRNA therapies. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 680:108-118. [PMID: 37738900 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.09.016] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
The consecutive launch of mRNA vaccines like mRNA-1273, BNT 162b2, and GEMCOVAC®-19 against COVID-19 has triggered the debate of long-term expression, safety, and genomic integration of the mRNA vaccine platforms. In the present study, we examined the longevity of antigenic protein expression of mRNA-614 and mRNA-S1LC based on self-amplifying mRNA (SAM) in Expi-293F™, HEK-293 T, and ARPE-19 cells. The protein expression was checked by sandwich-ELISA, FACS, luciferase activity assay, and Western blot. The transcribed antigenic mRNA was sequenced and found to be un-mutated. Additionally, no genomic integration of the reverse transcribed mRNA was observed even up to 7 days post-transfection as verified by PCR. Furthermore, we have generated high-quality 3D structures of non-structural proteins (nsPs) in silico and the genes encoding for the nsPs were cloned and expressed using the T7 system. Findings from the current study have strengthened the fact that the alphavirus-based SAM platform has the potential to become a modality in the upcoming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swarda Deo
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. ITBT Park, Hinjawadi Phase 2 Road, Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Kaushik Desai
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. ITBT Park, Hinjawadi Phase 2 Road, Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Aishwarya Patare
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. ITBT Park, Hinjawadi Phase 2 Road, Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Rucha Wadapurkar
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. ITBT Park, Hinjawadi Phase 2 Road, Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Saniya Rade
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. ITBT Park, Hinjawadi Phase 2 Road, Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Siddhi Mahudkar
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. ITBT Park, Hinjawadi Phase 2 Road, Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Madhura Sathe
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. ITBT Park, Hinjawadi Phase 2 Road, Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Shalini Srivastava
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. ITBT Park, Hinjawadi Phase 2 Road, Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Pragya Prasanna
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. ITBT Park, Hinjawadi Phase 2 Road, Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Ajay Singh
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. ITBT Park, Hinjawadi Phase 2 Road, Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India.
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25
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Zhang P, Wang H, Xu H, Wei L, Liu L, Hu Z, Wang X. Deep flanking sequence engineering for efficient promoter design using DeepSEED. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6309. [PMID: 37813854 PMCID: PMC10562447 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41899-y] [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: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Designing promoters with desirable properties is essential in synthetic biology. Human experts are skilled at identifying strong explicit patterns in small samples, while deep learning models excel at detecting implicit weak patterns in large datasets. Biologists have described the sequence patterns of promoters via transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). However, the flanking sequences of cis-regulatory elements, have long been overlooked and often arbitrarily decided in promoter design. To address this limitation, we introduce DeepSEED, an AI-aided framework that efficiently designs synthetic promoters by combining expert knowledge with deep learning techniques. DeepSEED has demonstrated success in improving the properties of Escherichia coli constitutive, IPTG-inducible, and mammalian cell doxycycline (Dox)-inducible promoters. Furthermore, our results show that DeepSEED captures the implicit features in flanking sequences, such as k-mer frequencies and DNA shape features, which are crucial for determining promoter properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Haochen Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hanwen Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Wei
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Liyang Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhirui Hu
- Center for Statistical Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaowo Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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26
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Benasutti H, Maricelli JW, Seto J, Hall J, Halbert C, Wicki J, Heusgen L, Purvis N, Regnier M, Lin DC, Rodgers BD, Chamberlain JS. Efficacy and muscle safety assessment of fukutin-related protein gene therapy. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 30:65-80. [PMID: 37361354 PMCID: PMC10285450 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type R9 (LGMDR9) is a muscle-wasting disease that begins in the hip and shoulder regions of the body. This disease is caused by mutations in fukutin-related protein (FKRP), a glycosyltransferase critical for maintaining muscle cell integrity. Here we investigated potential gene therapies for LGMDR9 containing an FKRP expression construct with untranslated region (UTR) modifications. Initial studies treated an aged dystrophic mouse model (FKRPP448L) with adeno-associated virus vector serotype 6 (AAV6). Grip strength improved in a dose- and time-dependent manner, injected mice exhibited fewer central nuclei and serum creatine kinase levels were 3- and 5-fold lower compared to those in non-injected FKRPP448L mice. Treatment also partially stabilized the respiratory pattern during exercise and improved treadmill running, partially protecting muscle from exercise-induced damage. Western blotting of C2C12 myotubes using a novel rabbit antibody confirmed heightened translation with the UTR modifications. We further explored the question of FKRP toxicity in wild-type mice using high doses of two additional muscle-tropic capsids: AAV9 and AAVMYO1. No toxic effects were detected with either therapeutic agent. These data further support the feasibility of gene therapy to treat LGMDR9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halli Benasutti
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joseph W. Maricelli
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
- Washington Center for Muscle Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Jane Seto
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Sen. Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - John Hall
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Christine Halbert
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Sen. Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jacqueline Wicki
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lydia Heusgen
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nicholas Purvis
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael Regnier
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David C. Lin
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience and the Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Buel D. Rodgers
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
- Washington Center for Muscle Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Jeffrey S. Chamberlain
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Sen. Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
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27
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Zhang M, Ehmann ME, Matukumalli S, Boob AG, Gilbert DM, Zhao H. SHIELD: a platform for high-throughput screening of barrier-type DNA elements in human cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5616. [PMID: 37699958 PMCID: PMC10497619 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41468-3] [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: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromatin boundary elements contribute to the partitioning of mammalian genomes into topological domains to regulate gene expression. Certain boundary elements are adopted as DNA insulators for safe and stable transgene expression in mammalian cells. These elements, however, are ill-defined and less characterized in the non-coding genome, partially due to the lack of a platform to readily evaluate boundary-associated activities of putative DNA sequences. Here we report SHIELD (Site-specific Heterochromatin Insertion of Elements at Lamina-associated Domains), a platform tailored for the high-throughput screening of barrier-type DNA elements in human cells. SHIELD takes advantage of the high specificity of serine integrase at heterochromatin, and exploits the natural heterochromatin spreading inside lamina-associated domains (LADs) for the discovery of potent barrier elements. We adopt SHIELD to evaluate the barrier activity of 1000 DNA elements in a high-throughput manner and identify 8 candidates with barrier activities comparable to the core region of cHS4 element in human HCT116 cells. We anticipate SHIELD could facilitate the discovery of novel barrier DNA elements from the non-coding genome in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Mary Elisabeth Ehmann
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Srija Matukumalli
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Aashutosh Girish Boob
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - David M Gilbert
- San Diego Biomedical Research Institute, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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28
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Kleinschmidt H, Xu C, Bai L. Using Synthetic DNA Libraries to Investigate Chromatin and Gene Regulation. Chromosoma 2023; 132:167-189. [PMID: 37184694 PMCID: PMC10542970 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-023-00796-5] [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: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite the recent explosion in genome-wide studies in chromatin and gene regulation, we are still far from extracting a set of genetic rules that can predict the function of the regulatory genome. One major reason for this deficiency is that gene regulation is a multi-layered process that involves an enormous variable space, which cannot be fully explored using native genomes. This problem can be partially solved by introducing synthetic DNA libraries into cells, a method that can test the regulatory roles of thousands to millions of sequences with limited variables. Here, we review recent applications of this method to study transcription factor (TF) binding, nucleosome positioning, and transcriptional activity. We discuss the design principles, experimental procedures, and major findings from these studies and compare the pros and cons of different approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Kleinschmidt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Cheng Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Lu Bai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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29
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Ye Z, Harmon J, Ni W, Li Y, Wich D, Xu Q. The mRNA Vaccine Revolution: COVID-19 Has Launched the Future of Vaccinology. ACS NANO 2023; 17:15231-15253. [PMID: 37535899 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c12584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA (mRNA) vaccines emerged as leading vaccine candidates in a record time. Nonreplicating mRNA (NRM) and self-amplifying mRNA (SAM) technologies have been developed into high-performing and clinically viable vaccines against a range of infectious agents, notably SARS-CoV-2. mRNA vaccines demonstrate efficient in vivo delivery, long-lasting stability, and nonexistent risk of infection. The stability and translational efficiency of in vitro transcription (IVT)-mRNA can be further increased by modulating its structural elements. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the recent advances, key applications, and future challenges in the field of mRNA-based vaccinology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongfeng Ye
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Joseph Harmon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Wei Ni
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Yamin Li
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Douglas Wich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Qiaobing Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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30
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Riley AT, Robson JM, Green AA. Generative and predictive neural networks for the design of functional RNA molecules. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.14.549043. [PMID: 37503279 PMCID: PMC10370010 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.14.549043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
RNA is a remarkably versatile molecule that has been engineered for applications in therapeutics, diagnostics, and in vivo information-processing systems. However, the complex relationship between the sequence and structural properties of an RNA molecule and its ability to perform specific functions often necessitates extensive experimental screening of candidate sequences. Here we present a generalized neural network architecture that utilizes the sequence and structure of RNA molecules (SANDSTORM) to inform functional predictions. We demonstrate that this approach achieves state-of-the-art performance across several distinct RNA prediction tasks, while learning interpretable abstractions of RNA secondary structure. We paired these predictive models with generative adversarial RNA design networks (GARDN), allowing the generative modelling of novel mRNA 5' untranslated regions and toehold switch riboregulators exhibiting a predetermined fitness. This approach enabled the design of novel toehold switches with a 43-fold increase in experimentally characterized dynamic range compared to those designed using classic thermodynamic algorithms. SANDSTORM and GARDN thus represent powerful new predictive and generative tools for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic RNA molecules with improved function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan T. Riley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - James M. Robson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Alexander A. Green
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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31
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Nikolados EM, Oyarzún DA. Deep learning for optimization of protein expression. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 81:102941. [PMID: 37087839 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Recent progress in high-throughput DNA synthesis and sequencing has enabled the development of massively parallel reporter assays for strain characterization. These datasets map a large number of DNA sequences to protein expression levels, sparking increased interest in data-driven methods for sequence-to-expression modeling. Here, we highlight advances in deep learning models of protein expression and their potential for optimizing strains engineered to produce recombinant proteins. We review recent works that built highly accurate models and discuss challenges that hinder adoption by end users. There is a need to better align this technology with the constraints encountered in strain engineering, particularly the cost of acquiring large amounts of data and the requirement for interpretable models that generalize beyond the training data. Overcoming these barriers will help to incentivize academic and industrial laboratories to tap into a new era of data-centric strain engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diego A Oyarzún
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JH, UK; School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AB, UK; The Alan Turing Institute, London NW1 2DB, UK.
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32
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Durrant MG, Fanton A, Tycko J, Hinks M, Chandrasekaran SS, Perry NT, Schaepe J, Du PP, Lotfy P, Bassik MC, Bintu L, Bhatt AS, Hsu PD. Systematic discovery of recombinases for efficient integration of large DNA sequences into the human genome. Nat Biotechnol 2023; 41:488-499. [PMID: 36217031 PMCID: PMC10083194 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01494-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Large serine recombinases (LSRs) are DNA integrases that facilitate the site-specific integration of mobile genetic elements into bacterial genomes. Only a few LSRs, such as Bxb1 and PhiC31, have been characterized to date, with limited efficiency as tools for DNA integration in human cells. In this study, we developed a computational approach to identify thousands of LSRs and their DNA attachment sites, expanding known LSR diversity by >100-fold and enabling the prediction of their insertion site specificities. We tested their recombination activity in human cells, classifying them as landing pad, genome-targeting or multi-targeting LSRs. Overall, we achieved up to seven-fold higher recombination than Bxb1 and genome integration efficiencies of 40-75% with cargo sizes over 7 kb. We also demonstrate virus-free, direct integration of plasmid or amplicon libraries for improved functional genomics applications. This systematic discovery of recombinases directly from microbial sequencing data provides a resource of over 60 LSRs experimentally characterized in human cells for large-payload genome insertion without exposed DNA double-stranded breaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Durrant
- Arc Institute, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alison Fanton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- University of California, Berkeley-University of California, San Francisco Graduate Program in Bioengineering, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Josh Tycko
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michaela Hinks
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sita S Chandrasekaran
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- University of California, Berkeley-University of California, San Francisco Graduate Program in Bioengineering, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas T Perry
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- University of California, Berkeley-University of California, San Francisco Graduate Program in Bioengineering, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Julia Schaepe
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Peter P Du
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Peter Lotfy
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cell Biology, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Lacramioara Bintu
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Ami S Bhatt
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Medicine (Hematology), Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Patrick D Hsu
- Arc Institute, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cell Biology, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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33
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Chen SC, Xu CT, Chang CF, Chao TY, Lin CC, Fu PW, Yu CH. Optimization of 5'UTR to evade SARS-CoV-2 Nonstructural protein 1-directed inhibition of protein synthesis in cells. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:2451-2468. [PMID: 36843199 PMCID: PMC9968647 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12442-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
Maximizing the expression level of therapeutic proteins in cells is the general goal for DNA/mRNA therapies. It is particularly challenging to achieve efficient protein expression in the cellular contexts with inhibited translation machineries, such as in the presence of cellular Nonstructural protein 1 (Nsp1) of coronaviruses (CoVs) that has been reported to inhibit overall protein synthesis of host genes and exogenously delivered mRNAs/DNAs. In this study, we thoroughly examined the sequence and structure contexts of viral and non-viral 5'UTRs that determine the protein expression levels of exogenously delivered DNAs and mRNAs in cells expressing SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1. It was found that high 5'-proximal A/U content promotes an escape from Nsp1-directed inhibition of protein synthesis and results in selective protein expression. Furthermore, 5'-proximal Cs were found to significantly enhance the protein expression in an Nsp1-dependent manner, while Gs located at a specific window close to the 5'-end counteract such enhancement. The distinct protein expression levels resulted from different 5'UTRs were found correlated to Nsp1-induced mRNA degradations. These findings ultimately enabled rational designs for optimized 5'UTRs that lead to strong expression of exogenous proteins regardless of the translationally repressive Nsp1. On the other hand, we have also identified several 5'-proximal sequences derived from host genes that are capable of mediating the escapes. These results provided novel perspectives to the optimizations of 5'UTRs for DNA/mRNA therapies and/or vaccinations, as well as shedding light on the potential host escapees from Nsp1-directed translational shutoffs. KEY POINTS: • The 5'-proximal SL1 and 5a/b derived from SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA promote exogenous protein synthesis in cells expressing Nsp1 comparing with non-specific 5'UTRs. • Specific 5'-proximal sequence contexts are the key determinants of the escapes from Nsp1-directed translational repression and thereby enhance protein expressions. • Systematic mutagenesis identified optimized 5'UTRs that strongly enhance protein expression and promote resistance to Nsp1-induced translational repression and RNA degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Cheng Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cui-Ting Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chuan-Fu Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Yu Chao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Chi Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Wen Fu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hung Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
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34
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Xu Z, Fisher DE. mRNA melanoma vaccine revolution spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1155728. [PMID: 37063845 PMCID: PMC10101324 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1155728] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The advent of mRNA vaccines represents a significant advance in the field of vaccinology. While several vaccine approaches (mRNA, DNA, recombinant protein, and viral-vectored vaccines) had been investigated at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA vaccines quickly gained popularity due to superior immunogenicity at a low dose, strong safety/tolerability profiles, and the possibility of rapid vaccine mass manufacturing and deployment to rural regions. In addition to inducing protective neutralizing antibody responses, mRNA vaccines can also elicit high-magnitude cytotoxic T-cell responses comparable to natural viral infections; thereby, drawing significant interest from cancer immunotherapy experts. This mini-review will highlight key developmental milestones and lessons we have learned from mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a specific emphasis on clinical trial data gathered so far for mRNA vaccines against melanoma and other forms of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Xu
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David E. Fisher
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: David E. Fisher,
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35
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An B, Wang Y, Huang Y, Wang X, Liu Y, Xun D, Church GM, Dai Z, Yi X, Tang TC, Zhong C. Engineered Living Materials For Sustainability. Chem Rev 2023; 123:2349-2419. [PMID: 36512650 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in synthetic biology and materials science have given rise to a new form of materials, namely engineered living materials (ELMs), which are composed of living matter or cell communities embedded in self-regenerating matrices of their own or artificial scaffolds. Like natural materials such as bone, wood, and skin, ELMs, which possess the functional capabilities of living organisms, can grow, self-organize, and self-repair when needed. They also spontaneously perform programmed biological functions upon sensing external cues. Currently, ELMs show promise for green energy production, bioremediation, disease treatment, and fabricating advanced smart materials. This review first introduces the dynamic features of natural living systems and their potential for developing novel materials. We then summarize the recent research progress on living materials and emerging design strategies from both synthetic biology and materials science perspectives. Finally, we discuss the positive impacts of living materials on promoting sustainability and key future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bolin An
- Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yanyi Wang
- Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuanyuan Huang
- Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuzhu Liu
- Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Dongmin Xun
- Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - George M Church
- Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston 02115, Massachusetts United States.,Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02115, Massachusetts United States
| | - Zhuojun Dai
- Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiao Yi
- Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tzu-Chieh Tang
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston 02115, Massachusetts United States.,Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02115, Massachusetts United States
| | - Chao Zhong
- Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
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36
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Sun H, Zhang Y, Wang G, Yang W, Xu Y. mRNA-Based Therapeutics in Cancer Treatment. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15020622. [PMID: 36839944 PMCID: PMC9964383 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, significant technological innovations have led to messenger RNA (mRNA) becoming a promising option for developing prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines, protein replacement therapies, and genome engineering. The success of the two COVID-19 mRNA vaccines has sparked new enthusiasm for other medical applications, particularly in cancer treatment. In vitro-transcribed (IVT) mRNAs are structurally designed to resemble naturally occurring mature mRNA. Delivery of IVT mRNA via delivery platforms such as lipid nanoparticles allows host cells to produce many copies of encoded proteins, which can serve as antigens to stimulate immune responses or as additional beneficial proteins for supplements. mRNA-based cancer therapeutics include mRNA cancer vaccines, mRNA encoding cytokines, chimeric antigen receptors, tumor suppressors, and other combination therapies. To better understand the current development and research status of mRNA therapies for cancer treatment, this review focused on the molecular design, delivery systems, and clinical indications of mRNA therapies in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Ge Wang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, National Center of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Wen Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yingjie Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Correspondence:
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37
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von der Haar T, Mulroney TE, Hedayioglu F, Kurusamy S, Rust M, Lilley KS, Thaventhiran JE, Willis AE, Smales CM. Translation of in vitro-transcribed RNA therapeutics. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1128067. [PMID: 36845540 PMCID: PMC9943971 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1128067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In vitro transcribed, modified messenger RNAs (IVTmRNAs) have been used to vaccinate billions of individuals against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and are currently being developed for many additional therapeutic applications. IVTmRNAs must be translated into proteins with therapeutic activity by the same cellular machinery that also translates native endogenous transcripts. However, different genesis pathways and routes of entry into target cells as well as the presence of modified nucleotides mean that the way in which IVTmRNAs engage with the translational machinery, and the efficiency with which they are being translated, differs from native mRNAs. This review summarises our current knowledge of commonalities and differences in translation between IVTmRNAs and cellular mRNAs, which is key for the development of future design strategies that can generate IVTmRNAs with improved activity in therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias von der Haar
- School of Biosciences, Division of Natural Sciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas E. Mulroney
- MRC Toxicology Unit, Gleeson Building, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Fabio Hedayioglu
- School of Biosciences, Division of Natural Sciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Sathishkumar Kurusamy
- School of Biosciences, Division of Natural Sciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Rust
- MRC Toxicology Unit, Gleeson Building, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn S. Lilley
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - James E. Thaventhiran
- MRC Toxicology Unit, Gleeson Building, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anne E. Willis
- MRC Toxicology Unit, Gleeson Building, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - C. Mark Smales
- School of Biosciences, Division of Natural Sciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
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38
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Lee KM, Lin SJ, Wu CJ, Kuo RL. Race with virus evolution: The development and application of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Biomed J 2023; 46:70-80. [PMID: 36642222 PMCID: PMC9837160 DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2023.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been urgently developed around the world. On the basis of the mRNA vaccine technology developed previously, COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were promptly tested in animals, advanced to clinical trials, and then authorized for emergency use in humans. The administration of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines has successfully reduced the hospitalization and mortality caused by the viral infection, although the virus continuously evolves with its transmission. Therefore, the development of mRNA vaccine technology, including RNA modification and delivery systems, is well recognized for its contribution to moderating the harms caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The scientists who developed these technologies, Katalin Karikó, Drew Weissman, and Pieter Cullis, were awarded the 2022 Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science. In this review, we summarize the principles, safety and efficacy of as well as the immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Since mRNA vaccine approaches could be practical for the prevention of infectious diseases, we also briefly describe mRNA vaccines against other human viral pathogens in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuo-Ming Lee
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan,International Master Degree Program for Molecular Medicine in Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Linkou, Taiwan
| | - Syh-Jae Lin
- Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Linkou, Taiwan,School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Jung Wu
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Rei-Lin Kuo
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; International Master Degree Program for Molecular Medicine in Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Linkou, Taiwan; Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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39
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Gao J, Liu H, Zhang Z, Liang Z. Establishment, optimization, and application of genetic technology in Aspergillus spp. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1141869. [PMID: 37025635 PMCID: PMC10071863 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1141869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus is widely distributed in nature and occupies a crucial ecological niche, which has complex and diverse metabolic pathways and can produce a variety of metabolites. With the deepening of genomics exploration, more Aspergillus genomic informations have been elucidated, which not only help us understand the basic mechanism of various life activities, but also further realize the ideal functional transformation. Available genetic engineering tools include homologous recombinant systems, specific nuclease based systems, and RNA techniques, combined with transformation methods, and screening based on selective labeling. Precise editing of target genes can not only prevent and control the production of mycotoxin pollutants, but also realize the construction of economical and efficient fungal cell factories. This paper reviewed the establishment and optimization process of genome technologies, hoping to provide the theoretical basis of experiments, and summarized the recent progress and application in genetic technology, analyzes the challenges and the possibility of future development with regard to Aspergillus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Gao
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Huiqing Liu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenzhen Zhang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihong Liang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- The Supervision, Inspection and Testing Center of Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Zhihong Liang,
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40
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Strategies for Bottlenecks of rAAV-Mediated Expression in Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13112021. [DOI: 10.3390/genes13112021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy using the adeno-associated virus (rAAV) to deliver mini/micro- dystrophin is the current promising strategy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). However, the further transformation of this strategy still faces many “bottlenecks”. Most gene therapies are only suitable for infants with strong muscle cell regeneration and immature immune system, and the treatment depends heavily on the high dose of rAAV. However, high-dose rAAV inevitably causes side effects such as immune response and acute liver toxicity. Therefore, how to reduce the degree of fibrosis and excessive immune response in older patients and uncouple the dependence association between therapeutic effect and high dose rAAV are crucial steps for the transformation of rAAV-based gene therapy. The article analyzes the latest research and finds that the application of utrophin, the homologous protein of dystrophin, could avoid the immune response associated with dystrophin, and the exploration of methods to improve the expression level of mini/micro-utrophin in striated muscle, combined with the novel MyoAAV with high efficiency and specific infection of striated muscle, is expected to achieve the same therapeutic efficacy under the condition of reducing the dose of rAAV. Furthermore, the delivery of allogeneic cardio sphere-derived cells (CDCs) with anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic characteristics combined with immune suppression can provide a continuous and appropriate “window period” for gene therapy. This strategy can expand the number of patients who could benefit from gene therapy.
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41
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Pourseif MM, Masoudi-Sobhanzadeh Y, Azari E, Parvizpour S, Barar J, Ansari R, Omidi Y. Self-amplifying mRNA vaccines: Mode of action, design, development and optimization. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:103341. [PMID: 35988718 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.103341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The mRNA-based vaccines are quality-by-design (QbD) immunotherapies that provide safe, tunable, scalable, streamlined and potent treatment possibilities against different types of diseases. The self-amplifying mRNA (saRNA) vaccines, as a highly advantageous class of mRNA vaccines, are inspired by the intracellular self-multiplication nature of some positive-sense RNA viruses. Such vaccine platforms provide a relatively increased expression level of vaccine antigen(s) together with self-adjuvanticity properties. Lined with the QbD saRNA vaccines, essential optimizations improve the stability, safety, and immunogenicity of the vaccine constructs. Here, we elaborate on the concepts and mode-of-action of mRNA and saRNA vaccines, articulate the potential limitations or technical bottlenecks, and explain possible solutions or optimization methods in the process of their design and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad M Pourseif
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Yosef Masoudi-Sobhanzadeh
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Erfan Azari
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sepideh Parvizpour
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Jaleh Barar
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Rais Ansari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
| | - Yadollah Omidi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
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Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) is an emerging class of therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of a wide range of diseases. The recent success of the two highly efficacious mRNA vaccines produced by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech to protect against COVID-19 highlights the huge potential of mRNA technology for revolutionizing life science and medical research. Challenges related to mRNA stability and immunogenicity, as well as in vivo delivery and the ability to cross multiple biological barriers, have been largely addressed by recent progress in mRNA engineering and delivery. In this Review, we present the latest advances and innovations in the growing field of mRNA nanomedicine, in the context of ongoing clinical translation and future directions to improve clinical efficacy.
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43
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Chen WCW, Gaidukov L, Lai Y, Wu MR, Cao J, Gutbrod MJ, Choi GCG, Utomo RP, Chen YC, Wroblewska L, Kellis M, Zhang L, Weiss R, Lu TK. A synthetic transcription platform for programmable gene expression in mammalian cells. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6167. [PMID: 36257931 PMCID: PMC9579178 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33287-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Precise, scalable, and sustainable control of genetic and cellular activities in mammalian cells is key to developing precision therapeutics and smart biomanufacturing. Here we create a highly tunable, modular, versatile CRISPR-based synthetic transcription system for the programmable control of gene expression and cellular phenotypes in mammalian cells. Genetic circuits consisting of well-characterized libraries of guide RNAs, binding motifs of synthetic operators, transcriptional activators, and additional genetic regulatory elements express mammalian genes in a highly predictable and tunable manner. We demonstrate the programmable control of reporter genes episomally and chromosomally, with up to 25-fold more activity than seen with the EF1α promoter, in multiple cell types. We use these circuits to program the secretion of human monoclonal antibodies and to control T-cell effector function marked by interferon-γ production. Antibody titers and interferon-γ concentrations significantly correlate with synthetic promoter strengths, providing a platform for programming gene expression and cellular function in diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- William C W Chen
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA.
| | - Leonid Gaidukov
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Yong Lai
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Ming-Ru Wu
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jicong Cao
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Michael J Gutbrod
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Gigi C G Choi
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Laboratory of Combinatorial Genetics and Synthetic Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Rachel P Utomo
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Ying-Chou Chen
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Manolis Kellis
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Lin Zhang
- Pfizer Inc., Andover, MA, 01810, USA
| | - Ron Weiss
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Timothy K Lu
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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44
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Arora A, Castro-Gutierrez R, Moffatt C, Eletto D, Becker R, Brown M, Moor A, Russ HA, Taliaferro JM. High-throughput identification of RNA localization elements in neuronal cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:10626-10642. [PMID: 36107770 PMCID: PMC9561290 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hundreds of RNAs are enriched in the projections of neuronal cells. For the vast majority of them, though, the sequence elements that regulate their localization are unknown. To identify RNA elements capable of directing transcripts to neurites, we deployed a massively parallel reporter assay that tested the localization regulatory ability of thousands of sequence fragments drawn from endogenous mouse 3' UTRs. We identified peaks of regulatory activity within several 3' UTRs and found that sequences derived from these peaks were both necessary and sufficient for RNA localization to neurites in mouse and human neuronal cells. The localization elements were enriched in adenosine and guanosine residues. They were at least tens to hundreds of nucleotides long as shortening of two identified elements led to significantly reduced activity. Using RNA affinity purification and mass spectrometry, we found that the RNA-binding protein Unk was associated with the localization elements. Depletion of Unk in cells reduced the ability of the elements to drive RNAs to neurites, indicating a functional requirement for Unk in their trafficking. These results provide a framework for the unbiased, high-throughput identification of RNA elements and mechanisms that govern transcript localization in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Arora
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | | | - Charlie Moffatt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | - Davide Eletto
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Raquel Becker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | - Maya Brown
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | - Andreas E Moor
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Holger A Russ
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | - J Matthew Taliaferro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
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45
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Deng Z, Yang H, Tian Y, Liu Z, Sun F, Yang P. An OX40L mRNA vaccine inhibits the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:975408. [PMID: 36313716 PMCID: PMC9606466 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.975408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
mRNA cancer vaccines show therapeutic potential for malignant tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We optimized and synthesized stable mRNA encoding costimulator Oxford 40 ligand (OX40L). For systemic delivery, OX40L mRNAs were loaded into lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). The expression and costimulatory effects of OX40L were investigated in vitro. OX40L was expressed on the cell surface and costimulated T cells. In vivo, intratumoral injection of LNPs encapsulating OX40L mRNAs significantly reduced tumor growth and increased the survival of mice bearing H22 tumors. Importantly, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were significantly increased in the OX40L mRNA group in vivo. Taken together, our findings provide a promising clinical strategy for immunotherapy for HCC using mRNA vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoya Deng
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China,Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Yang
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuying Tian
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zherui Liu
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China,Peking University 302 Clinical Medical School, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Sun
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Penghui Yang
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China,Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Penghui Yang,
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46
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Grimm NB, Lee JT. Selective Xi reactivation and alternative methods to restore MECP2 function in Rett syndrome. Trends Genet 2022; 38:920-943. [PMID: 35248405 PMCID: PMC9915138 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The human X-chromosome harbors only 4% of our genome but carries over 20% of genes associated with intellectual disability. Given that they inherit only one X-chromosome, males are more frequently affected by X-linked neurodevelopmental genetic disorders than females. However, despite inheriting two X-chromosomes, females can also be affected because X-chromosome inactivation enables only one of two X-chromosomes to be expressed per cell. For Rett syndrome and similar X-linked disorders affecting females, disease-specific treatments have remained elusive. However, a cure may be found within their own cells because every sick cell carries a healthy copy of the affected gene on the inactive X (Xi). Therefore, selective Xi reactivation may be a viable approach that would address the root cause of various X-linked disorders. Here, we discuss Rett syndrome and compare current approaches in the pharmaceutical pipeline to restore MECP2 function. We then focus on Xi reactivation and review available methods, lessons learned, and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas-Benedikt Grimm
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Genetics, The Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jeannie T Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Genetics, The Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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47
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You J, Du Y, Pan X, Zhang X, Yang T, Rao Z. Increased Production of Riboflavin by Coordinated Expression of Multiple Genes in Operons in Bacillus subtilis. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:1801-1810. [PMID: 35467340 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Riboflavin is an essential vitamin widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and feed industries. However, the insufficient supply of precursors caused by the imbalance of intracellular metabolic flow limits the riboflavin synthesis by industrial strains. Here, we increase riboflavin production by tuning multiple gene expression to balance intracellular metabolic flow. First, we tuned the expression of mCherry and egfp genes within operons by generating libraries of tunable intergenic regions (TIGRs) and confirmed the relative expression of the two reporter genes. The TIGR library can coordinate the expression ratio of reporter genes more than 180 times in Escherichia coli and more than 70 times in Bacillus subtilis. Next, we used this strategy to tune the expression of zwf, ribBA, and ywlf genes within operons through the TIGR library to increase the intracellular precursor pool for riboflavin biosynthesis. Based on the fluorescence characteristics of riboflavin, 96-well plates were used to screen the optimal combination mutants quickly. The best-engineered strain was selected from the library, which produced 2.7 g/L riboflavin, increasing by 64.35% in the shake flask. Finally, the riboflavin titer increased by 59.27% to 11.77 g/L in fed-batch fermentation. The strategy described here will contribute to the industrial production of riboflavin and related products by B. subtilis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia You
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of the Ministry of Education, Laboratory of Applied Microorganisms and Metabolic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Yuxuan Du
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of the Ministry of Education, Laboratory of Applied Microorganisms and Metabolic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Xuewei Pan
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of the Ministry of Education, Laboratory of Applied Microorganisms and Metabolic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Xian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of the Ministry of Education, Laboratory of Applied Microorganisms and Metabolic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Taowei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of the Ministry of Education, Laboratory of Applied Microorganisms and Metabolic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Zhiming Rao
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of the Ministry of Education, Laboratory of Applied Microorganisms and Metabolic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
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48
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Leppek K, Byeon GW, Kladwang W, Wayment-Steele HK, Kerr CH, Xu AF, Kim DS, Topkar VV, Choe C, Rothschild D, Tiu GC, Wellington-Oguri R, Fujii K, Sharma E, Watkins AM, Nicol JJ, Romano J, Tunguz B, Diaz F, Cai H, Guo P, Wu J, Meng F, Shi S, Participants E, Dormitzer PR, Solórzano A, Barna M, Das R. Combinatorial optimization of mRNA structure, stability, and translation for RNA-based therapeutics. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1536. [PMID: 35318324 PMCID: PMC8940940 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28776-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic mRNAs and vaccines are being developed for a broad range of human diseases, including COVID-19. However, their optimization is hindered by mRNA instability and inefficient protein expression. Here, we describe design principles that overcome these barriers. We develop an RNA sequencing-based platform called PERSIST-seq to systematically delineate in-cell mRNA stability, ribosome load, as well as in-solution stability of a library of diverse mRNAs. We find that, surprisingly, in-cell stability is a greater driver of protein output than high ribosome load. We further introduce a method called In-line-seq, applied to thousands of diverse RNAs, that reveals sequence and structure-based rules for mitigating hydrolytic degradation. Our findings show that highly structured “superfolder” mRNAs can be designed to improve both stability and expression with further enhancement through pseudouridine nucleoside modification. Together, our study demonstrates simultaneous improvement of mRNA stability and protein expression and provides a computational-experimental platform for the enhancement of mRNA medicines. The authors develop an RNA sequencing-based platform, PERSIST-seq, to simultaneously delineate in-cell mRNA stability, ribosome load, and in-solution stability of a diverse mRNA library to derive design principles for improved mRNA therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Leppek
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Gun Woo Byeon
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Wipapat Kladwang
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | | | - Craig H Kerr
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Adele F Xu
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Do Soon Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ved V Topkar
- Program in Biophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Christian Choe
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Daphna Rothschild
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Gerald C Tiu
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | | | - Kotaro Fujii
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Eesha Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Andrew M Watkins
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - John J Nicol
- Eterna Massive Open Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jonathan Romano
- Eterna Massive Open Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Department of Computer Science and Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, 14260, USA
| | - Bojan Tunguz
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,NVIDIA Corporation, 2788 San Tomas Expy, Santa Clara, CA, 95051, USA
| | - Fernando Diaz
- Pfizer Vaccine Research and Development, Pearl River, NY, USA
| | - Hui Cai
- Pfizer Vaccine Research and Development, Pearl River, NY, USA
| | - Pengbo Guo
- Pfizer Vaccine Research and Development, Pearl River, NY, USA
| | - Jiewei Wu
- Pfizer Vaccine Research and Development, Pearl River, NY, USA
| | - Fanyu Meng
- Pfizer Vaccine Research and Development, Pearl River, NY, USA
| | - Shuai Shi
- Pfizer Vaccine Research and Development, Pearl River, NY, USA
| | - Eterna Participants
- Eterna Massive Open Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Philip R Dormitzer
- Pfizer Vaccine Research and Development, Pearl River, NY, USA.,GlaxoSmithKline, 1000 Winter St., Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | | | - Maria Barna
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Rhiju Das
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA. .,Program in Biophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA. .,Eterna Massive Open Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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49
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Kassaw TK, Paton AJ, Peers G. Episome-Based Gene Expression Modulation Platform in the Model Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:191-204. [PMID: 35015507 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Chemically inducible gene expression systems have been an integral part of the advanced synthetic genetic circuit design and are employed for precise dynamic control over genetically engineered traits. However, the current systems for controlling transgene expression in most algae are limited to endogenous promoters that respond to different environmental factors. We developed a highly efficient, tunable, and reversible episome-based transcriptional control system in the model diatom alga, Phaeodactylum tricornutum. We assessed the time- and dose-response dynamics of each expression system using a reporter protein (eYFP) as a readout. Using our circuit configuration, we found two inducible expression systems with a high dynamic range and confirmed the suitability of an episome expression platform for synthetic biological applications in diatoms. These systems are controlled by the presence of β-estradiol and digoxin. Addition of either chemical to transgenic strains activates transcription with a dynamic range of up to ∼180-fold and ∼90-fold, respectively. We demonstrated that our episome-based transcriptional control systems are tunable and reversible in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we also confirmed that inducer-dependent transcriptional activation starts within minutes of inducer application without any detectable transcript in the uninduced controls. The system described here expands the molecular and synthetic biology toolkits in algae and will facilitate future gene discovery and metabolic engineering efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessema K. Kassaw
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Andrew J. Paton
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Graham Peers
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
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50
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Castillo-Hair SM, Seelig G. Machine Learning for Designing Next-Generation mRNA Therapeutics. Acc Chem Res 2022; 55:24-34. [PMID: 34905691 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Over just the last 2 years, mRNA therapeutics and vaccines have undergone a rapid transition from an intriguing concept to real-world impact. However, whereas some aspects of mRNA therapeutics, such as the use of chemical modifications to increase stability and reduce immunogenicity, have been extensively optimized for over two decades, other aspects, particularly the selection and design of the noncoding leader and trailer sequences which control translation efficiency and stability, have received comparably less attention. In practice, such 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) are often borrowed from highly expressed human genes with few or no modifications, as in the case for the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine. Focusing on the 5'UTR, we here argue that model-driven design is a promising alternative that provides unprecedented control over 5'UTR function. We review recent work that combines synthetic biology with machine learning to build quantitative models that relate ribosome loading, and thus translation efficiency, to the 5'UTR sequence. We first introduce an experimental approach that uses polysome profiling and high-throughput sequencing to quantify ribosome loading for hundreds of thousands of 5'UTRs in parallel. We apply this approach to measure ribosome loading in synthetic RNA libraries with a random sequence inserted into the 5'UTR. We then review Optimus 5-Prime, a convolutional neural network model trained on the experimental data. We highlight that very accurate models of biological regulation can be learned from synthetic data sets with degenerate 5'UTRs. We validate model predictions not only on held-out data sets from our random library but also on a large library of over 30 000 human 5'UTR fragments and using translation reporter data collected independently by other groups. Both the experiment and model are compatible with commonly used chemically modified nucleosides, in particular, pseudouridine (Ψ) and 1-methyl-pseudouridine (m1Ψ). We find that, in general, 5'UTRs have very similar impacts when combined with different protein-coding sequences and even in the context of different chemical modifications. We demonstrate that Optimus 5-Prime can be combined with design algorithms to generate de novo sequences with precisely defined translation efficiencies. We emphasize recent developments in design algorithms that rely on activation maximization and generative modeling to improve both the fitness and diversity of designed sequences. Compared with prior approaches such as genetic algorithms, we show that these approaches are not only faster but also less likely to get stuck in local sequence optima. Finally, we discuss how the approach reviewed here can be generalized to other gene regions and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian M. Castillo-Hair
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- eScience Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Georg Seelig
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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