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Chang Y, Lan F, Zhang Y, Ma S. Crispr-Based Editing of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Disease Modeling. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2024; 20:1151-1161. [PMID: 38564139 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-024-10713-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The CRISPR system, as an effective genome editing technology, has been extensively utilized for the construction of disease models in human pluripotent stem cells. Establishment of a gene mutant or knockout stem cell line typically relies on Cas nuclease-generated double-stranded DNA breaks and exogenous templates, which can produce uncontrollable editing byproducts and toxicity. The recently developed adenine base editors (ABE) have greatly facilitated related research by introducing A/T > G/C mutations in the coding regions or splitting sites (AG-GT) of genes, enabling mutant gene knock-in or knock-out without introducing DNA breaks. In this study, we edit the AG bases in exons anterior to achieve gene knockout via the ABE8e-SpRY, which recognizes most expanded protospacer adjacent motif to target the genome. Except for gene-knockout, ABE8e-SpRY can also efficiently establish disease-related A/T-to-G/C variation cell lines by targeting coding sequences. The method we generated is simple and time-saving, and it only takes two weeks to obtain the desired cell line. This protocol provides operating instructions step-by-step for constructing knockout and point mutation cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Chang
- Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College/National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing, 100037, China
| | - Feng Lan
- Fuwai Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Key Laboratory of Pluripotent Stem Cells in Cardiac Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, China
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine, Fuwai Central-China Hospital, Central-China Branch of National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yongshuai Zhang
- Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College/National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing, 100037, China.
| | - Shuhong Ma
- Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College/National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing, 100037, China
- Fuwai Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Key Laboratory of Pluripotent Stem Cells in Cardiac Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, China
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2
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Su Z, Wang X, Chen X, Ding L, Zeng X, Xu J, Peng C. Novel CRISPR/SpRY system for rapid detection of CRISPR/Cas-mediated gene editing in rice. Anal Chim Acta 2024; 1303:342519. [PMID: 38609262 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2024.342519] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The gene editing technology represented by clustered rule-interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 has developed as a common tool in the field of biotechnology. Many gene-edited products in plant varieties have recently been commercialized. However, the rapid on-site visual detection of gene-edited products without instrumentation remains challenging. This study aimed to develop a novel and efficient method, termed the CRISPR/SpRY detection platform, for the rapid screening of CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutants based on CRISPR/SpRY-mediated in vitro cleavage using rice (Oryza sativa L.) samples genetically edited at the TGW locus as an example. We designed the workflow of the CRISPR/SpRY detection platform and conducted a feasibility assessment. Subsequently, we optimized the reaction system of CRISPR/SpRY, and developed a one-pot CRISPR/SpRY assay by integrating recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). The sensitivity of the method was further verified using recombinant plasmids. The proposed method successfully identified various types of mutations, including insertions, deletions (indels), and nucleotide substitutions, with excellent sensitivity. Finally, the applicability of this method was validated using different rice samples. The entire process was completed in less than an hour, with a limit of detection as low as 1%. Compared with previous methods, our approach is simple to operate, instrumentation-free, cost-effective, and time-efficient. The primary significance lies in the liberation of our developed system from the limitations imposed using protospacer adjacent motif sequences. This expands the scope and versatility of the CRISPR-based detection platform, making it a promising and groundbreaking platform for detecting mutations induced by gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixun Su
- College of Food Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315800, China; State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Xiaofu Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Xiaoyun Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Lin Ding
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Xiaoqun Zeng
- College of Food Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315800, China
| | - Junfeng Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China.
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McGrail M, Sakuma T, Bleris L. Genome editing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20497. [PMID: 36443399 PMCID: PMC9705536 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24850-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maura McGrail
- grid.34421.300000 0004 1936 7312Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA USA
| | - Tetsushi Sakuma
- grid.257022.00000 0000 8711 3200Division of Integrated Sciences for Life, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Leonidas Bleris
- grid.267323.10000 0001 2151 7939Bioengineering Department, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX USA
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4
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Ogasawara T, Watanabe J, Adachi R, Ono Y, Kamimura Y, Muramoto T. CRISPR/Cas9-based genome-wide screening of Dictyostelium. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11215. [PMID: 35780186 PMCID: PMC9250498 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15500-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide screening is powerful method used to identify genes and pathways associated with a phenotype of interest. The simple eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum has a unique life cycle and is often used as a crucial research model for a wide range of biological processes and rare metabolites. To address the inadequacies of conventional genetic screening approaches, we developed a highly efficient CRISPR/Cas9-based genome-wide screening system for Dictyostelium. A genome-wide library of 27,405 gRNAs and a kinase library of 4,582 gRNAs were compiled and mutant pools were generated. The resulting mutants were screened for defects in cell growth and more than 10 candidate genes were identified. Six of these were validated and five recreated mutants presented with growth abnormalities. Finally, the genes implicated in developmental defects were screened to identify the unknown genes associated with a phenotype of interest. These findings demonstrate the potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 system as an efficient genome-wide screening method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takanori Ogasawara
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan
| | - Jun Watanabe
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan
| | - Remi Adachi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan
| | - Yusuke Ono
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan
| | - Yoichiro Kamimura
- Laboratory for Cell Signaling Dynamics, RIKEN, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Suita, Osaka, 565-0874, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Muramoto
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan.
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Mattiello L, Rütgers M, Sua-Rojas MF, Tavares R, Soares JS, Begcy K, Menossi M. Molecular and Computational Strategies to Increase the Efficiency of CRISPR-Based Techniques. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:868027. [PMID: 35712599 PMCID: PMC9194676 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.868027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The prokaryote-derived Clustered Regularly Interspaced Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas mediated gene editing tools have revolutionized our ability to precisely manipulate specific genome sequences in plants and animals. The simplicity, precision, affordability, and robustness of this technology have allowed a myriad of genomes from a diverse group of plant species to be successfully edited. Even though CRISPR/Cas, base editing, and prime editing technologies have been rapidly adopted and implemented in plants, their editing efficiency rate and specificity varies greatly. In this review, we provide a critical overview of the recent advances in CRISPR/Cas9-derived technologies and their implications on enhancing editing efficiency. We highlight the major efforts of engineering Cas9, Cas12a, Cas12b, and Cas12f proteins aiming to improve their efficiencies. We also provide a perspective on the global future of agriculturally based products using DNA-free CRISPR/Cas techniques. The improvement of CRISPR-based technologies efficiency will enable the implementation of genome editing tools in a variety of crop plants, as well as accelerate progress in basic research and molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Mattiello
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Mark Rütgers
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Maria Fernanda Sua-Rojas
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Rafael Tavares
- Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - José Sérgio Soares
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Kevin Begcy
- Environmental Horticulture Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Marcelo Menossi
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
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6
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Ye J, Xi H, Chen Y, Chen Q, Lu X, Lv J, Chen Y, Gu F, Zhao J. Can SpRY recognize any PAM in human cells? J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2022; 23:382-391. [PMID: 35557039 PMCID: PMC9110322 DOI: 10.1631/jzus.b2100710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The application of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) can be limited due to a lack of compatible protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequences in the DNA regions of interest. Recently, SpRY, a variant of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9), was reported, which nearly completely fulfils the PAM requirement. Meanwhile, PAMs for SpRY have not been well addressed. In our previous study, we developed the PAM Definition by Observable Sequence Excision (PAM-DOSE) and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-reporter systems to study PAMs in human cells. Herein, we endeavored to identify the PAMs of SpRY with these two methods. The results indicated that 5'-NRN-3', 5'-NTA-3', and 5'-NCK-3' could be considered as canonical PAMs. 5'-NCA-3' and 5'-NTK-3' may serve as non-priority PAMs. At the same time, PAM of 5'-NYC-3' is not recommended for human cells. These findings provide further insights into the application of SpRY for human genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinbin Ye
- Reproduction Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Haitao Xi
- Reproduction Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Yilu Chen
- Reproduction Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Qishu Chen
- Reproduction Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Xiaosheng Lu
- Reproduction Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Jineng Lv
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Yamin Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Feng Gu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou 325000, China. ,
| | - Junzhao Zhao
- Reproduction Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China.
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7
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Zheng L, Tan Y, Hu Y, Shen J, Qu Z, Chen X, Ho CL, Leung ELH, Zhao W, Dai L. CRISPR/Cas-Based Genome Editing for Human Gut Commensal Bacteroides Species. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:464-472. [PMID: 34990118 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Bacteroides is the most abundant genus in the human gut microbiome and has been increasingly used as model organisms for studying the function and ecology of the gut microbiome. However, genome editing tools for such commensal gut microbes are still lacking. Here we developed a versatile, highly efficient CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing tool that allows markerless gene deletion and insertion in human gut Bacteroides species. We constructed multiple CRISPR/Cas systems in all-in-one Bacteroides-E. coli shuttle plasmids and systematically evaluated the genome editing efficiency in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, including the mode of Cas protein expression (constitutive, inducible), different Cas proteins (FnCas12a, SpRY, SpCas9), and sgRNAs. Using the anhydrotetracycline (aTc)-inducible CRISPR/FnCas12a system, we successfully deleted large genomic fragments up to 50 kb to study the function of metabolic gene clusters. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CRISPR/FnCas12a can be broadly applied to engineer multiple human gut Bacteroides species, including Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides ovatus, Bacteroides uniformis, and Bacteroides vulgatus. We envision that CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing tools for Bacteroides will greatly facilitate mechanistic studies of the gut commensal and the development of engineered live biotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linggang Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Dr. Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
| | - Yang Tan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yucan Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Juntao Shen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zepeng Qu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Dr. Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
| | - Xianbo Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chun Loong Ho
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Elaine Lai-Han Leung
- Dr. Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lei Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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8
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Brustel J, Muramoto T, Fumimoto K, Ellins J, Pears CJ, Lakin ND. Linking DNA repair and cell cycle progression through serine ADP-ribosylation of histones. Nat Commun 2022; 13:185. [PMID: 35027540 PMCID: PMC8758696 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27867-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Although serine ADP-ribosylation (Ser-ADPr) by Poly(ADP-ribose)-polymerases is a cornerstone of the DNA damage response, how this regulates DNA repair and genome stability is unknown. Here, we exploit the ability to manipulate histone genes in Dictyostelium to identify that ADPr of the histone variant H3b at S10 and S28 maintains genome stability by integrating double strand break (DSB) repair with mitotic entry. Given the critical requirement for mitotic H3S10/28 phosphorylation, we develop separation of function mutations that maintain S10 phosphorylation whilst disrupting ADPr. Mechanistically, this reveals a requirement for H3bS10/28 ADPr in non-homologous end-joining by recruiting Ku to DSBs. Moreover, this also identifies H3bS10/S28 ADPr is critical to prevent premature mitotic entry with unresolved DNA damage, thus maintaining genome stability. Together, these data demonstrate how serine ADPr of histones coordinates DNA repair with cell cycle progression to maintain genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Brustel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Tetsuya Muramoto
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kazuki Fumimoto
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
| | - Jessica Ellins
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Catherine J Pears
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicholas D Lakin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK.
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9
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Williams RSB, Chubb JR, Insall R, King JS, Pears CJ, Thompson E, Weijer CJ. Moving the Research Forward: The Best of British Biology Using the Tractable Model System Dictyostelium discoideum. Cells 2021; 10:3036. [PMID: 34831258 PMCID: PMC8616412 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum provides an excellent model for research across a broad range of disciplines within biology. The organism diverged from the plant, yeast, fungi and animal kingdoms around 1 billion years ago but retains common aspects found in these kingdoms. Dictyostelium has a low level of genetic complexity and provides a range of molecular, cellular, biochemical and developmental biology experimental techniques, enabling multidisciplinary studies to be carried out in a wide range of areas, leading to research breakthroughs. Numerous laboratories within the United Kingdom employ Dictyostelium as their core research model. This review introduces Dictyostelium and then highlights research from several leading British research laboratories, covering their distinct areas of research, the benefits of using the model, and the breakthroughs that have arisen due to the use of Dictyostelium as a tractable model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin S. B. Williams
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Jonathan R. Chubb
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK;
| | - Robert Insall
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK;
| | - Jason S. King
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;
| | - Catherine J. Pears
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK;
| | - Elinor Thompson
- School of Science, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, Chatham ME4 4TB, UK;
| | - Cornelis J. Weijer
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK;
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10
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Pears CJ, Brustel J, Lakin ND. Dictyostelium discoideum as a Model to Assess Genome Stability Through DNA Repair. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:752175. [PMID: 34692705 PMCID: PMC8529158 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.752175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Preserving genome integrity through repair of DNA damage is critical for human health and defects in these pathways lead to a variety of pathologies, most notably cancer. The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is remarkably resistant to DNA damaging agents and genome analysis reveals it contains orthologs of several DNA repair pathway components otherwise limited to vertebrates. These include the Fanconi Anemia DNA inter-strand crosslink and DNA strand break repair pathways. Loss of function of these not only results in malignancy, but also neurodegeneration, immune-deficiencies and congenital abnormalities. Additionally, D. discoideum displays remarkable conservations of DNA repair factors that are targets in cancer and other therapies, including poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases that are targeted to treat breast and ovarian cancers. This, taken together with the genetic tractability of D. discoideum, make it an attractive model to assess the mechanistic basis of DNA repair to provide novel insights into how these pathways can be targeted to treat a variety of pathologies. Here we describe progress in understanding the mechanisms of DNA repair in D. discoideum, and how these impact on genome stability with implications for understanding development of malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine J. Pears
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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11
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Yamashita K, Iriki H, Kamimura Y, Muramoto T. CRISPR Toolbox for Genome Editing in Dictyostelium. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:721630. [PMID: 34485304 PMCID: PMC8416318 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.721630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of new techniques to create gene knockouts and knock-ins is essential for successful investigation of gene functions and elucidation of the causes of diseases and their associated fundamental cellular processes. In the biomedical model organism Dictyostelium discoideum, the methodology for gene targeting with homologous recombination to generate mutants is well-established. Recently, we have applied CRISPR/Cas9-mediated approaches in Dictyostelium, allowing the rapid generation of mutants by transiently expressing sgRNA and Cas9 using an all-in-one vector. CRISPR/Cas9 techniques not only provide an alternative to homologous recombination-based gene knockouts but also enable the creation of mutants that were technically unfeasible previously. Herein, we provide a detailed protocol for the CRISPR/Cas9-based method in Dictyostelium. We also describe new tools, including double knockouts using a single CRISPR vector, drug-inducible knockouts, and gene knockdown using CRISPR interference (CRISPRi). We demonstrate the use of these tools for some candidate genes. Our data indicate that more suitable mutants can be rapidly generated using CRISPR/Cas9-based techniques to study gene function in Dictyostelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kensuke Yamashita
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Japan
| | - Hoshie Iriki
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Japan
| | - Yoichiro Kamimura
- Laboratory for Cell Signaling Dynamics, RIKEN, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Osaka, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Muramoto
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Japan
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