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Fan X, Lei Y, Wang L, Wu X, Li D. Advancing CRISPR base editing technology through innovative strategies and ideas. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024:10.1007/s11427-024-2699-5. [PMID: 39231901 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-024-2699-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
The innovation of CRISPR/Cas gene editing technology has developed rapidly in recent years. It is widely used in the fields of disease animal model construction, biological breeding, disease diagnosis and screening, gene therapy, cell localization, cell lineage tracking, synthetic biology, information storage, etc. However, developing idealized editors in various fields is still a goal for future development. This article focuses on the development and innovation of non-DSB editors BE and PE in the platform-based CRISPR system. It first explains the application of ideas for improvement such as "substitution", "combination", "adaptation", and "adjustment" in BE and PE development and then catalogues the ingenious inversions and leaps of thought reflected in the innovations made to CRISPR technology. It will then elaborate on the efforts currently being made to develop small editors to solve the problem of AAV overload and summarize the current application status of editors for in vivo gene modification using AAV as a delivery system. Finally, it summarizes the inspiration brought by CRISPR/Cas innovation and assesses future prospects for development of an idealized editor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiongwei Fan
- The Center for Heart Development, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Yang Lei
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Liren Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| | - Xiushan Wu
- The Center for Heart Development, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Targeted Prevention and Treatment of Heart Disease, Guangzhou, 510100, China.
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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2
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Yang L, Huo Y, Wang M, Zhang D, Zhang T, Wu H, Rao X, Meng H, Yin S, Mei J, Zhang D, Chen X, Lv J, Liu M, Cheng Y, Guan Y, Feng B, Song G, Yi C, Liu M, Zeng F, Wang L, Li D. Engineering APOBEC3A deaminase for highly accurate and efficient base editing. Nat Chem Biol 2024; 20:1176-1187. [PMID: 38553609 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-024-01595-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/30/2024]
Abstract
Cytosine base editors (CBEs) are effective tools for introducing C-to-T base conversions, but their clinical applications are limited by off-target and bystander effects. Through structure-guided engineering of human APOBEC3A (A3A) deaminase, we developed highly accurate A3A-CBE (haA3A-CBE) variants that efficiently generate C-to-T conversion with a narrow editing window and near-background level of DNA and RNA off-target activity, irrespective of methylation status and sequence context. The engineered deaminase domains are compatible with PAM-relaxed SpCas9-NG variant, enabling accurate correction of pathogenic mutations in homopolymeric cytosine sites through flexible positioning of the single-guide RNAs. Dual adeno-associated virus delivery of one haA3A-CBE variant to a mouse model of tyrosinemia induced up to 58.1% editing in liver tissues with minimal bystander editing, which was further reduced through single dose of lipid nanoparticle-based messenger RNA delivery of haA3A-CBEs. These results highlight the tremendous promise of haA3A-CBEs for precise genome editing to treat human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanan Huo
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Man Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianai Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xichen Rao
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Haowei Meng
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuming Yin
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiale Mei
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dexin Zhang
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Chen
- BRL Medicine Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Lv
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meizhen Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiyun Cheng
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuting Guan
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Feng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Gaojie Song
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengqi Yi
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- BRL Medicine Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Fanyi Zeng
- Department of Histo-Embryology, Genetics and Developmental Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Liren Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
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3
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Xue N, Hong D, Zhang D, Wang Q, Zhang S, Yang L, Chen X, Li Y, Han H, Hu C, Liu M, Song G, Guan Y, Wang L, Zhu Y, Li D. Engineering IscB to develop highly efficient miniature editing tools in mammalian cells and embryos. Mol Cell 2024; 84:3128-3140.e4. [PMID: 39096898 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
The IscB proteins, as the ancestors of Cas9 endonuclease, hold great promise due to their small size and potential for diverse genome editing. However, their activity in mammalian cells is unsatisfactory. By introducing three residual substitutions in IscB, we observed an average 7.5-fold increase in activity. Through fusing a sequence-non-specific DNA-binding protein domain, the eIscB-D variant achieved higher editing efficiency, with a maximum of 91.3%. Moreover, engineered ωRNA was generated with a 20% reduction in length and slightly increased efficiency. The engineered eIscB-D/eωRNA system showed an average 20.2-fold increase in activity compared with the original IscB. Furthermore, we successfully adapted eIscB-D for highly efficient cytosine and adenine base editing. Notably, eIscB-D is highly active in mouse cell lines and embryos, enabling the efficient generation of disease models through mRNA/ωRNA injection. Our study suggests that these miniature genome-editing tools have great potential for diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niannian Xue
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dishan Hong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shun Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Bioray Laboratories Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Yongmei Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Honghui Han
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyi Hu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Precision Medicine Translational Research Programme (TRP), National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Bioray Laboratories Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Gaojie Song
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuting Guan
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liren Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yifan Zhu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
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4
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Zhang G, Song Z, Huang S, Wang Y, Sun J, Qiao L, Li G, Feng Y, Han W, Tang J, Chen Y, Huang X, Liu F, Wang X, Liu J. nCas9 Engineering for Improved Target Interaction Presents an Effective Strategy to Enhance Base Editing. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2405426. [PMID: 38881503 PMCID: PMC11336945 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202405426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Base editors (BEs) are a recent generation of genome editing tools that couple a cytidine or adenosine deaminase activity to a catalytically impaired Cas9 moiety (nCas9) to enable specific base conversions at the targeted genomic loci. Given their strong application potential, BEs are under active developments toward greater levels of efficiency and safety. Here, a previously overlooked nCas9-centric strategy is explored for enhancement of BE. Based on a cytosine BE (CBE), 20 point mutations associated with nCas9-target interaction are tested. Subsequently, from the initial positive X-to-arginine hits, combinatorial modifications are applied to establish further enhanced CBE variants (1.1-1.3). Parallel nCas9 modifications in other versions of CBEs including A3A-Y130F-BE4max, YEE-BE4max, CGBE, and split-AncBE4max, as well as in the context of two adenine BEs (ABE), likewise enhance their respective activities. The same strategy also substantially improves the efficiencies of high-fidelity nCas9/BEs. Further evidence confirms that the stabilization of nCas9-substrate interactions underlies the enhanced BE activities. In support of their translational potential, the engineered CBE and ABE variants respectively enable 82% and 25% higher rates of editing than the controls in primary human T-cells. This study thus demonstrates a highly adaptable strategy for enhancing BE, and for optimizing other forms of Cas9-derived tools.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ziguo Song
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio‐BreedingMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi ProvinceCollege of Animal Science and TechnologyNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi712100China
| | | | - Yafeng Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and ImmunologyNanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical SchoolNanjing UniversityNanjing210008China
| | - Jiayuan Sun
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio‐BreedingMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi ProvinceCollege of Animal Science and TechnologyNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi712100China
| | - Lu Qiao
- Zhejiang LabHangzhouZhejiang311121China
| | - Guanglei Li
- Gene Editing CenterSchool of Life Science and TechnologyShanghaiTech University100 Haike Rd., Pudong New AreaShanghai201210China
| | | | - Wei Han
- Zhejiang LabHangzhouZhejiang311121China
| | - Jin Tang
- Zhejiang LabHangzhouZhejiang311121China
| | - Yulin Chen
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio‐BreedingMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi ProvinceCollege of Animal Science and TechnologyNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi712100China
| | | | - Furui Liu
- Zhejiang LabHangzhouZhejiang311121China
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio‐BreedingMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi ProvinceCollege of Animal Science and TechnologyNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi712100China
| | - Jianghuai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease StudyModel Animal Research Center at Medical School of Nanjing UniversityNanjing210061China
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5
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Zheng Z, Liu T, Chai N, Zeng D, Zhang R, Wu Y, Hang J, Liu Y, Deng Q, Tan J, Liu J, Xie X, Liu YG, Zhu Q. PhieDBEs: a DBD-containing, PAM-flexible, high-efficiency dual base editor toolbox with wide targeting scope for use in plants. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024. [PMID: 39031643 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Dual base editors (DBEs) enable simultaneous A-to-G and C-to-T conversions, expanding mutation types. However, low editing efficiency and narrow targeting range limit the widespread use of DBEs in plants. The single-strand DNA binding domain of RAD51 DBD can be fused to base editors to improve their editing efficiency. However, it remains unclear how the DBD affects dual base editing performance in plants. In this study, we generated a series of novel plant DBE-SpGn tools consisting of nine constructs using the high-activity cytidine deaminase evoFERNY, adenosine deaminase TadA8e and DBD in various fusion modes with the PAM-flexible Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) nickase variant SpGn (with NG-PAM). By analysing their editing performance on 48 targets in rice, we found that DBE-SpGn constructs containing a single DBD and deaminases located at the N-terminus of SpGn exhibited the highest editing efficiencies. Meanwhile, constructs with deaminases located at the C-terminus and/or multiple DBDs failed to function normally and exhibited inhibited editing activity. We identified three particularly high-efficiency dual base editors (C-A-SpGn, C-A-D-SpGn and A-C-D-SpGn), named PhieDBEs (Plant high-efficiency dual base editors), capable of producing efficient dual base conversions within a narrow editing window (M5 ~ M9, M = A/C). The editing efficiency of C-A-D-SpGn was as high as 95.2% at certain target sites, with frequencies of simultaneous C-to-T and A-to-G conversions as high as 81.0%. In summary, PhieDBEs (especially C-A-D-SpGn) can produce diverse mutants and may prove useful in a wide variety of applications, including plant functional genomics, precise mutagenesis, directed evolution and crop genetic improvement, among others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiye Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Taoli Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nan Chai
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongchang Zeng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Landscape Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization in Lijiang River Basin, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
| | - Ruixiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaxuan Hang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuxin Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qindi Deng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiantao Tan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Rice Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of High-Quality Rice in Southern China (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of New Technology in Rice Breeding, Guangdong Rice Engineering Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jialin Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianrong Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yao-Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qinlong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Xiao MS, Damodaran AP, Kumari B, Dickson E, Xing K, On TA, Parab N, King HE, Perez AR, Guiblet WM, Duncan G, Che A, Chari R, Andresson T, Vidigal JA, Weatheritt RJ, Aregger M, Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis T. Genome-scale exon perturbation screens uncover exons critical for cell fitness. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2553-2572.e19. [PMID: 38917794 PMCID: PMC11246229 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.05.024] [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: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas technology has transformed functional genomics, yet understanding of how individual exons differentially shape cellular phenotypes remains limited. Here, we optimized and conducted massively parallel exon deletion and splice-site mutation screens in human cell lines to identify exons that regulate cellular fitness. Fitness-promoting exons are prevalent in essential and highly expressed genes and commonly overlap with protein domains and interaction interfaces. Conversely, fitness-suppressing exons are enriched in nonessential genes, exhibiting lower inclusion levels, and overlap with intrinsically disordered regions and disease-associated mutations. In-depth mechanistic investigation of the screen-hit TAF5 alternative exon-8 revealed that its inclusion is required for assembly of the TFIID general transcription initiation complex, thereby regulating global gene expression output. Collectively, our orthogonal exon perturbation screens established a comprehensive repository of phenotypically important exons and uncovered regulatory mechanisms governing cellular fitness and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Sheng Xiao
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Arun Prasath Damodaran
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Bandana Kumari
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Ethan Dickson
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Kun Xing
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Tyler A On
- Molecular Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Nikhil Parab
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Helen E King
- EMBL Australia and Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Alexendar R Perez
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Wilfried M Guiblet
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Gerard Duncan
- Protein Characterization Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Anney Che
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Raj Chari
- Genome Modification Core, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Thorkell Andresson
- Protein Characterization Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Joana A Vidigal
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Robert J Weatheritt
- EMBL Australia and Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Michael Aregger
- Molecular Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Thomas Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
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7
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Liu Y, Kong J, Liu G, Li Z, Xiao Y. Precise Gene Knock-In Tools with Minimized Risk of DSBs: A Trend for Gene Manipulation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2401797. [PMID: 38728624 PMCID: PMC11267366 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202401797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Gene knock-in refers to the insertion of exogenous functional genes into a target genome to achieve continuous expression. Currently, most knock-in tools are based on site-directed nucleases, which can induce double-strand breaks (DSBs) at the target, following which the designed donors carrying functional genes can be inserted via the endogenous gene repair pathway. The size of donor genes is limited by the characteristics of gene repair, and the DSBs induce risks like genotoxicity. New generation tools, such as prime editing, transposase, and integrase, can insert larger gene fragments while minimizing or eliminating the risk of DSBs, opening new avenues in the development of animal models and gene therapy. However, the elimination of off-target events and the production of delivery carriers with precise requirements remain challenging, restricting the application of the current knock-in treatments to mainly in vitro settings. Here, a comprehensive review of the knock-in tools that do not/minimally rely on DSBs and use other mechanisms is provided. Moreover, the challenges and recent advances of in vivo knock-in treatments in terms of the therapeutic process is discussed. Collectively, the new generation of DSBs-minimizing and large-fragment knock-in tools has revolutionized the field of gene editing, from basic research to clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfeng Liu
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- Mudi Meng Honors CollegeChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Jianping Kong
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Gongyu Liu
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Zhaoxing Li
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical UniversityChongqing401135China
| | - Yibei Xiao
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical UniversityChongqing401135China
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8
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Villiger L, Joung J, Koblan L, Weissman J, Abudayyeh OO, Gootenberg JS. CRISPR technologies for genome, epigenome and transcriptome editing. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:464-487. [PMID: 38308006 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00697-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Our ability to edit genomes lags behind our capacity to sequence them, but the growing understanding of CRISPR biology and its application to genome, epigenome and transcriptome engineering is narrowing this gap. In this Review, we discuss recent developments of various CRISPR-based systems that can transiently or permanently modify the genome and the transcriptome. The discovery of further CRISPR enzymes and systems through functional metagenomics has meaningfully broadened the applicability of CRISPR-based editing. Engineered Cas variants offer diverse capabilities such as base editing, prime editing, gene insertion and gene regulation, thereby providing a panoply of tools for the scientific community. We highlight the strengths and weaknesses of current CRISPR tools, considering their efficiency, precision, specificity, reliance on cellular DNA repair mechanisms and their applications in both fundamental biology and therapeutics. Finally, we discuss ongoing clinical trials that illustrate the potential impact of CRISPR systems on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Villiger
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Julia Joung
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Luke Koblan
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Weissman
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Omar O Abudayyeh
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Jonathan S Gootenberg
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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9
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Cowan QT, Gu S, Gu W, Ranzau BL, Simonson TS, Komor AC. Development of multiplexed orthogonal base editor (MOBE) systems. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02240-0. [PMID: 38773305 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02240-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Base editors (BEs) enable efficient, programmable installation of point mutations while avoiding the use of double-strand breaks. Simultaneous application of two or more different BEs, such as an adenine BE (which converts A·T base pairs to G·C) and a cytosine BE (which converts C·G base pairs to T·A), is not feasible because guide RNA crosstalk results in non-orthogonal editing, with all BEs modifying all target loci. Here we engineer both adenine BEs and cytosine BEs that can be orthogonally multiplexed by using RNA aptamer-coat protein systems to recruit the DNA-modifying enzymes directly to the guide RNAs. We generate four multiplexed orthogonal BE systems that enable rates of precise co-occurring edits of up to 7.1% in the same DNA strand without enrichment or selection strategies. The addition of a fluorescent enrichment strategy increases co-occurring edit rates up to 24.8% in human cells. These systems are compatible with expanded protospacer adjacent motif and high-fidelity Cas9 variants, function well in multiple cell types, have equivalent or reduced off-target propensities compared with their parental systems and can model disease-relevant point mutation combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn T Cowan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sifeng Gu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Wanjun Gu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine, and Physiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Brodie L Ranzau
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tatum S Simonson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine, and Physiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alexis C Komor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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10
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Zhang D, Boch J. Development of TALE-adenine base editors in plants. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:1067-1077. [PMID: 37997697 PMCID: PMC11022790 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Base editors enable precise nucleotide changes at targeted genomic loci without requiring double-stranded DNA breaks or repair templates. TALE-adenine base editors (TALE-ABEs) are genome editing tools, composed of a DNA-binding domain from transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs), an engineered adenosine deaminase (TadA8e), and a cytosine deaminase domain (DddA), that allow A•T-to-G•C editing in human mitochondrial DNA. However, the editing ability of TALE-ABEs in plants apart from chloroplast DNA has not been described, so far, and the functional role how DddA enhances TadA8e is still unclear. We tested a series of TALE-ABEs with different deaminase fusion architectures in Nicotiana benthamiana and rice. The results indicate that the double-stranded DNA-specific cytosine deaminase DddA can boost the activities of single-stranded DNA-specific deaminases (TadA8e or APOBEC3A) on double-stranded DNA. We analysed A•T-to-G•C editing efficiencies in a β-glucuronidase reporter system and showed precise adenine editing in genomic regions with high product purity in rice protoplasts. Furthermore, we have successfully regenerated rice plants with A•T-to-G•C mutations in the chloroplast genome using TALE-ABE. Consequently, TALE-adenine base editors provide alternatives for crop improvement and gene therapy by editing nuclear or organellar genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingbo Zhang
- Institute of Plant GeneticsLeibniz Universität HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Jens Boch
- Institute of Plant GeneticsLeibniz Universität HannoverHannoverGermany
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11
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Zhang D, Pries V, Boch J. Targeted C•G-to-T•A base editing with TALE-cytosine deaminases in plants. BMC Biol 2024; 22:99. [PMID: 38679734 PMCID: PMC11057107 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01895-0] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND TALE-derived DddA-based cytosine base editors (TALE-DdCBEs) can perform efficient base editing of mitochondria and chloroplast genomes. They use transcription activator-like effector (TALE) arrays as programmable DNA-binding domains and a split version of the double-strand DNA cytidine deaminase (DddA) to catalyze C•G-to-T•A editing. This technology has not been optimized for use in plant cells. RESULTS To systematically investigate TALE-DdCBE architectures and editing rules, we established a β-glucuronidase reporter for transient assays in Nicotiana benthamiana. We show that TALE-DdCBEs function with distinct spacer lengths between the DNA-binding sites of their two TALE parts. Compared to canonical DddA, TALE-DdCBEs containing evolved DddA variants (DddA6 or DddA11) showed a significant improvement in editing efficiency in Nicotiana benthamiana and rice. Moreover, TALE-DdCBEs containing DddA11 have broader sequence compatibility for non-TC target editing. We have successfully regenerated rice with C•G-to-T•A conversions in their chloroplast genome, as well as N. benthamiana with C•G-to-T•A editing in the nuclear genome using TALE-DdCBE. We also found that the spontaneous assembly of split DddA halves can cause undesired editing by TALE-DdCBEs in plants. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, our results refined the targeting scope of TALE-DdCBEs and successfully applied them to target the chloroplast and nuclear genomes. Our study expands the base editing toolbox in plants and further defines parameters to optimize TALE-DdCBEs for high-fidelity crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingbo Zhang
- Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Plant Genetics, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, Hannover, 30419, Germany
| | - Vanessa Pries
- Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Plant Genetics, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, Hannover, 30419, Germany
| | - Jens Boch
- Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Plant Genetics, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, Hannover, 30419, Germany.
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12
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Zhang ML, Li HB, Jin Y. Application and perspective of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology in human diseases modeling and gene therapy. Front Genet 2024; 15:1364742. [PMID: 38666293 PMCID: PMC11043577 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1364742] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR) mediated Cas9 nuclease system has been extensively used for genome editing and gene modification in eukaryotic cells. CRISPR/Cas9 technology holds great potential for various applications, including the correction of genetic defects or mutations within the human genome. The application of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system in human disease research is anticipated to solve a multitude of intricate molecular biology challenges encountered in life science research. Here, we review the fundamental principles underlying CRISPR/Cas9 technology and its recent application in neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune related diseases, and cancer, focusing on the disease modeling and gene therapy potential of CRISPR/Cas9 in these diseases. Finally, we provide an overview of the limitations and future prospects associated with employing CRISPR/Cas9 technology for diseases study and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man-Ling Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Pathogenesis and Diagnosis of Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Hong-Bin Li
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Pathogenesis and Diagnosis of Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yong Jin
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Pathogenesis and Diagnosis of Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
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13
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Wang X, Li L, Guo L, Feng Y, Du Z, Jiang W, Wu X, Zheng J, Xiao X, Zheng H, Sun Y, Ma H. Robust miniature Cas-based transcriptional modulation by engineering Un1Cas12f1 and tethering Sso7d. Mol Ther 2024; 32:910-919. [PMID: 38351611 PMCID: PMC11163271 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.02.013] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The miniature V-F CRISPR-Cas12f system has been repurposed for gene editing and transcription modulation. The small size of Cas12f satisfies the packaging capacity of adeno-associated virus (AAV) for gene therapy. However, the efficiency of Cas12f-mediated transcriptional activation varies among different target sites. Here, we developed a robust miniature Cas-based transcriptional activation or silencing system using Un1Cas12f1. We engineered Un1Cas12f1 and the cognate guide RNA and generated miniCRa, which led to a 1,319-fold increase in the activation of the ASCL1 gene. The activity can be further increased by tethering DNA-binding protein Sso7d to miniCRa and generating SminiCRa, which reached a 5,628-fold activation of the ASCL1 gene and at least hundreds-fold activation at other genes examined. We adopted these mutations of Un1Cas12f1 for transcriptional repression and generated miniCRi or SminiCRi, which led to the repression of ∼80% on average of eight genes. We generated an all-in-one AAV vector AIOminiCRi used to silence the disease-related gene SERPINA1. AIOminiCRi AAVs led to the 70% repression of the SERPINA1 gene in the Huh-7 cells. In summary, miniCRa, SminiCRa, miniCRi, and SminiCRi are robust miniature transcriptional modulators with high specificity that expand the toolbox for biomedical research and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangnan Wang
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingyun Li
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Guo
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Feng
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Wei Jiang
- Belief Biomed (Shanghai), Shanghai, China
| | - Xia Wu
- School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zheng
- Belief Biomed (Shanghai), Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Belief Biomed (Shanghai), Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yadong Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanhui Ma
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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14
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Chen L, Hong M, Luan C, Gao H, Ru G, Guo X, Zhang D, Zhang S, Li C, Wu J, Randolph PB, Sousa AA, Qu C, Zhu Y, Guan Y, Wang L, Liu M, Feng B, Song G, Liu DR, Li D. Adenine transversion editors enable precise, efficient A•T-to-C•G base editing in mammalian cells and embryos. Nat Biotechnol 2024; 42:638-650. [PMID: 37322276 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01821-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Base editors have substantial promise in basic research and as therapeutic agents for the correction of pathogenic mutations. The development of adenine transversion editors has posed a particular challenge. Here we report a class of base editors that enable efficient adenine transversion, including precise A•T-to-C•G editing. We found that a fusion of mouse alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (mAAG) with nickase Cas9 and deaminase TadA-8e catalyzed adenosine transversion in specific sequence contexts. Laboratory evolution of mAAG significantly increased A-to-C/T conversion efficiency up to 73% and expanded the targeting scope. Further engineering yielded adenine-to-cytosine base editors (ACBEs), including a high-accuracy ACBE-Q variant, that precisely install A-to-C transversions with minimal Cas9-independent off-targeting effects. ACBEs mediated high-efficiency installation or correction of five pathogenic mutations in mouse embryos and human cell lines. Founder mice showed 44-56% average A-to-C edits and allelic frequencies of up to 100%. Adenosine transversion editors substantially expand the capabilities and possible applications of base editing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengjia Hong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Changming Luan
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyi Gao
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gaomeng Ru
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyuan Guo
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dujuan Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shun Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Changwei Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases with Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peyton B Randolph
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexander A Sousa
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Chao Qu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifan Zhu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuting Guan
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liren Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- BRL Medicine, Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Feng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gaojie Song
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - David R Liu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
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15
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Xu F, Zheng C, Xu W, Zhang S, Liu S, Chen X, Yao K. Breaking genetic shackles: The advance of base editing in genetic disorder treatment. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1364135. [PMID: 38510648 PMCID: PMC10953296 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1364135] [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: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid evolution of gene editing technology has markedly improved the outlook for treating genetic diseases. Base editing, recognized as an exceptionally precise genetic modification tool, is emerging as a focus in the realm of genetic disease therapy. We provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamental principles and delivery methods of cytosine base editors (CBE), adenine base editors (ABE), and RNA base editors, with a particular focus on their applications and recent research advances in the treatment of genetic diseases. We have also explored the potential challenges faced by base editing technology in treatment, including aspects such as targeting specificity, safety, and efficacy, and have enumerated a series of possible solutions to propel the clinical translation of base editing technology. In conclusion, this article not only underscores the present state of base editing technology but also envisions its tremendous potential in the future, providing a novel perspective on the treatment of genetic diseases. It underscores the vast potential of base editing technology in the realm of genetic medicine, providing support for the progression of gene medicine and the development of innovative approaches to genetic disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Xu
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Caiyan Zheng
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Weihui Xu
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shiyao Zhang
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shanshan Liu
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaopeng Chen
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kai Yao
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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16
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Singh K, Bhushan B, Kumar S, Singh S, Macadangdang RR, Pandey E, Varma AK, Kumar S. Precision Genome Editing Techniques in Gene Therapy: Current State and Future Prospects. Curr Gene Ther 2024; 24:377-394. [PMID: 38258771 DOI: 10.2174/0115665232279528240115075352] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Precision genome editing is a rapidly evolving field in gene therapy, allowing for the precise modification of genetic material. The CRISPR and Cas systems, particularly the CRISPRCas9 system, have revolutionized genetic research and therapeutic development by enabling precise changes like single-nucleotide substitutions, insertions, and deletions. This technology has the potential to correct disease-causing mutations at their source, allowing for the treatment of various genetic diseases. Programmable nucleases like CRISPR-Cas9, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) can be used to restore normal gene function, paving the way for novel therapeutic interventions. However, challenges, such as off-target effects, unintended modifications, and ethical concerns surrounding germline editing, require careful consideration and mitigation strategies. Researchers are exploring innovative solutions, such as enhanced nucleases, refined delivery methods, and improved bioinformatics tools for predicting and minimizing off-target effects. The prospects of precision genome editing in gene therapy are promising, with continued research and innovation expected to refine existing techniques and uncover new therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuldeep Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Rajiv Academy for Pharmacy, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Bharat Bhushan
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sunil Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, P.K. University, Thanra, Karera, Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Supriya Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Babu Banarasi Das Northern India Institute of Technology, Faizabaad road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | - Ekta Pandey
- Department of Chemistry, Bundelkhand Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ajit Kumar Varma
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Rama University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shivendra Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Rajiv Academy for Pharmacy, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
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17
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Wang Z, Yuan H, Yang L, Ma L, Zhang Y, Deng J, Li X, Xiao W, Li Z, Qiu J, Ouyang H, Pang D. Decreasing predictable DNA off-target effects and narrowing editing windows of adenine base editors by fusing human Rad18 protein variant. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127418. [PMID: 37848112 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127418] [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: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Adenine base editors, enabling targeted A-to-G conversion in genomic DNA, have enormous potential in therapeutic applications. However, the currently used adenine base editors are limited by wide editing windows and off-target effects in genetic therapy. Here, we report human e18 protein, a RING type E3 ubiquitin ligase variant, fusing with adenine base editors can significantly improve the preciseness and narrow the editing windows compared with ABEmax and ABE8e by diminishing the abundance of base editor protein. As a proof of concept, ABEmax-e18 and ABE8e-e18 dramatically decrease Cas9-dependent and Cas9-independent off-target effects than traditional adenine base editors. Moreover, we utilized ABEmax-e18 to establish syndactyly mouse models and achieve accurate base conversion at human PCSK9 locus in HepG2 cells which exhibited its potential in genetic therapy. Furthermore, a truncated version of base editors-RING (ABEmax-RING or AncBE4max-RING), which fusing the 63 amino acids of e18 protein RING domain to the C terminal of ABEmax or AncBE4max, exhibited similar effect compared to ABEmax-e18 or AncBE4max-e18.In summary, the e18 or RING protein fused with base editors strengthens the precise toolbox in gene modification and maybe works well with various base editing tools with a more applicable to precise genetic therapies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziru Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Hongming Yuan
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China; Chongqing Research Institute, Jilin University, Chongqing 401123, China; Chongqing Jitang Biotechnology Research Institute, Chongqing 401123, China.
| | - Lin Yang
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Lerong Ma
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Yuanzhu Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Jiacheng Deng
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Xueyuan Li
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Wenyu Xiao
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Zhanjun Li
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Jiazhang Qiu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Hongsheng Ouyang
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China; Chongqing Research Institute, Jilin University, Chongqing 401123, China; Chongqing Jitang Biotechnology Research Institute, Chongqing 401123, China.
| | - Daxin Pang
- College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China; Chongqing Research Institute, Jilin University, Chongqing 401123, China; Chongqing Jitang Biotechnology Research Institute, Chongqing 401123, China.
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18
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Han W, Gao BQ, Zhu J, He Z, Li J, Yang L, Chen J. Design and application of the transformer base editor in mammalian cells and mice. Nat Protoc 2023; 18:3194-3228. [PMID: 37794072 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-023-00877-w] [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: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Fusing apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like cytidine deaminase with catalytically impaired Cas proteins (e.g., nCas9 or dCas9) provides a novel gene-editing technology, base editing, that grants targeted base substitutions with high efficiency. However, genome-wide and transcriptome-wide off-target mutations are observed in base editing, which raises safety concerns regarding therapeutic applications. Previously, we developed a new base editing system, the transformer base editor (tBE), to induce efficient editing with no observable genome-wide or transcriptome-wide off-target mutations both in mammalian cells and in mice. Here we describe a detailed protocol for the design and application of the tBE. Steps for designing single-guide RNA (sgRNA) and helper sgRNA pairs, making constructs, determining the genome-wide and transcriptome-wide off-target mutations, producing the tBE-containing adeno-associated viruses, delivering adeno-associated viruses into mice and examining the in vivo editing effects are included in this protocol. High-precision base editing by the tBE can be completed within 2-3 weeks (in mammalian cells) or within 6-8 weeks (in mice), with sgRNA-helper sgRNA pairs. The whole process can be collaboratively accomplished by researchers using standard techniques from molecular biology, bioinformatics and mouse husbandry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyan Han
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bao-Qing Gao
- Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Children's Hospital, Fudan University and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junjie Zhu
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zongxing He
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianfeng Li
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Li Yang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Children's Hospital, Fudan University and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jia Chen
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai, China.
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19
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Rieffer AE, Chen Y, Salamango DJ, Moraes SN, Harris RS. APOBEC Reporter Systems for Evaluating diNucleotide Editing Levels. CRISPR J 2023; 6:430-446. [PMID: 37672599 PMCID: PMC10611974 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2023.0027] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision genome editing has become a reality with the discovery of base editors. Cytosine base editor (CBE) technologies are improving rapidly but are mostly optimized for TC dinucleotide targets. Here, we report the development and implementation of APOBEC Reporter Systems for Evaluating diNucleotide Editing Levels (ARSENEL) in living cells. The ARSENEL panel is comprised of four constructs that quantitatively report editing of each of the four dinucleotide motifs (AC/CC/GC/TC) through real-time accumulation of eGFP fluorescence. Editing rates of APOBEC3Bctd and AIDΔC CBEs reflect established mechanistic preferences with intrinsic biases to TC and GC, respectively. Twelve different (new and established) base editors are tested here using this system with a full-length APOBEC3B CBE showing the greatest on-target TC specificity and an APOBEC3A construct showing the highest editing efficiency. In addition, ARSENEL enables real-time assessment of natural and synthetic APOBEC inhibitors with the most potent to-date being the large subunit of the Epstein-Barr virus ribonucleotide reductase. These reporters have the potential to play important roles in research and development as precision genome engineering technologies progress toward achieving maximal specificity and efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E. Rieffer
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Yanjun Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; and University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Daniel J. Salamango
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Sofia N. Moraes
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Reuben S. Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; and University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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20
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Chawla R, Poonia A, Samantara K, Mohapatra SR, Naik SB, Ashwath MN, Djalovic IG, Prasad PVV. Green revolution to genome revolution: driving better resilient crops against environmental instability. Front Genet 2023; 14:1204585. [PMID: 37719711 PMCID: PMC10500607 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1204585] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Crop improvement programmes began with traditional breeding practices since the inception of agriculture. Farmers and plant breeders continue to use these strategies for crop improvement due to their broad application in modifying crop genetic compositions. Nonetheless, conventional breeding has significant downsides in regard to effort and time. Crop productivity seems to be hitting a plateau as a consequence of environmental issues and the scarcity of agricultural land. Therefore, continuous pursuit of advancement in crop improvement is essential. Recent technical innovations have resulted in a revolutionary shift in the pattern of breeding methods, leaning further towards molecular approaches. Among the promising approaches, marker-assisted selection, QTL mapping, omics-assisted breeding, genome-wide association studies and genome editing have lately gained prominence. Several governments have progressively relaxed their restrictions relating to genome editing. The present review highlights the evolutionary and revolutionary approaches that have been utilized for crop improvement in a bid to produce climate-resilient crops observing the consequence of climate change. Additionally, it will contribute to the comprehension of plant breeding succession so far. Investing in advanced sequencing technologies and bioinformatics will deepen our understanding of genetic variations and their functional implications, contributing to breakthroughs in crop improvement and biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rukoo Chawla
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Atman Poonia
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Bawal, Haryana, India
| | - Kajal Samantara
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Sourav Ranjan Mohapatra
- Department of Forest Biology and Tree Improvement, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - S. Balaji Naik
- Institute of Integrative Biology and Systems, University of Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - M. N. Ashwath
- Department of Forest Biology and Tree Improvement, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala, India
| | - Ivica G. Djalovic
- Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - P. V. Vara Prasad
- Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
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21
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Lue NZ, Liau BB. Base editor screens for in situ mutational scanning at scale. Mol Cell 2023; 83:2167-2187. [PMID: 37390819 PMCID: PMC10330937 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
A fundamental challenge in biology is understanding the molecular details of protein function. How mutations alter protein activity, regulation, and response to drugs is of critical importance to human health. Recent years have seen the emergence of pooled base editor screens for in situ mutational scanning: the interrogation of protein sequence-function relationships by directly perturbing endogenous proteins in live cells. These studies have revealed the effects of disease-associated mutations, discovered novel drug resistance mechanisms, and generated biochemical insights into protein function. Here, we discuss how this "base editor scanning" approach has been applied to diverse biological questions, compare it with alternative techniques, and describe the emerging challenges that must be addressed to maximize its utility. Given its broad applicability toward profiling mutations across the proteome, base editor scanning promises to revolutionize the investigation of proteins in their native contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Z Lue
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Brian B Liau
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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22
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Liang Y, Chen F, Wang K, Lai L. Base editors: development and applications in biomedicine. Front Med 2023; 17:359-387. [PMID: 37434066 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-023-1013-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Base editor (BE) is a gene-editing tool developed by combining the CRISPR/Cas system with an individual deaminase, enabling precise single-base substitution in DNA or RNA without generating a DNA double-strand break (DSB) or requiring donor DNA templates in living cells. Base editors offer more precise and secure genome-editing effects than other conventional artificial nuclease systems, such as CRISPR/Cas9, as the DSB induced by Cas9 will cause severe damage to the genome. Thus, base editors have important applications in the field of biomedicine, including gene function investigation, directed protein evolution, genetic lineage tracing, disease modeling, and gene therapy. Since the development of the two main base editors, cytosine base editors (CBEs) and adenine base editors (ABEs), scientists have developed more than 100 optimized base editors with improved editing efficiency, precision, specificity, targeting scope, and capacity to be delivered in vivo, greatly enhancing their application potential in biomedicine. Here, we review the recent development of base editors, summarize their applications in the biomedical field, and discuss future perspectives and challenges for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Liang
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory on Biomedicine and Health, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science and Innovation, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China
- Research Unit of Generation of Large Animal Disease Models, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU015), Guangzhou, 510530, China
- Sanya Institute of Swine Resource, Hainan Provincial Research Centre of Laboratory Animals, Sanya, 572000, China
| | - Fangbing Chen
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory on Biomedicine and Health, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science and Innovation, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China
- Research Unit of Generation of Large Animal Disease Models, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU015), Guangzhou, 510530, China
- Sanya Institute of Swine Resource, Hainan Provincial Research Centre of Laboratory Animals, Sanya, 572000, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, 529020, China
| | - Kepin Wang
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory on Biomedicine and Health, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science and Innovation, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China
- Research Unit of Generation of Large Animal Disease Models, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU015), Guangzhou, 510530, China
- Sanya Institute of Swine Resource, Hainan Provincial Research Centre of Laboratory Animals, Sanya, 572000, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, 529020, China
| | - Liangxue Lai
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory on Biomedicine and Health, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science and Innovation, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China.
- Research Unit of Generation of Large Animal Disease Models, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU015), Guangzhou, 510530, China.
- Sanya Institute of Swine Resource, Hainan Provincial Research Centre of Laboratory Animals, Sanya, 572000, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, 529020, China.
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23
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Chen L, Zhu B, Ru G, Meng H, Yan Y, Hong M, Zhang D, Luan C, Zhang S, Wu H, Gao H, Bai S, Li C, Ding R, Xue N, Lei Z, Chen Y, Guan Y, Siwko S, Cheng Y, Song G, Wang L, Yi C, Liu M, Li D. Re-engineering the adenine deaminase TadA-8e for efficient and specific CRISPR-based cytosine base editing. Nat Biotechnol 2023; 41:663-672. [PMID: 36357717 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01532-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Cytosine base editors (CBEs) efficiently generate precise C·G-to-T·A base conversions, but the activation-induced cytidine deaminase/apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like (AID/APOBEC) protein family deaminase component induces considerable off-target effects and indels. To explore unnatural cytosine deaminases, we repurpose the adenine deaminase TadA-8e for cytosine conversion. The introduction of an N46L variant in TadA-8e eliminates its adenine deaminase activity and results in a TadA-8e-derived C-to-G base editor (Td-CGBE) capable of highly efficient and precise C·G-to-G·C editing. Through fusion with uracil glycosylase inhibitors and further introduction of additional variants, a series of Td-CBEs was obtained either with a high activity similar to that of BE4max or with higher precision compared to other reported accurate CBEs. Td-CGBE/Td-CBEs show very low indel effects and a background level of Cas9-dependent or Cas9-independent DNA/RNA off-target editing. Moreover, Td-CGBE/Td-CBEs are more efficient in generating accurate edits in homopolymeric cytosine sites in cells or mouse embryos, suggesting their accuracy and safety for gene therapy and other applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Biyun Zhu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gaomeng Ru
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haowei Meng
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yongchang Yan
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengjia Hong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Changming Luan
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shun Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongyi Gao
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sijia Bai
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Changqing Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruoyi Ding
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Niannian Xue
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhixin Lei
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuting Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Genome Engineering and Therapy, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuting Guan
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Stefan Siwko
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yiyun Cheng
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gaojie Song
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liren Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengqi Yi
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
- BRL Medicine, Inc., Shanghai, China.
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
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24
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Major L, McClements ME, MacLaren RE. A Review of CRISPR Tools for Treating Usher Syndrome: Applicability, Safety, Efficiency, and In Vivo Delivery. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087603. [PMID: 37108761 PMCID: PMC10146473 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087603] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This review considers research into the treatment of Usher syndrome, a deaf-blindness syndrome inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Usher syndrome mutations are markedly heterogeneous, involving many different genes, and research grants are limited due to minimal patient populations. Furthermore, gene augmentation therapies are impossible in all but three Usher syndromes as the cDNA sequence exceeds the 4.7 kb AAV packaging limit. It is, therefore, vital to focus research efforts on alternative tools with the broadest applicability. The CRISPR field took off in recent years following the discovery of the DNA editing activity of Cas9 in 2012. New generations of CRISPR tools have succeeded the original CRISPR/Cas9 model to enable more sophisticated genomic amendments such as epigenetic modification and precise sequence alterations. This review will evaluate the most popular CRISPR tools to date: CRISPR/Cas9, base editing, and prime editing. It will consider these tools in terms of applicability (in relation to the ten most prevalent USH2A mutations), safety, efficiency, and in vivo delivery potential with the intention of guiding future research investment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Major
- Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Michelle E McClements
- Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Robert E MacLaren
- Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
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25
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Genome-engineering technologies for modeling and treatment of cystic fibrosis. Adv Med Sci 2023; 68:111-120. [PMID: 36917892 DOI: 10.1016/j.advms.2023.02.003] [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: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by defects in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. Due to the genetic nature of the disease, interventions in the genome can target any underlying alterations and potentially provide permanent disease resolution. The current development of gene-editing tools, such as designer nuclease technology capable of genome correction, holds great promise for both CF and other genetic diseases. In recent years, Cas9-based technologies have enabled the generation of genetically defined human stem cell and disease models based on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). In this article, we outline the potential and possibilities of using CRISPR/Cas9-based gene-editing technology in CF modeling.
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26
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Xue N, Liu X, Zhang D, Wu Y, Zhong Y, Wang J, Fan W, Jiang H, Zhu B, Ge X, Gonzalez RVL, Chen L, Zhang S, She P, Zhong Z, Sun J, Chen X, Wang L, Gu Z, Zhu P, Liu M, Li D, Zhong TP, Zhang X. Improving adenine and dual base editors through introduction of TadA-8e and Rad51DBD. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1224. [PMID: 36869044 PMCID: PMC9984408 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36887-1] [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: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Base editors, including dual base editors, are innovative techniques for efficient base conversions in genomic DNA. However, the low efficiency of A-to-G base conversion at positions proximal to the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) and the A/C simultaneous conversion of the dual base editor hinder their broad applications. In this study, through fusion of ABE8e with Rad51 DNA-binding domain, we generate a hyperactive ABE (hyABE) which offers improved A-to-G editing efficiency at the region (A10-A15) proximal to the PAM, with 1.2- to 7-fold improvement compared to ABE8e. Similarly, we develop optimized dual base editors (eA&C-BEmax and hyA&C-BEmax) with markedly improved simultaneous A/C conversion efficiency (1.2-fold and 1.5-fold improvement, respectively) compared to A&C-BEmax in human cells. Moreover, these optimized base editors catalyze efficiently nucleotide conversions in zebrafish embryos to mirror human syndrome or in human cells to potentially treat genetic diseases, indicating their great potential in broad applications for disease modeling and gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niannian Xue
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Youming Wu
- Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Yi Zhong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinxin Wang
- Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Wenjing Fan
- Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Haixia Jiang
- School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Biyun Zhu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiyu Ge
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Rachel V L Gonzalez
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Liang Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shun Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peilu She
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhilin Zhong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianjian Sun
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xi Chen
- BRL Medicine, Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Liren Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhimin Gu
- Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Ping Zhu
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,BRL Medicine, Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Tao P Zhong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China. .,Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. .,Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China.
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27
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Yin S, Zhang M, Liu Y, Sun X, Guan Y, Chen X, Yang L, Huo Y, Yang J, Zhang X, Han H, Zhang J, Xiao MM, Liu M, Hu J, Wang L, Li D. Engineering of efficiency-enhanced Cas9 and base editors with improved gene therapy efficacies. Mol Ther 2023; 31:744-759. [PMID: 36457249 PMCID: PMC10014233 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Editing efficiency is pivotal for the efficacies of CRISPR-based gene therapies. We found that fusing an HMG-D domain to the N terminus of SpCas9 (named efficiency-enhanced Cas9 [eeCas9]) significantly increased editing efficiency by 1.4-fold on average. The HMG-D domain also enhanced the activities of non-NGG PAM Cas9 variants, high-fidelity Cas9 variants, smaller Cas9 orthologs, Cas9-based epigenetic regulators, and base editors in cell lines. Furthermore, we discovered that eeCas9 exhibits comparable off-targeting effects with Cas9, and its specificity could be increased through ribonucleoprotein delivery or using hairpin single-guide RNAs and high-fidelity Cas9s. The entire eeCas9 could be packaged into an adeno-associated virus vector and exhibited a 1.7- to 2.6-fold increase in editing efficiency targeting the Pcsk9 gene in mice, leading to a greater reduction of serum cholesterol levels. Moreover, the efficiency of eeA3A-BE3 also surpasses that of A3A-BE3 in targeting the promoter region of γ-globin genes or BCL11A enhancer in human hematopoietic stem cells to reactivate γ-globin expression for the treatment of β-hemoglobinopathy. Together, eeCas9 and its derivatives are promising editing tools that exhibit higher activity and therapeutic efficacy for both in vivo and ex vivo therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuming Yin
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Mei Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yang Liu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Genome Editing Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaoyue Sun
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yuting Guan
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yanan Huo
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Honghui Han
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jiqin Zhang
- Bioray Laboratories Inc., Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Min-Min Xiao
- Clinical Laboratory, Second Peoples Hospital of Wuhu City, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jiazhi Hu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Genome Editing Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Liren Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
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28
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Richardson C, Kelsh RN, J. Richardson R. New advances in CRISPR/Cas-mediated precise gene-editing techniques. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm049874. [PMID: 36847161 PMCID: PMC10003097 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing has become a powerful tool for generating mutations in a variety of model organisms, from Escherichia coli to zebrafish, rodents and large mammals. CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing effectively generates insertions or deletions (indels), which allow for rapid gene disruption. However, a large proportion of human genetic diseases are caused by single-base-pair substitutions, which result in more subtle alterations to protein function, and which require more complex and precise editing to recreate in model systems. Precise genome editing (PGE) methods, however, typically have efficiencies of less than a tenth of those that generate less-specific indels, and so there has been a great deal of effort to improve PGE efficiency. Such optimisations include optimal guide RNA and mutation-bearing donor DNA template design, modulation of DNA repair pathways that underpin how edits result from Cas-induced cuts, and the development of Cas9 fusion proteins that introduce edits via alternative mechanisms. In this Review, we provide an overview of the recent progress in optimising PGE methods and their potential for generating models of human genetic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Richardson
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Robert N. Kelsh
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Rebecca J. Richardson
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
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29
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Liu H, Zhu Y, Li M, Gu Z. Precise genome editing with base editors. MEDICAL REVIEW (2021) 2023; 3:75-84. [PMID: 37724105 PMCID: PMC10471085 DOI: 10.1515/mr-2022-0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Single-nucleotide variants account for about half of known pathogenic genetic variants in human. Genome editing strategies by reversing pathogenic point mutations with minimum side effects have great therapeutic potential and are now being actively pursued. The emerge of precise and efficient genome editing strategies such as base editing and prime editing provide powerful tools for nucleotide conversion without inducing double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs), which have shown great potential for curing genetic disorders. A diverse toolkit of base editors has been developed to improve the editing efficiency and accuracy in different context of application. Here, we summarized the evolving of base editors (BEs), their limitations and future perspective of base editing-based therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongcai Liu
- Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yao Zhu
- Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Minjie Li
- Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhimin Gu
- Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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30
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Future Perspectives of Prime Editing for the Treatment of Inherited Retinal Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:cells12030440. [PMID: 36766782 PMCID: PMC9913839 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030440] [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: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRD) are a clinically and genetically heterogenous group of diseases and a leading cause of blindness in the working-age population. Even though gene augmentation therapies have shown promising results, they are only feasible to treat a small number of autosomal recessive IRDs, because the size of the gene is limited by the vector used. DNA editing however could potentially correct errors regardless of the overall size of the gene and might also be used to correct dominant mutations. Prime editing is a novel CRISPR/Cas9 based gene editing tool that enables precise correction of point mutations, insertions, and deletions without causing double strand DNA breaks. Due to its versatility and precision this technology may be a potential treatment option for virtually all genetic causes of IRD. Since its initial description, the prime editing technology has been further improved, resulting in higher efficacy and a larger target scope. Additionally, progress has been achieved concerning the size-related delivery issue of the prime editor components. This review aims to give an overview of these recent advancements and discusses prime editing as a potential treatment for IRDs.
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31
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Chen R, Cao Y, Liu Y, Zhao D, Li J, Cheng Z, Bi C, Zhang X. Enhancement of a prime editing system via optimal recruitment of the pioneer transcription factor P65. Nat Commun 2023; 14:257. [PMID: 36650182 PMCID: PMC9845348 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35919-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Prime editing is a versatile gene editing tool that enables precise sequence changes of all types in the genome, but its application is rather limited by the editing efficiency. Here, we first apply the Suntag system to recruit the transcription factor P65 and enhance the desired editing outcomes in the prime editing system. Next, MS2 hairpins are used to recruit MS2-fused P65 and confirmed that the recruitment of the P65 protein could effectively improve the prime editing efficiency in both the PE3 and PE5 systems. Moreover, this suggests the increased editing efficiency is most likely associated with the induction of chromatin accessibility change by P65. In conclusion, we apply different systems to recruit P65 and enhance the prime editing efficiency of various PE systems. Furthermore, our work provides a variety of methods to work as protein scaffolds for screening target factors and thus supports further optimization of prime editing systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronghao Chen
- College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Yu Cao
- College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Yajing Liu
- College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Dongdong Zhao
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Ju Li
- College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhihui Cheng
- College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Changhao Bi
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China. .,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China.
| | - Xueli Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China. .,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China.
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32
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Chen L, Zhang S, Xue N, Hong M, Zhang X, Zhang D, Yang J, Bai S, Huang Y, Meng H, Wu H, Luan C, Zhu B, Ru G, Gao H, Zhong L, Liu M, Liu M, Cheng Y, Yi C, Wang L, Zhao Y, Song G, Li D. Engineering a precise adenine base editor with minimal bystander editing. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:101-110. [PMID: 36229683 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01163-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Adenine base editors (ABEs) catalyze A-to-G transitions showing broad applications, but their bystander mutations and off-target editing effects raise safety concerns. Through structure-guided engineering, we found ABE8e with an N108Q mutation reduced both adenine and cytosine bystander editing, and introduction of an additional L145T mutation (ABE9), further refined the editing window to 1-2 nucleotides with eliminated cytosine editing. Importantly, ABE9 induced very minimal RNA and undetectable Cas9-independent DNA off-target effects, which mainly installed desired single A-to-G conversion in mouse and rat embryos to efficiently generate disease models. Moreover, ABE9 accurately edited the A5 position of the protospacer sequence in pathogenic homopolymeric adenosine sites (up to 342.5-fold precision over ABE8e) and was further confirmed through a library of guide RNA-target sequence pairs. Owing to the minimized editing window, ABE9 could further broaden the targeting scope for precise correction of pathogenic single-nucleotide variants when fused to Cas9 variants with expanded protospacer adjacent motif compatibility. bpNLS, bipartite nuclear localization signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shun Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Niannian Xue
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengjia Hong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sijia Bai
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifan Huang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haowei Meng
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Changming Luan
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Biyun Zhu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gaomeng Ru
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyi Gao
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liping Zhong
- National Center for International Biotargeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biotargeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi, China
| | - Meizhen Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiyun Cheng
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengqi Yi
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Liren Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongxiang Zhao
- National Center for International Biotargeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biotargeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi, China.
| | - Gaojie Song
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
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33
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Qiu HY, Ji RJ, Zhang Y. Current advances of CRISPR-Cas technology in cell therapy. CELL INSIGHT 2022; 1:100067. [PMID: 37193354 PMCID: PMC10120314 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2022.100067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas is a versatile genome editing technology that has been broadly applied in both basic research and translation medicine. Ever since its discovery, the bacterial derived endonucleases have been engineered to a collection of robust genome-editing tools for introducing frameshift mutations or base conversions at site-specific loci. Since the initiation of first-in-human trial in 2016, CRISPR-Cas has been tested in 57 cell therapy trials, 38 of which focusing on engineered CAR-T cells and TCR-T cells for cancer malignancies, 15 trials of engineered hematopoietic stem cells treating hemoglobinopathies, leukemia and AIDS, and 4 trials of engineered iPSCs for diabetes and cancer. Here, we aim to review the recent breakthroughs of CRISPR technology and highlight their applications in cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hou-Yuan Qiu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Rui-Jin Ji
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
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34
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Li J, Chen L, Liang J, Xu R, Jiang Y, Li Y, Ding J, Li M, Qin R, Wei P. Development of a highly efficient prime editor 2 system in plants. Genome Biol 2022; 23:161. [PMID: 35879771 PMCID: PMC9310484 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02730-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractLow efficiency has seriously restricted the application of prime editing (PE) systems in plants. In this study, we develop an enhanced plant prime editor 2 system, enpPE2, by stacking various optimization strategies, including updating the PE architecture to PEmax and expressing engineered pegRNA with a structured motif under the control of a composite promoter. In T0 rice plants, enpPE2 exhibits editing frequencies of 64.58% to 77.08%, which are much higher than the frequencies with unmodified pPE2. Our results indicate that the enpPE2 system provides a robust and powerful tool for the precise modification of plant genomes.
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35
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Tan J, Forner J, Karcher D, Bock R. DNA base editing in nuclear and organellar genomes. Trends Genet 2022; 38:1147-1169. [PMID: 35853769 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Genome editing continues to revolutionize biological research. Due to its simplicity and flexibility, CRISPR/Cas-based editing has become the preferred technology in most systems. Cas nucleases tolerate fusion to large protein domains, thus allowing combination of their DNA recognition properties with new enzymatic activities. Fusion to nucleoside deaminase or reverse transcriptase domains has produced base editors and prime editors that, instead of generating double-strand breaks in the target sequence, induce site-specific alterations of single (or a few adjacent) nucleotides. The availability of protein-only genome editing reagents based on transcription activator-like effectors has enabled the extension of base editing to the genomes of chloroplasts and mitochondria. In this review, we summarize currently available base editing methods for nuclear and organellar genomes. We highlight recent advances with improving precision, specificity, and efficiency and discuss current limitations and future challenges. We also provide a brief overview of applications in agricultural biotechnology and gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Innovation Center for Genome Editing and Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Joachim Forner
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Daniel Karcher
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
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36
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Liang W, He J, Mao C, Yu C, Meng Q, Xue J, Wu X, Li S, Wang Y, Yi H. Gene editing monkeys: Retrospect and outlook. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:913996. [PMID: 36158194 PMCID: PMC9493099 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.913996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models play a key role in life science research, especially in the study of human disease pathogenesis and drug screening. Because of the closer proximity to humans in terms of genetic evolution, physiology, immunology, biochemistry, and pathology, nonhuman primates (NHPs) have outstanding advantages in model construction for disease mechanism study and drug development. In terms of animal model construction, gene editing technology has been widely applied to this area in recent years. This review summarizes the current progress in the establishment of NHPs using gene editing technology, which mainly focuses on rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys. In addition, we discuss the limiting factors in the applications of genetically modified NHP models as well as the possible solutions and improvements. Furthermore, we highlight the prospects and challenges of the gene-edited NHP models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizheng Liang
- Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
- *Correspondence: Weizheng Liang, ; Shanliang Li, ; Yukai Wang, ; Hongyang Yi,
| | - Junli He
- Department of Pediatrics, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chenyu Mao
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Chengwei Yu
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qingxue Meng
- Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Jun Xue
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Xueliang Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Shanliang Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- *Correspondence: Weizheng Liang, ; Shanliang Li, ; Yukai Wang, ; Hongyang Yi,
| | - Yukai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
- National Stem Cell Resource Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Weizheng Liang, ; Shanliang Li, ; Yukai Wang, ; Hongyang Yi,
| | - Hongyang Yi
- National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen and The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Weizheng Liang, ; Shanliang Li, ; Yukai Wang, ; Hongyang Yi,
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37
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Yang C, Dong X, Ma Z, Li B, Bi C, Zhang X. Pioneer Factor Improves CRISPR-Based C-To-G and C-To-T Base Editing. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2202957. [PMID: 35861371 PMCID: PMC9475549 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202202957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Base editing events in eukaryote require a compatible chromatin environment, but there is little research on how chromatin factors contribute to the editing efficiency or window. By engineering BEs (base editors) fused with various pioneer factors, the authors found that SOX2 substantially increased the editing efficiency for GBE and CBE. While SoxN-GBE (SOX2-NH3-GBE) improved the editing efficiency at overall cytosines of the protospacer, SoxM-GBE/CBE (SOX2-Middle-GBE/CBE) enabled the higher base editing at PAM-proximal cytosines. By separating functional domains of SOX2, the SadN-GBE (SOX2 activation domain-NH3-GBE) is constructed for higher editing efficiency and SadM-CBE for broader editing window to date. With the DNase I assay, it is also proved the increased editing efficiency is most likely associated with the induction of chromatin accessibility by SAD. Finally, SadM-CBE is employed to introduce a stop codon in the proto-oncogene MYC, at a locus rarely edited by previous editors with high efficiency. In this work, a new class of pioneer-BEs is constructed by fusion of pioneer factor or its functional domains, which exhibits higher editing efficiency or broader editing window in eukaryote.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial BiotechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesTianjin300308China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial BiotechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesTianjinChina
| | - Xingxiao Dong
- School of Biological EngineeringDalian Polytechnic UniversityDalian116034China
| | - Zhenzhen Ma
- College of Life SciencesNankai UniversityTianjin300071China
| | - Bo Li
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial BiotechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesTianjin300308China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial BiotechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesTianjinChina
| | - Changhao Bi
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial BiotechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesTianjin300308China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial BiotechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesTianjinChina
| | - Xueli Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial BiotechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesTianjin300308China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial BiotechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesTianjinChina
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Zhou H, Wang X, Steer CJ, Song G, Niu J. Efficient silencing of hepatitis B virus S gene through CRISPR-mediated base editing. Hepatol Commun 2022; 6:1652-1663. [PMID: 35338607 PMCID: PMC9234685 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk factor of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) has been used to precisely edit the HBV genome and eliminate HBV through non-homologous end-joining repair of double-stranded break (DSB). However, the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated DSB triggers instability of host genome and exhibits low efficiency to edit genome, limiting its application. CRISPR cytidine base editors (CBEs) could silence genes by generating a premature stop codon. Here we developed a CRISPR base editor approach to precisely edit single nucleotide within the HBV genome to impair HBV gene expression. Specifically, a single-guide RNA (sgRNA) was designed to edit the 30th codon of HBV S gene, which encodes HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), from CAG (glutamine) to stop codon TAG. We next used human hepatoma PLC/PRF/5 cells carrying the HBV genome to establish a cell line that expresses a CBE (PLC/PRF/5-CBE). Lentivirus was used to introduce sgRNA into PLC/PRF/5-CBE cells. Phenotypically, 71% of PLC/PRF/5-CBE cells developed a premature stop codon within the S gene. Levels of HBs messenger RNA were significantly decreased. A 92% reduction of HBsAg secretion was observed in PLC/PRF/5-CBE cells. The intracellular HBsAg was also reduced by 84% after treatment of gRNA_S. Furthermore, no off-target effect was detected in predicted off-target loci within the HBV genome. Sequencing confirmed that 95%, 93%, 93%, 9%, and 72% S gene sequences of HBV genotypes B, C, F, G, and H had the binding site of sgRNA. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that CRISPR-mediated base editing is an efficient approach to silence the HBV S gene, suggesting its therapeutic potential to eliminate HBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhou
- Department of HepatologyThe First Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
- Department of MedicineUniversity of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Xiaomei Wang
- Department of HepatologyThe First Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
- Department of MedicineUniversity of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Clifford J. Steer
- Department of MedicineUniversity of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Guisheng Song
- Department of MedicineUniversity of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Junqi Niu
- Department of HepatologyThe First Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
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Velimirovic M, Zanetti LC, Shen MW, Fife JD, Lin L, Cha M, Akinci E, Barnum D, Yu T, Sherwood RI. Peptide fusion improves prime editing efficiency. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3512. [PMID: 35717416 PMCID: PMC9206660 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31270-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Prime editing enables search-and-replace genome editing but is limited by low editing efficiency. We present a high-throughput approach, the Peptide Self-Editing sequencing assay (PepSEq), to measure how fusion of 12,000 85-amino acid peptides influences prime editing efficiency. We show that peptide fusion can enhance prime editing, prime-enhancing peptides combine productively, and a top dual peptide-prime editor increases prime editing significantly in multiple cell lines across dozens of target sites. Top prime-enhancing peptides function by increasing translation efficiency and serve as broadly useful tools to improve prime editing efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minja Velimirovic
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Larissa C Zanetti
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, SP, 05652-900, Brazil
| | - Max W Shen
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - James D Fife
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Lin Lin
- Hubrecht Institute, 3584 CT, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Minsun Cha
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ersin Akinci
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Danielle Barnum
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Medical School of V, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tian Yu
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Richard I Sherwood
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Tan J, Zeng D, Zhao Y, Wang Y, Liu T, Li S, Xue Y, Luo Y, Xie X, Chen L, Liu Y, Zhu Q. PhieABEs: a PAM-less/free high-efficiency adenine base editor toolbox with wide target scope in plants. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2022; 20:934-943. [PMID: 34984801 PMCID: PMC9055815 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Adenine base editors (ABEs), which are generally engineered adenosine deaminases and Cas variants, introduce site-specific A-to-G mutations for agronomic trait improvement. However, notably varying editing efficiencies, restrictive requirements for protospacer-adjacent motifs (PAMs) and a narrow editing window greatly limit their application. Here, we developed a robust high-efficiency ABE (PhieABE) toolbox for plants by fusing an evolved, highly active form of the adenosine deaminase TadA8e and a single-stranded DNA-binding domain (DBD), based on PAM-less/free Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) nickase variants that recognize the PAM NGN (for SpCas9n-NG and SpGn) or NNN (for SpRYn). By targeting 29 representative targets in rice and assessing the results, we demonstrate that PhieABEs have significantly improved base-editing activity, expanded target range and broader editing windows compared to the ABE7.10 and general ABE8e systems. Among these PhieABEs, hyper ABE8e-DBD-SpRYn (hyABE8e-SpRY) showed nearly 100% editing efficiency at some tested sites, with a high proportion of homozygous base substitutions in the editing windows and no single guide RNA (sgRNA)-dependent off-target changes. The original sgRNA was more compatible with PhieABEs than the evolved sgRNA. In conclusion, the DBD fusion effectively promotes base-editing efficiency, and this novel PhieABE toolbox should have wide applications in plant functional genomics and crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiantao Tan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Dongchang Zeng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yanchang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yaxi Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Taoli Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shuangchun Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yang Xue
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yuyu Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xianrong Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Letian Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yao‐Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Qinlong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐BioresourcesGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
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Wei C, Liu H, Wang W, Luo P, Chen Q, Li R, Wang C, Botella JR, Zhang H. Expanding the Editing Window of Cytidine Base Editors With the Rad51 DNA-Binding Domain in Rice. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:865848. [PMID: 35548314 PMCID: PMC9083192 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.865848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Recently developed base editors provide a powerful tool for plant research and crop improvement. Although a number of different deaminases and Cas proteins have been used to improve base editors the editing efficiency, and editing window are still not optimal. Fusion of a non-sequence-specific single-stranded DNA-binding domain (DBD) from the human Rad51 protein between Cas9 nickase and the deaminase has been reported to dramatically increase the editing efficiency and expand the editing window of base editors in the mammalian cell lines and mouse embryos. We report the use of this strategy in rice, by fusing a rice codon-optimized human Rad51 DBD to the cytidine base editors AncBE4max, AncBE4max-NG, and evoFERNY. Our results show that the addition of Rad51 DBD did not increase editing efficiency in the major editing window but the editing range was expanded in all the three systems. Replacing the human Rad51 DBD with the rice Rad51 DBD homolog also expanded the editing window effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunjie Wei
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenwen Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengyu Luo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiuling Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rou Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chong Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - José Ramón Botella
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Hui Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
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42
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Zhao D, Jiang G, Li J, Chen X, Li S, Wang J, Zhou Z, Pu S, Dai Z, Ma Y, Bi C, Zhang X. Imperfect guide-RNA (igRNA) enables CRISPR single-base editing with ABE and CBE. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:4161-4170. [PMID: 35349689 PMCID: PMC9023296 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR base editing techniques tend to edit multiple bases in the targeted region, which is a limitation for precisely reverting disease-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We designed an imperfect gRNA (igRNA) editing methodology, which utilized a gRNA with one or more bases that were not complementary to the target locus to direct base editing toward the generation of a single-base edited product. Base editing experiments illustrated that igRNA editing with CBEs greatly increased the single-base editing fraction relative to normal gRNA editing with increased editing efficiencies. Similar results were obtained with an adenine base editor (ABE). At loci such as DNMT3B, NSD1, PSMB2, VIATA hs267 and ANO5, near-perfect single-base editing was achieved. Normally an igRNA with good single-base editing efficiency could be selected from a set of a few igRNAs, with a simple protocol. As a proof-of-concept, igRNAs were used in the research to construct cell lines of disease-associated SNP causing primary hyperoxaluria construction research. This work provides a simple strategy to achieve single-base base editing with both ABEs and CBEs and overcomes a key obstacle that limits the use of base editors in treating SNP-associated diseases or creating disease-associated SNP-harboring cell lines and animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Zhao
- College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Guo Jiang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
| | - Ju Li
- College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xuxu Chen
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Siwei Li
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
- School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, China
| | - Zuping Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
- Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Stem cell and Biopharmaceutical Technology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
| | - Shiming Pu
- School of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
- Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Stem cell and Biopharmaceutical Technology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
| | - Zhubo Dai
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Yanhe Ma
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Changhao Bi
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xueli Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
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43
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Sun N, Zhao D, Li S, Zhang Z, Bi C, Zhang X. Reconstructed glycosylase base editors GBE2.0 with enhanced C-to-G base editing efficiency and purity. Mol Ther 2022; 30:2452-2463. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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Hua K, Han P, Zhu JK. Improvement of base editors and prime editors advances precision genome engineering in plants. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 188:1795-1810. [PMID: 34962995 PMCID: PMC8968349 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR associated protein (Cas)-mediated gene disruption has revolutionized biomedical research as well as plant and animal breeding. However, most disease-causing mutations and agronomically important genetic variations are single base polymorphisms (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) that require precision genome editing tools for correction of the sequences. Although homology-directed repair of double-stranded breaks (DSBs) can introduce precise changes, such repairs are inefficient in differentiated animal and plant cells. Base editing and prime editing are two recently developed genome engineering approaches that can efficiently introduce precise edits into target sites without requirement of DSB formation or donor DNA templates. They have been applied in several plant species with promising results. Here, we review the extensive literature on improving the efficiency, target scope, and specificity of base editors and prime editors in plants. We also highlight recent progress on base editing in plant organellar genomes and discuss how these precision genome editing tools are advancing basic plant research and crop breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Hua
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201602, China
| | - Peijin Han
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201602, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jian-Kang Zhu
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201602, China
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Yu SY, Birkenshaw A, Thomson T, Carlaw T, Zhang LH, Ross CJD. Increasing the Targeting Scope of CRISPR Base Editing System Beyond NGG. CRISPR J 2022; 5:187-202. [PMID: 35238621 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2021.0109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome editing provides a new therapeutic strategy to cure genetic diseases. The recently developed CRISPR-Cas9 base editing technology has shown great potential to repair the majority of pathogenic point mutations in the patient's DNA precisely. Base editor is the fusion of a Cas9 nickase with a base-modifying enzyme that can change a nucleotide on a single strand of DNA without generating double-stranded DNA breaks. However, a major limitation in applying such a system is the prerequisite of a protospacer adjacent motif sequence at the desired position relative to the target site. Progress has been made to increase the targeting scope of base editors by engineering SpCas9 protein variants, establishing systems with broadened editing windows, characterizing new SpCas9 orthologs, and developing prime editing technology. In this review, we discuss recent progress in the development of CRISPR base editing, focusing on its targeting scope, and we provide a workflow for selecting a suitable base editor based on the target nucleotide sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Yue Yu
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Alexandra Birkenshaw
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Tyler Thomson
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Tiffany Carlaw
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Lin-Hua Zhang
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Colin J D Ross
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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46
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Huang X, Wang Y, Wang N. Base Editors for Citrus Gene Editing. Front Genome Ed 2022; 4:852867. [PMID: 35296063 PMCID: PMC8919994 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2022.852867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Base editors, such as adenine base editors (ABE) and cytosine base editors (CBE), provide alternatives for precise genome editing without generating double-strand breaks (DSBs), thus avoiding the risk of genome instability and unpredictable outcomes caused by DNA repair. Precise gene editing mediated by base editors in citrus has not been reported. Here, we have successfully adapted the ABE to edit the TATA box in the promoter region of the canker susceptibility gene LOB1 from TATA to CACA in grapefruit (Citrus paradise) and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis). TATA-edited plants are resistant to the canker pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc). In addition, CBE was successfully used to edit the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene in citrus. ALS-edited plants were resistant to the herbicide chlorsulfuron. Two ALS-edited plants did not show green fluorescence although the starting construct for transformation contains a GFP expression cassette. The Cas9 gene was undetectable in the herbicide-resistant citrus plants. This indicates that the ALS edited plants are transgene-free, representing the first transgene-free gene-edited citrus using the CRISPR technology. In summary, we have successfully adapted the base editors for precise citrus gene editing. The CBE base editor has been used to generate transgene-free citrus via transient expression.
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Xu R, Qin R, Xie H, Li J, Liu X, Zhu M, Sun Y, Yu Y, Lu P, Wei P. Genome editing with type II-C CRISPR-Cas9 systems from Neisseria meningitidis in rice. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2022; 20:350-359. [PMID: 34582079 PMCID: PMC8753361 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Two type II-C Cas9 orthologs (Nm1Cas9 and Nm2Cas9) were recently identified from Neisseria meningitidis and have been extensively used in mammalian cells, but whether these NmCas9 orthologs or other type II-C Cas9 proteins can mediate genome editing in plants remains unclear. In this study, we developed and optimized targeted mutagenesis systems from NmCas9s for plants. Efficient genome editing at the target with N4 GATT and N4 CC protospacer adjacent motifs (PAMs) was achieved with Nm1Cas9 and Nm2Cas9 respectively. These results indicated that a highly active editing system could be developed from type II-C Cas9s with distinct PAM preferences, thus providing a reliable strategy to extend the scope of genome editing in plants. Base editors (BEs) were further developed from the NmCas9s. The editing efficiency of adenine BEs (ABEs) of TadA*-7.10 and cytosine BEs (CBEs) of rat APOBEC1 (rAPO1) or human APOBEC3a (hA3A) were extremely limited, whereas ABEs of TadA-8e and CBEs of Petromyzon marinus cytidine deaminase 1 (PmCDA1) exhibited markedly improved performance on the same targets. In addition, we found that fusion of a single-stranded DNA-binding domain from the human Rad51 protein enhanced the base editing capability of rAPO1-CBEs of NmCas9s. Together, our results suggest that the engineering of NmCas9s or other type II-C Cas9s can provide useful alternatives for crop genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongfang Xu
- College of AgronomyAnhui Agricultural UniversityHefeiChina
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui ProvinceRice Research InstituteAnhui Academy of Agricultural SciencesHefeiChina
| | - Ruiying Qin
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui ProvinceRice Research InstituteAnhui Academy of Agricultural SciencesHefeiChina
| | - Hongjun Xie
- Key Laboratory of Indica Rice Genetics and Breeding in the middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River ValleyMinistry of AgricultureHunan Rice Research InstituteChangshaChina
| | - Juan Li
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui ProvinceRice Research InstituteAnhui Academy of Agricultural SciencesHefeiChina
| | - Xiaoshuang Liu
- College of AgronomyAnhui Agricultural UniversityHefeiChina
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui ProvinceRice Research InstituteAnhui Academy of Agricultural SciencesHefeiChina
| | - Mingdong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Indica Rice Genetics and Breeding in the middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River ValleyMinistry of AgricultureHunan Rice Research InstituteChangshaChina
| | - Yang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and ImprovementKey Laboratory of Plant Stress BiologySchool of Life SciencesHenan UniversityKaifengChina
| | - Yinghong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Indica Rice Genetics and Breeding in the middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River ValleyMinistry of AgricultureHunan Rice Research InstituteChangshaChina
| | - Pingli Lu
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Enzymology and Mechanism of Major DiseasesCollege of Life SciencesAnhui Normal UniversityWuhuChina
| | - Pengcheng Wei
- College of AgronomyAnhui Agricultural UniversityHefeiChina
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui ProvinceRice Research InstituteAnhui Academy of Agricultural SciencesHefeiChina
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48
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Nambiar TS, Baudrier L, Billon P, Ciccia A. CRISPR-based genome editing through the lens of DNA repair. Mol Cell 2022; 82:348-388. [PMID: 35063100 PMCID: PMC8887926 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Genome editing technologies operate by inducing site-specific DNA perturbations that are resolved by cellular DNA repair pathways. Products of genome editors include DNA breaks generated by CRISPR-associated nucleases, base modifications induced by base editors, DNA flaps created by prime editors, and integration intermediates formed by site-specific recombinases and transposases associated with CRISPR systems. Here, we discuss the cellular processes that repair CRISPR-generated DNA lesions and describe strategies to obtain desirable genomic changes through modulation of DNA repair pathways. Advances in our understanding of the DNA repair circuitry, in conjunction with the rapid development of innovative genome editing technologies, promise to greatly enhance our ability to improve food production, combat environmental pollution, develop cell-based therapies, and cure genetic and infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarun S Nambiar
- Department of Genetics and Development, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Lou Baudrier
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robson DNA Science Centre, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Pierre Billon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robson DNA Science Centre, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.
| | - Alberto Ciccia
- Department of Genetics and Development, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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49
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Liu G, Lin Q, Jin S, Gao C. The CRISPR-Cas toolbox and gene editing technologies. Mol Cell 2021; 82:333-347. [PMID: 34968414 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of CRISPR-Cas systems has accelerated the development of gene editing technologies, which are widely used in the life sciences. To improve the performance of these systems, workers have engineered and developed a variety of CRISPR-Cas tools with a broader range of targets, higher efficiency and specificity, and greater precision. Moreover, CRISPR-Cas-related technologies have also been expanded beyond making cuts in DNA by introducing functional elements that permit precise gene modification, control gene expression, make epigenetic changes, and so on. In this review, we introduce and summarize the characteristics and applications of different types of CRISPR-Cas tools. We discuss certain limitations of current approaches and future prospects for optimizing CRISPR-Cas systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiupeng Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Caixia Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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50
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Demirci S, Leonard A, Essawi K, Tisdale JF. CRISPR-Cas9 to induce fetal hemoglobin for the treatment of sickle cell disease. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2021; 23:276-285. [PMID: 34729375 PMCID: PMC8526756 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Genome editing is potentially a curative technique available to all individuals with β-hemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell disease (SCD). Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) inhibits sickle hemoglobin (HbS) polymerization, and it is well described that naturally occurring hereditary persistence of HbF (HPFH) alleviates disease symptoms; therefore, reawakening of developmentally silenced HbF in adult red blood cells (RBCs) has long been of interest as a therapeutic strategy. Recent advances in genome editing platforms, particularly with the use of CRISPR-Cas9, have paved the way for efficient HbF induction through the creation of artificial HPFH mutations, editing of transcriptional HbF silencers, and modulating epigenetic intermediates that govern HbF expression. Clinical trials investigating BCL11A enhancer editing in patients with β-hemoglobinopathies have demonstrated promising results, although follow-up is short and the number of patients treated to date is low. While practical, economic, and clinical challenges of genome editing are well recognized by the scientific community, potential solutions to overcome these hurdles are in development. Here, we review the recent progress and obstacles yet to be overcome for the most effective and feasible HbF reactivation practice using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing as a curative strategy for patients with SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selami Demirci
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Alexis Leonard
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Khaled Essawi
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
| | - John F. Tisdale
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
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