1
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Bergman S, Tuller T. Strong association between genomic 3D structure and CRISPR cleavage efficiency. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012214. [PMID: 38848440 PMCID: PMC11189236 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
CRISPR is a gene editing technology which enables precise in-vivo genome editing; but its potential is hampered by its relatively low specificity and sensitivity. Improving CRISPR's on-target and off-target effects requires a better understanding of its mechanism and determinants. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, the chromosomal 3D spatial structure's association with CRISPR's cleavage efficiency, and its predictive capabilities. We used high-resolution Hi-C data to estimate the 3D distance between different regions in the human genome and utilized these spatial properties to generate 3D-based features, characterizing each region's density. We evaluated these features based on empirical, in-vivo CRISPR efficiency data and compared them to 425 features used in state-of-the-art models. The 3D features ranked in the top 13% of the features, and significantly improved the predictive power of LASSO and xgboost models trained with these features. The features indicated that sites with lower spatial density demonstrated higher efficiency. Understanding how CRISPR is affected by the 3D DNA structure provides insight into CRISPR's mechanism in general and improves our ability to correctly predict CRISPR's cleavage as well as design sgRNAs for therapeutic and scientific use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaked Bergman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tamir Tuller
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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2
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Vora DS, Bhandari SM, Sundar D. DNA shape features improve prediction of CRISPR/Cas9 activity. Methods 2024; 226:120-126. [PMID: 38641083 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.04.012] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology has transformed basic and translational research in biology and medicine. However, the advances are hindered by off-target effects and a paucity in the knowledge of the mechanism of the Cas9 protein. Machine learning models have been proposed for the prediction of Cas9 activity at unintended sites, yet feature engineering plays a major role in the outcome of the predictors. This study evaluates the improvement in the performance of similar predictors upon inclusion of epigenetic and DNA shape feature groups in the conventionally used sequence-based Cas9 target and off-target datasets. The approach involved the utilization of neural networks trained on a diverse range of parameters, allowing us to systematically assess the performance increase for the meticulously designed datasets- (i) sequence only, (ii) sequence and epigenetic features, and (iii) sequence, epigenetic and DNA shape feature datasets. The addition of DNA shape information significantly improved predictive performance, evaluated by Akaike and Bayesian information criteria. The evaluation of individual feature importance by permutation and LIME-based methods also indicates that not only sequence features like mismatches and nucleotide composition, but also base pairing parameters like opening and stretch, that are indicative of distortion in the DNA-RNA hybrid in the presence of mismatches, influence model outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhvani Sandip Vora
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Sakshi Manoj Bhandari
- Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Durai Sundar
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India; School of Artificial Intelligence, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
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3
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Motoche-Monar C, Ordoñez JE, Chang O, Gonzales-Zubiate FA. gRNA Design: How Its Evolution Impacted on CRISPR/Cas9 Systems Refinement. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1698. [PMID: 38136570 PMCID: PMC10741458 DOI: 10.3390/biom13121698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, genetic engineering has witnessed a revolution with the emergence of a relatively new genetic editing tool based on RNA-guided nucleases: the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Since the first report in 1987 and characterization in 2007 as a bacterial defense mechanism, this system has garnered immense interest and research attention. CRISPR systems provide immunity to bacteria against invading genetic material; however, with specific modifications in sequence and structure, it becomes a precise editing system capable of modifying the genomes of a wide range of organisms. The refinement of these modifications encompasses diverse approaches, including the development of more accurate nucleases, understanding of the cellular context and epigenetic conditions, and the re-designing guide RNAs (gRNAs). Considering the critical importance of the correct performance of CRISPR/Cas9 systems, our scope will emphasize the latter approach. Hence, we present an overview of the past and the most recent guide RNA web-based design tools, highlighting the evolution of their computational architecture and gRNA characteristics over the years. Our study explains computational approaches that use machine learning techniques, neural networks, and gRNA/target interactions data to enable predictions and classifications. This review could open the door to a dynamic community that uses up-to-date algorithms to optimize and create promising gRNAs, suitable for modern CRISPR/Cas9 engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristofer Motoche-Monar
- School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay Tech University, Urcuquí 100119, Ecuador
| | - Julián E. Ordoñez
- School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay Tech University, Urcuquí 100119, Ecuador
| | - Oscar Chang
- Departamento de Electrónica, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas 1080, Venezuela
- MIND Research Group, Model Intelligent Networks Development, Urcuquí 100119, Ecuador
| | - Fernando A. Gonzales-Zubiate
- School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay Tech University, Urcuquí 100119, Ecuador
- MIND Research Group, Model Intelligent Networks Development, Urcuquí 100119, Ecuador
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4
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Zhang G, Luo Y, Dai X, Dai Z. Benchmarking deep learning methods for predicting CRISPR/Cas9 sgRNA on- and off-target activities. Brief Bioinform 2023; 24:bbad333. [PMID: 37775147 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In silico design of single guide RNA (sgRNA) plays a critical role in clustered regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system. Continuous efforts are aimed at improving sgRNA design with efficient on-target activity and reduced off-target mutations. In the last 5 years, an increasing number of deep learning-based methods have achieved breakthrough performance in predicting sgRNA on- and off-target activities. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to systematically evaluate these methods for their predictive abilities. In this review, we conducted a systematic survey on the progress in prediction of on- and off-target editing. We investigated the performances of 10 mainstream deep learning-based on-target predictors using nine public datasets with different sample sizes. We found that in most scenarios, these methods showed superior predictive power on large- and medium-scale datasets than on small-scale datasets. In addition, we performed unbiased experiments to provide in-depth comparison of eight representative approaches for off-target prediction on 12 publicly available datasets with various imbalanced ratios of positive/negative samples. Most methods showed excellent performance on balanced datasets but have much room for improvement on moderate- and severe-imbalanced datasets. This study provides comprehensive perspectives on CRISPR/Cas9 sgRNA on- and off-target activity prediction and improvement for method development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guishan Zhang
- College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Ye Luo
- College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Xianhua Dai
- School of Cyber Science and Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Zhiming Dai
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Big Data Analysis and Processing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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5
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Alipanahi R, Safari L, Khanteymoori A. CRISPR genome editing using computational approaches: A survey. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 2:1001131. [PMID: 36710911 PMCID: PMC9875887 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2022.1001131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based gene editing has been widely used in various cell types and organisms. To make genome editing with Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats far more precise and practical, we must concentrate on the design of optimal gRNA and the selection of appropriate Cas enzymes. Numerous computational tools have been created in recent years to help researchers design the best gRNA for Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats researches. There are two approaches for designing an appropriate gRNA sequence (which targets our desired sites with high precision): experimental and predicting-based approaches. It is essential to reduce off-target sites when designing an optimal gRNA. Here we review both traditional and machine learning-based approaches for designing an appropriate gRNA sequence and predicting off-target sites. In this review, we summarize the key characteristics of all available tools (as far as possible) and compare them together. Machine learning-based tools and web servers are believed to become the most effective and reliable methods for predicting on-target and off-target activities of Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats in the future. However, these predictions are not so precise now and the performance of these algorithms -especially deep learning one's-depends on the amount of data used during training phase. So, as more features are discovered and incorporated into these models, predictions become more in line with experimental observations. We must concentrate on the creation of ideal gRNA and the choice of suitable Cas enzymes in order to make genome editing with Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats far more accurate and feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leila Safari
- Department of Computer Engineering, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran,*Correspondence: Leila Safari,
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Isola G. Prospective Advances in Genome Editing Investigation. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1396:301-313. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-19-5642-3_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
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Chen Y, Wang X. Evaluation of efficiency prediction algorithms and development of ensemble model for CRISPR/Cas9 gRNA selection. Bioinformatics 2022; 38:5175-5181. [PMID: 36227031 PMCID: PMC9710549 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION The CRISPR/Cas9 system is widely used for genome editing. The editing efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 is mainly determined by the guide RNA (gRNA). Although many computational algorithms have been developed in recent years, it is still a challenge to select optimal bioinformatics tools for gRNA design in different experimental settings. RESULTS We performed a comprehensive comparison analysis of 15 public algorithms for gRNA design, using 16 experimental gRNA datasets. Based on this analysis, we identified the top-performing algorithms, with which we further implemented various computational strategies to build ensemble models for performance improvement. Validation analysis indicates that the new ensemble model had improved performance over any individual algorithm alone at predicting gRNA efficacy under various experimental conditions. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The new sgRNA design tool is freely accessible as a web application via https://crisprdb.org. The source code and stand-alone version is available at Figshare (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21295863) and Github (https://github.com/wang-lab/CRISPRDB). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63112, USA
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- University of Illinois Cancer Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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8
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Zarate OA, Yang Y, Wang X, Wang JP. BoostMEC: predicting CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage efficiency through boosting models. BMC Bioinformatics 2022; 23:446. [PMID: 36289480 PMCID: PMC9597963 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-022-04998-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the CRISPR-Cas9 system, the efficiency of genetic modifications has been found to vary depending on the single guide RNA (sgRNA) used. A variety of sgRNA properties have been found to be predictive of CRISPR cleavage efficiency, including the position-specific sequence composition of sgRNAs, global sgRNA sequence properties, and thermodynamic features. While prevalent existing deep learning-based approaches provide competitive prediction accuracy, a more interpretable model is desirable to help understand how different features may contribute to CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage efficiency. RESULTS We propose a gradient boosting approach, utilizing LightGBM to develop an integrated tool, BoostMEC (Boosting Model for Efficient CRISPR), for the prediction of wild-type CRISPR-Cas9 editing efficiency. We benchmark BoostMEC against 10 popular models on 13 external datasets and show its competitive performance. CONCLUSIONS BoostMEC can provide state-of-the-art predictions of CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage efficiency for sgRNA design and selection. Relying on direct and derived sequence features of sgRNA sequences and based on conventional machine learning, BoostMEC maintains an advantage over other state-of-the-art CRISPR efficiency prediction models that are based on deep learning through its ability to produce more interpretable feature insights and predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar A. Zarate
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Statistics and Data Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL USA
| | - Yiben Yang
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Statistics and Data Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL USA
| | - Xiaozhong Wang
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Molecular BioSciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL USA
| | - Ji-Ping Wang
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Statistics and Data Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL USA
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9
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Vora DS, Verma Y, Sundar D. A Machine Learning Approach to Identify the Importance of Novel Features for CRISPR/Cas9 Activity Prediction. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1123. [PMID: 36009017 PMCID: PMC9405635 DOI: 10.3390/biom12081123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The reprogrammable CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tool's growing popularity is hindered by unwanted off-target effects. Efforts have been directed toward designing efficient guide RNAs as well as identifying potential off-target threats, yet factors that determine efficiency and off-target activity remain obscure. Based on sequence features, previous machine learning models performed poorly on new datasets, thus there is a need for the incorporation of novel features. The binding energy estimation of the gRNA-DNA hybrid as well as the Cas9-gRNA-DNA hybrid allowed generating better performing machine learning models for the prediction of Cas9 activity. The analysis of feature contribution towards the model output on a limited dataset indicated that energy features played a determining role along with the sequence features. The binding energy features proved essential for the prediction of on-target activity and off-target sites. The plateau, in the performance on unseen datasets, of current machine learning models could be overcome by incorporating novel features, such as binding energy, among others. The models are provided on GitHub (GitHub Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhvani Sandip Vora
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Yugesh Verma
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Durai Sundar
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
- Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
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Niu M, Zou Q. SgRNA-RF: Identification of SgRNA On-Target Activity With Imbalanced Datasets. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2022; 19:2442-2453. [PMID: 33979289 DOI: 10.1109/tcbb.2021.3079116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Single-guide RNA is a guide RNA (gRNA), which guides the insertion or deletion of uridine residues into kinetoplastid during RNA editing. It is a small non-coding RNA that can be combined with pre -mRNA pairing. SgRNA is a critical component of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene knockout system and play an important role in gene editing and gene regulation. It is important to accurately and quickly identify highly on-target activity sgRNAs. Due to its importance, several computational predictors have been proposed to predict sgRNAs on-target activity. All these methods have clearly contributed to the development of this very important field. However, they also have certain limitations. In the paper, we developed a new classifier SgRNA-RF, which extracts the features of nucleic acid composition and structure of on-target activity sgRNA sequence and identified by random forest algorithm. In addition to solving an imbalanced dataset, this paper proposed a new method called CS-Smote. We compared sgRNA-RF with state-of-the-art predictors on the five datasets, and found SgRNA-RF significantly improved the identification accuracy, with accuracies of 0.8636,0.9161,0.894,0.938,0.965,0.77,0.979,0.973, respectively. The user-friendly web server that implements sgRNA-RF is freely available at http://server.malab.cn/sgRNA-RF/.
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Kirillov B, Savitskaya E, Panov M, Ogurtsov AY, Shabalina S, Koonin E, Severinov KV. Uncertainty-aware and interpretable evaluation of Cas9-gRNA and Cas12a-gRNA specificity for fully matched and partially mismatched targets with Deep Kernel Learning. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e11. [PMID: 34791389 PMCID: PMC8789050 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The choice of guide RNA (gRNA) for CRISPR-based gene targeting is an essential step in gene editing applications, but the prediction of gRNA specificity remains challenging. Lack of transparency and focus on point estimates of efficiency disregarding the information on possible error sources in the model limit the power of existing Deep Learning-based methods. To overcome these problems, we present a new approach, a hybrid of Capsule Networks and Gaussian Processes. Our method predicts the cleavage efficiency of a gRNA with a corresponding confidence interval, which allows the user to incorporate information regarding possible model errors into the experimental design. We provide the first utilization of uncertainty estimation in computational gRNA design, which is a critical step toward accurate decision-making for future CRISPR applications. The proposed solution demonstrates acceptable confidence intervals for most test sets and shows regression quality similar to existing models. We introduce a set of criteria for gRNA selection based on off-target cleavage efficiency and its variance and present a collection of pre-computed gRNAs for human chromosome 22. Using Neural Network Interpretation methods, we show that our model rediscovers an established biological factor underlying cleavage efficiency, the importance of the seed region in gRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Kirillov
- Center for Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Savitskaya
- Center for Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia
| | - Maxim Panov
- Center for Computational and Data-Intensive Science and Engineering, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia
| | - Aleksey Y Ogurtsov
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Svetlana A Shabalina
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Konstantin V Severinov
- Center for Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 123182, Russia
- Waksman Institute for Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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Khan T, Khan A, Wei DQ. MMV-db: vaccinomics and RNA-based therapeutics database for infectious hemorrhagic fever-causing mammarenaviruses. Database (Oxford) 2021; 2021:baab063. [PMID: 34679165 PMCID: PMC8533362 DOI: 10.1093/database/baab063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The recent viral outbreaks and the current pandemic situation urges us to timely address any emerging viral infections by designing therapeutic strategies. Multi-omics and therapeutic data are of great interest to develop early remedial interventions. This work provides a therapeutic data platform (Mammarenavirus (MMV)-db) for pathogenic mammarenaviruses with potential catastrophic effects on human health around the world. The database integrates vaccinomics and RNA-based therapeutics data for seven human pathogenic MMVs associated with severe viral hemorrhagic fever and lethality in humans. Protein-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, helper T-cell and interferon-inducing epitopes were mapped using a cluster of immune-omics-based algorithms and tools for the seven human pathogenic viral species. Furthermore, the physiochemical and antigenic properties were also explored to guide protein-specific multi-epitope subunit vaccine for each species. Moreover, highly efficacious RNAs (small Interfering RNA (siRNA), microRNA and single guide RNA (sgRNA)) after extensive genome-based analysis with therapeutic relevance were explored. All the therapeutic RNAs were further classified and listed on the basis of predicted higher efficacy. The online platform (http://www.mmvdb.dqweilab-sjtu.com/index.php) contains easily accessible data sets and vaccine designs with potential utility in further computational and experimental work. Conclusively, the current study provides a baseline data platform to secure better future therapeutic interventions against the hemorrhagic fever causing mammarenaviruses. Database URL: http://www.mmvdb.dqweilab-sjtu.com/index.php.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taimoor Khan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China
| | - Abbas Khan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China
| | - Dong-Qing Wei
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai-Islamabad-Belgrade Joint Innovation Center on Antibacterial Resistances, Joint Laboratory of International Cooperation in Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Ministry of Education and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, P.R. China
- Peng Cheng Laboratory, Vanke Cloud City Phase I Building 8, Xili Street, Nashan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, P.R China
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Khan A, Khan S, Ahmad S, Anwar Z, Hussain Z, Safdar M, Rizwan M, Waseem M, Hussain A, Akhlaq M, Khan T, Ali SS, Wei DQ. HantavirusesDB: Vaccinomics and RNA-based therapeutics database for the potentially emerging human respiratory pandemic agents. Microb Pathog 2021; 160:105161. [PMID: 34461244 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.105161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Hantaviruses are etiological agents of several severe respiratory illnesses in humans and their human-to-human transmission has been reported. To cope with any potential pandemic, this group of viruses needs further research and a data platform. Therefore, herein we developed a database "HantavirusesDB (HVdb)", where genomics, proteomics, immune resource, RNAi based therapeutics and information on the 3D structures of druggable targets of the Orthohantaviruses are provided on a single platform. The database allows the researchers to effectively map the therapeutic strategies by designing multi-epitopes subunit vaccine and RNA based therapeutics. Moreover, the ease of the web interface allow the users to retrieve specific information from the database. Because of the high quality and excellent functionality of the HVdb, therapeutic research of Hantaviruses can be accelerated, and data analysis might be a foundation to design better treatment strategies targeting the hantaviruses. The database is accessible at http://hvdb.dqweilab-sjtu.com/index.php.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbas Khan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China.
| | - Shahzeb Khan
- Center for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, KP, Pakistan
| | - Sajjad Ahmad
- Department of Health and Biological Sciences, Abasyn University, Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
| | - Zeeshan Anwar
- Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Zahid Hussain
- Center for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, KP, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Safdar
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University, DI Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Rizwan
- Center for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, KP, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Waseem
- Faculty of Rehabilitation and Allied Health Science, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Abid Hussain
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Akhlaq
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University, DI Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Taimoor Khan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China
| | - Syed Shujait Ali
- Center for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, KP, Pakistan
| | - Dong-Qing Wei
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai-Islamabad-Belgrade Joint Innovation Center on Antibacterial Resistances, Joint Laboratory of International Cooperation in Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Ministry of Education and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, PR China; Peng Cheng Laboratory, Vanke Cloud City Phase I Building 8, Xili Street, Nashan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, PR China.
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14
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Niu M, Lin Y, Zou Q. sgRNACNN: identifying sgRNA on-target activity in four crops using ensembles of convolutional neural networks. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:483-495. [PMID: 33385273 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-020-01102-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE We proposed an ensemble convolutional neural network model to identify sgRNA high on-target activity in four crops and we used one-hot encoding and k-mers for sequence encoding. As an important component of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, single-guide RNA (sgRNA) plays an important role in gene redirection and editing. sgRNA has played an important role in the improvement of agronomic species, but there is a lack of effective bioinformatics tools to identify the activity of sgRNA in agronomic species. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method based on machine learning to identify sgRNA high on-target activity. In this work, we proposed a simple convolutional neural network method to identify sgRNA high on-target activity. Our study used one-hot encoding and k-mers for sequence data conversion and a voting algorithm for constructing the convolutional neural network ensemble model sgRNACNN for the prediction of sgRNA activity. The ensemble model sgRNACNN was used for predictions in four crops: Glycine max, Zea mays, Sorghum bicolor and Triticum aestivum. The accuracy rates of the four crops in the sgRNACNN model were 82.43%, 80.33%, 78.25% and 87.49%, respectively. The experimental results showed that sgRNACNN realizes the identification of high on-target activity sgRNA of agronomic data and can meet the demands of sgRNA activity prediction in agronomy to a certain extent. These results have certain significance for guiding crop gene editing and academic research. The source code and relevant dataset can be found in the following link: https://github.com/nmt315320/sgRNACNN.git .
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Niu
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan Lin
- Department of System Integration, Sparebanken Vest, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Quan Zou
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
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15
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O’Brien AR, Burgio G, Bauer DC. Domain-specific introduction to machine learning terminology, pitfalls and opportunities in CRISPR-based gene editing. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:308-314. [PMID: 32008042 PMCID: PMC7820861 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbz145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of machine learning (ML) has become prevalent in the genome engineering space, with applications ranging from predicting target site efficiency to forecasting the outcome of repair events. However, jargon and ML-specific accuracy measures have made it hard to assess the validity of individual approaches, potentially leading to misinterpretation of ML results. This review aims to close the gap by discussing ML approaches and pitfalls in the context of CRISPR gene-editing applications. Specifically, we address common considerations, such as algorithm choice, as well as problems, such as overestimating accuracy and data interoperability, by providing tangible examples from the genome-engineering domain. Equipping researchers with the knowledge to effectively use ML to better design gene-editing experiments and predict experimental outcomes will help advance the field more rapidly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan R O’Brien
- Health and Biosecurity, CSIRO, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Gaetan Burgio
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Denis C Bauer
- Health and Biosecurity, CSIRO, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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16
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Gupta AK, Kumar M. HPVomics: An integrated resource for the human papillomavirus epitome and therapeutics. Genomics 2020; 112:4853-4862. [PMID: 32871223 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) belongs to the Papillomaviridae family, which is divided into high-risk (HR), and low-risk (LR) HPVs based on their disease-causing competence. HR-HPVs 16 and 18 are known to cause distinct carcinomas like cervical and head and neck, whereas LR-HPVs are commonly associated with the genital warts. We have developed an integrative platform; HPVomics dedicated to the potential therapeutic regimens targeting all HPV genes including oncoproteins E6, E7 and E5. We primarily focused on eighteen HR-HPVs and eleven LR-HPVs. It mainly deals with therapeutically imperative elements, i.e., vaccine epitopes, siRNAs, sgRNAs, and anti-viral peptides. Simultaneously, it also comprises of genome browser, whole-genome sequences and annotation of HPVs with searching and filtering capabilities. Moreover, we have also developed an integrated support vector machine (SVM) based computational algorithm "HPVepi" for the prediction of HPV epitome. We hope that HPVomics (http://bioinfo.imtech.res.in/manojk/hpvomics/) will assist the scientific community engaged in HPV research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Kumar Gupta
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160036, India.
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160036, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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17
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Gururani K, Kumar A, Tiwari A, Agarwal A, Gupta S, Pandey D. Transcriptome wide identification and characterization of regulatory genes involved in EAA metabolism and validation through expression analysis in different developmental stages of finger millet spikes. 3 Biotech 2020; 10:347. [PMID: 32728514 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-02337-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Finger millet is a rich source of seed storage proteins (SSPs). Various regulatory genes play an important role to maintain the quality and accumulation of SSPs in crop seeds. In the present study, nine regulatory genes of EAAs metabolic pathway, i.e., aspartate kinase, homoserine dehydrogenase, threonine synthase, threonine dehydratase, dihydrodipicolinate synthase, cystathionine γ synthase, anthranilate synthase, acetolactate synthase and lysine 2-oxoglutarato reductase/saccharopine dehydrogenase (LOR/SD) were identified from the transcriptomic data of developing spikes of two finger millet genotypes, i.e., GP-45 and GP-1. Results of sequence alignment search and motif/domain analysis showed high similarity of nucleotide sequences of identified regulatory genes with their respective homologs in rice. Results of promoter analysis revealed the presence of various cis-regulatory elements, like nitrogen responsive cis-elements (O2-site and GCN4), light responsive cis-elements, and stress responsive cis-elements. The presence of nine regulatory genes identified from the transcriptomic data of GP-45 and GP-1 was further confirmed by real time expression analysis in high and low protein containing genotypes, i.e., GE-3885 and GE-1437. Results of real time expression analysis showed significantly higher expression (p ≤ 0.01) of regulatory genes in GE-3885 rather than GE-1437 under control and treatment condition. Crude protein content of GE-3885 was found to be significantly higher (p ≤ 0.01) in comparison to GE-1437 under control condition, while under treatment condition GE-1437 was found to be more responsive to KNO3 treatment rather than GE-3885.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavita Gururani
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Pantnagar, 263145 Uttarakhand India
| | - Anil Kumar
- Rani Laxmi Bai Central Agriculture University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh 284003 India
| | - Apoorv Tiwari
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Pantnagar, 263145 Uttarakhand India
- Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Jacob Institute of Biotechnology and Bio-Engineering, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Allahabad, 211007 Uttar Pradesh India
| | - Aparna Agarwal
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Pantnagar, 263145 Uttarakhand India
| | - Supriya Gupta
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Pantnagar, 263145 Uttarakhand India
| | - Dinesh Pandey
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Pantnagar, 263145 Uttarakhand India
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18
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Gupta AK, Khan MS, Choudhury S, Mukhopadhyay A, Sakshi, Rastogi A, Thakur A, Kumari P, Kaur M, Shalu, Saini C, Sapehia V, Barkha, Patel PK, Bhamare KT, Kumar M. CoronaVR: A Computational Resource and Analysis of Epitopes and Therapeutics for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1858. [PMID: 32849449 PMCID: PMC7412965 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In December 2019, the Chinese city of Wuhan was the center of origin of a pneumonia-like disease outbreak with an unknown causative pathogen. The CDC, China, managed to track the source of infection to a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV; SARS-CoV-2) that shares approximately 79.6% of its genome with SARS-CoV. The World Health Organization (WHO) initially declared COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and later characterized it as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Due to the novel nature of this virus, there is an urgent need for vaccines and therapeutics to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and its associated disease, COVID-19. Global efforts are underway to circumvent its further spread and treat COVID-19 patients through experimental vaccine formulations and therapeutic interventions, respectively. In the absence of any effective therapeutics, we have devised h bioinformatics-based approaches to accelerate global efforts in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 and to assist researchers in the initial phase of vaccine and therapeutics development. In this study, we have performed comprehensive meta-analyses and developed an integrative resource, “CoronaVR” (http://bioinfo.imtech.res.in/manojk/coronavr/). Predominantly, we identified potential epitope-based vaccine candidates, siRNA-based therapeutic regimens, and diagnostic primers. The resource is categorized into the main sections “Genomes,” “Epitopes,” “Therapeutics,” and Primers.” The genome section harbors different components, viz, genomes, a genome browser, phylogenetic analysis, codon usage, glycosylation sites, and structural analysis. Under the umbrella of epitopes, sub-divisions, namely cross-protective epitopes, B-cell (linear/discontinuous), T-cell (CD4+/CD8+), CTL, and MHC binders, are presented. The therapeutics section has different sub-sections like siRNA, miRNAs, and sgRNAs. Further, experimentally confirmed and designed diagnostic primers are earmarked in the primers section. Our study provided a set of shortlisted B-cell and T-cell (CD4+ and CD8+) epitopes that can be experimentally tested for their incorporation in vaccine formulations. The list of selected primers can be used in testing kits to identify SARS-CoV-2, while the recommended siRNAs, sgRNAs, and miRNAs can be used in therapeutic regimens. We foresee that this resource will help in advancing the research against coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Kumar Gupta
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Md Shoaib Khan
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Shubham Choudhury
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Adhip Mukhopadhyay
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Sakshi
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Amber Rastogi
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Anamika Thakur
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Pallawi Kumari
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Manmeet Kaur
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Shalu
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Chanchal Saini
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Vandna Sapehia
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Barkha
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar Patel
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Kailash T Bhamare
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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19
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Liu B, Luo Z, He J. sgRNA-PSM: Predict sgRNAs On-Target Activity Based on Position-Specific Mismatch. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 20:323-330. [PMID: 32199128 PMCID: PMC7083770 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
As a key technique for the CRISPR-Cas9 system, identification of single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) on-target activity is critical for both theoretical research (investigation of RNA functions) and real-world applications (genome editing and synthetic biology). Because of its importance, several computational predictors have been proposed to predict sgRNAs on-target activity. All of these methods have clearly contributed to the developments of this very important field. However, they are suffering from certain limitations. We proposed two new methods called "sgRNA-PSM" and "sgRNA-ExPSM" for sgRNAs on-target activity prediction via capturing the long-range sequence information and evolutionary information using a new way to reduce the dimension of the feature vector to avoid the risk of overfitting. Rigorous leave-one-gene-out cross-validation on a benchmark dataset with 11 human genes and 6 mouse genes, as well as an independent dataset, indicated that the two new methods outperformed other competing methods. To make it easier for users to use the proposed sgRNA-PSM predictor, we have established a corresponding web server, which is available at http://bliulab.net/sgRNA-PSM/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Liu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China; Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhihua Luo
- Affiliated Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Juan He
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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20
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Booth DS, King N. Genome editing enables reverse genetics of multicellular development in the choanoflagellate Salpingoeca rosetta. eLife 2020; 9:56193. [PMID: 32496191 PMCID: PMC7314544 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In a previous study, we established a forward genetic screen to identify genes required for multicellular development in the choanoflagellate, Salpingoeca rosetta (Levin et al., 2014). Yet, the paucity of reverse genetic tools for choanoflagellates has hampered direct tests of gene function and impeded the establishment of choanoflagellates as a model for reconstructing the origin of their closest living relatives, the animals. Here we establish CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in S. rosetta by engineering a selectable marker to enrich for edited cells. We then use genome editing to disrupt the coding sequence of a S. rosetta C-type lectin gene, rosetteless, and thereby demonstrate its necessity for multicellular rosette development. This work advances S. rosetta as a model system in which to investigate how genes identified from genetic screens and genomic surveys function in choanoflagellates and evolved as critical regulators of animal biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Booth
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Nicole King
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
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21
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Gupta AK, Kumar A, Rajput A, Kaur K, Dar SA, Thakur A, Megha K, Kumar M. NipahVR: a resource of multi-targeted putative therapeutics and epitopes for the Nipah virus. Database (Oxford) 2020; 2020:baz159. [PMID: 32090261 PMCID: PMC7036594 DOI: 10.1093/database/baz159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging and priority pathogen from the Paramyxoviridae family with a high fatality rate. It causes various diseases such as respiratory ailments and encephalitis and poses a great threat to humans and livestock. Despite various efforts, there is no approved antiviral treatment available. Therefore, to expedite and assist the research, we have developed an integrative resource NipahVR (http://bioinfo.imtech.res.in/manojk/nipahvr/) for the multi-targeted putative therapeutics and epitopes for NiV. It is structured into different sections, i.e. genomes, codon usage, phylogenomics, molecular diagnostic primers, therapeutics (siRNAs, sgRNAs, miRNAs) and vaccine epitopes (B-cell, CTL, MHC-I and -II binders). Most decisively, potentially efficient therapeutic regimens targeting different NiV proteins and genes were anticipated and projected. We hope this computational resource would be helpful in developing combating strategies against this deadly pathogen. Database URL: http://bioinfo.imtech.res.in/manojk/nipahvr/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Kumar Gupta
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160036, India
| | - Archit Kumar
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160036, India
| | - Akanksha Rajput
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160036, India
| | - Karambir Kaur
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160036, India
| | - Showkat Ahmed Dar
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160036, India
| | - Anamika Thakur
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160036, India
| | - Kirti Megha
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160036, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Virology Unit and Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector 39-A, Chandigarh 160036, India
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22
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Wang J, Zhang X, Cheng L, Luo Y. An overview and metanalysis of machine and deep learning-based CRISPR gRNA design tools. RNA Biol 2020; 17:13-22. [PMID: 31533522 PMCID: PMC6948960 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2019.1669406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas9 system has become the most promising and versatile tool for genetic manipulation applications. Albeit the technology has been broadly adopted by both academic and pharmaceutic societies, the activity (on-target) and specificity (off-target) of CRISPR-Cas9 are decisive factors for any application of the technology. Several in silico gRNA activity and specificity predicting models and web tools have been developed, making it much more convenient and precise for conducting CRISPR gene editing studies. In this review, we present an overview and comparative analysis of machine and deep learning (MDL)-based algorithms, which are believed to be the most effective and reliable methods for the prediction of CRISPR gRNA on- and off-target activities. As an increasing number of sequence features and characteristics are discovered and are incorporated into the MDL models, the prediction outcome is getting closer to experimental observations. We also introduced the basic principle of CRISPR activity and specificity and summarized the challenges they faced, aiming to facilitate the CRISPR communities to develop more accurate models for applying.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiuqing Zhang
- BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lixin Cheng
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, The Second Clinical Medicine College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yonglun Luo
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Denmark
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23
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Metabolic engineering of bacterial strains using CRISPR/Cas9 systems for biosynthesis of value-added products. FOOD BIOSCI 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbio.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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24
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Rodríguez-Rodríguez DR, Ramírez-Solís R, Garza-Elizondo MA, Garza-Rodríguez MDL, Barrera-Saldaña HA. Genome editing: A perspective on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 to study human diseases (Review). Int J Mol Med 2019; 43:1559-1574. [PMID: 30816503 PMCID: PMC6414166 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2019.4112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome editing reemerged in 2012 with the development of CRISPR/Cas9 technology, which is a genetic manipulation tool derived from the defense system of certain bacteria against viruses and plasmids. This method is easy to apply and has been used in a wide variety of experimental models, including cell lines, laboratory animals, plants, and even in human clinical trials. The CRISPR/Cas9 system consists of directing the Cas9 nuclease to create a site-directed double-strand DNA break using a small RNA molecule as a guide. A process that allows a permanent modification of the genomic target sequence can repair the damage caused to DNA. In the present study, the basic principles of the CRISPR/Cas9 system are reviewed, as well as the strategies and modifications of the enzyme Cas9 to eliminate the off-target cuts, and the different applications of CRISPR/Cas9 as a system for visualization and gene expression activation or suppression. In addition, the review emphasizes on the potential application of this system in the treatment of different diseases, such as pulmonary, gastrointestinal, hematologic, immune system, viral, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Raquel Rodríguez-Rodríguez
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and University Hospital 'Dr. José E. González', Monterrey, Nuevo León 64460, México
| | - Ramiro Ramírez-Solís
- Institutional Core Laboratories, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Mario Alberto Garza-Elizondo
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Service of Rheumatology, School of Medicine and University Hospital 'Dr. José E. González', Monterrey, Nuevo León 64460, México
| | - María De Lourdes Garza-Rodríguez
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and University Hospital 'Dr. José E. González', Monterrey, Nuevo León 64460, México
| | - Hugo Alberto Barrera-Saldaña
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and University Hospital 'Dr. José E. González', Monterrey, Nuevo León 64460, México
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25
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Peng H, Zheng Y, Blumenstein M, Tao D, Li J. CRISPR/Cas9 cleavage efficiency regression through boosting algorithms and Markov sequence profiling. Bioinformatics 2018; 34:3069-3077. [PMID: 29672669 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/bty298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation CRISPR/Cas9 system is a widely used genome editing tool. A prediction problem of great interests for this system is: how to select optimal single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs), such that its cleavage efficiency is high meanwhile the off-target effect is low. Results This work proposed a two-step averaging method (TSAM) for the regression of cleavage efficiencies of a set of sgRNAs by averaging the predicted efficiency scores of a boosting algorithm and those by a support vector machine (SVM). We also proposed to use profiled Markov properties as novel features to capture the global characteristics of sgRNAs. These new features are combined with the outstanding features ranked by the boosting algorithm for the training of the SVM regressor. TSAM improved the mean Spearman correlation coefficiencies comparing with the state-of-the-art performance on benchmark datasets containing thousands of human, mouse and zebrafish sgRNAs. Our method can be also converted to make binary distinctions between efficient and inefficient sgRNAs with superior performance to the existing methods. The analysis reveals that highly efficient sgRNAs have lower melting temperature at the middle of the spacer, cut at 5'-end closer parts of the genome and contain more 'A' but less 'G' comparing with inefficient ones. Comprehensive further analysis also demonstrates that our tool can predict an sgRNA's cutting efficiency with consistently good performance no matter it is expressed from an U6 promoter in cells or from a T7 promoter in vitro. Availability and implementation Online tool is available at http://www.aai-bioinfo.com/CRISPR/. Python and Matlab source codes are freely available at https://github.com/penn-hui/TSAM. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Peng
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Advanced Analytics Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia
| | - Yi Zheng
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Advanced Analytics Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael Blumenstein
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Advanced Analytics Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia
| | - Dacheng Tao
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies, School of Information Technologies, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW, Australia
| | - Jinyan Li
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Advanced Analytics Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia
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26
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Efficient Genome Engineering of a Virulent Klebsiella Bacteriophage Using CRISPR-Cas9. J Virol 2018; 92:JVI.00534-18. [PMID: 29899105 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00534-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most common nosocomial opportunistic pathogens and usually exhibits multiple-drug resistance. Phage therapy, a potential therapeutic to replace or supplement antibiotics, has attracted much attention. However, very few Klebsiella phages have been well characterized because of the lack of efficient genome-editing tools. Here, Cas9 from Streptococcus pyogenes and a single guide RNA (sgRNA) were used to modify a virulent Klebsiella bacteriophage, phiKpS2. We first evaluated the distribution of sgRNA activity in phages and proved that it is largely inconsistent with the predicted activity from current models trained on eukaryotic cell data sets. A simple CRISPR-based phage genome-editing procedure was developed based on the discovery that homologous arms as short as 30 to 60 bp were sufficient to introduce point mutation, gene deletion, and swap. We also demonstrated that weak sgRNAs could be used for precise phage genome editing but failed to select random recombinants, possibly because inefficient cleavage can be tolerated through continuous repair by homologous recombination with the uncut genomes. Small frameshift deletion was proved to be an efficient way to evaluate the essentiality of phage genes. By using the abovementioned strategies, a putative promoter and nine genes of phiKpS2 were successfully deleted. Interestingly, the holin gene can be deleted with little effect on phiKpS2 infection, but the reason is not yet clear. This study established an efficient, time-saving, and cost-effective procedure for phage genome editing, which is expected to significantly promote the development of bacteriophage therapy.IMPORTANCE In the present study, we have addressed efficient, time-saving, and cost-effective CRISPR-based phage genome editing of Klebsiella phage, which has the potential to significantly expand our knowledge of phage-host interactions and to promote applications of phage therapy. The distribution of sgRNA activity was first evaluated in phages. Short homologous arms were proven to be enough to introduce point mutation, small frameshift deletion, gene deletion, and swap into phages, and weak sgRNAs were proven useful for precise phage genome editing but failed to select random recombinants, all of which makes the CRISPR-based phage genome-editing method easier to use.
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27
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Islam W. CRISPR-Cas9; an efficient tool for precise plant genome editing. Mol Cell Probes 2018; 39:47-52. [PMID: 29621557 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Efficient plant genome editing is dependent upon induction of double stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) through site specified nucleases. These DSBs initiate the process of DNA repair which can either base upon homologous recombination (HR) or non-homologous end jointing (NHEJ). Recently, CRISPR-Cas9 mechanism got highlighted as revolutionizing genetic tool due to its simpler frame work along with the broad range of adaptability and applications. So, in this review, I have tried to sum up the application of this biotechnological tool in plant genome editing. Furthermore, I have tried to explain successful adaptation of CRISPR in various plant species where it is used for the successful generation of stable mutations in a steadily growing number of species through NHEJ. The review also sheds light upon other biotechnological approaches relying upon single DNA lesion induction such as genomic deletion or pair wise nickases for evasion of offsite effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waqar Islam
- College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China; State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fuzhou, 350002, China; Govt.of Punjab, Agriculture Department, Lahore, Pakistan.
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ASPsiRNA: A Resource of ASP-siRNAs Having Therapeutic Potential for Human Genetic Disorders and Algorithm for Prediction of Their Inhibitory Efficacy. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2017; 7:2931-2943. [PMID: 28696921 PMCID: PMC5592921 DOI: 10.1534/g3.117.044024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Allele-specific siRNAs (ASP-siRNAs) have emerged as promising therapeutic molecules owing to their selectivity to inhibit the mutant allele or associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) sparing the expression of the wild-type counterpart. Thus, a dedicated bioinformatics platform encompassing updated ASP-siRNAs and an algorithm for the prediction of their inhibitory efficacy will be helpful in tackling currently intractable genetic disorders. In the present study, we have developed the ASPsiRNA resource (http://crdd.osdd.net/servers/aspsirna/) covering three components viz (i) ASPsiDb, (ii) ASPsiPred, and (iii) analysis tools like ASP-siOffTar. ASPsiDb is a manually curated database harboring 4543 (including 422 chemically modified) ASP-siRNAs targeting 78 unique genes involved in 51 different diseases. It furnishes comprehensive information from experimental studies on ASP-siRNAs along with multidimensional genetic and clinical information for numerous mutations. ASPsiPred is a two-layered algorithm to predict efficacy of ASP-siRNAs for fully complementary mutant (Effmut) and wild-type allele (Effwild) with one mismatch by ASPsiPredSVM and ASPsiPredmatrix, respectively. In ASPsiPredSVM, 922 unique ASP-siRNAs with experimentally validated quantitative Effmut were used. During 10-fold cross-validation (10nCV) employing various sequence features on the training/testing dataset (T737), the best predictive model achieved a maximum Pearson’s correlation coefficient (PCC) of 0.71. Further, the accuracy of the classifier to predict Effmut against novel genes was assessed by leave one target out cross-validation approach (LOTOCV). ASPsiPredmatrix was constructed from rule-based studies describing the effect of single siRNA:mRNA mismatches on the efficacy at 19 different locations of siRNA. Thus, ASPsiRNA encompasses the first database, prediction algorithm, and off-target analysis tool that is expected to accelerate research in the field of RNAi-based therapeutics for human genetic diseases.
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ALBERTI C. Prostate cancer immunotherapy, particularly in combination with androgen deprivation or radiation treatment. Customized pharmacogenomic approaches to overcome immunotherapy cancer resistance. G Chir 2017; 37:225-235. [PMID: 28098061 PMCID: PMC5256907 DOI: 10.11138/gchir/2016.37.5.225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Conventional therapeutic approaches for advanced prostate cancer - such as androgen deprivation, chemotherapy, radiation - come up often against lack of effectiveness because of possible arising of correlative cancer cell resistance and/or inadequate anti-tumor immune conditions. Whence the timeliness of resorting to immune-based treatment strategies including either therapeutic vaccination-based active immunotherapy or anti-tumor monoclonal antibody-mediated passive immunotherapy. Particularly attractive, as for research studies and clinical applications, results to be the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte check point blockade by the use of anti-CTLA-4 and PD-1 monoclonal antibodies, particularly when combined with androgen deprivation therapy or radiation. Unlike afore said immune check point inhibitors, both cell-based (by the use of prostate specific antigen carriers autologous dendritic cells or even whole cancer cells) and recombinant viral vector vaccines are able to induce immune-mediated focused killing of specific antigen-presenting prostate cancer cells. Such vaccines, either used alone or concurrently/sequentially combined with above-mentioned conventional therapies, led to generally reach, in the field of various clinical trials, reasonable results particularly as regards the patient's overall survival. Adoptive trasferred T-cells, as adoptive T-cell passive immunotherapy, and monoclonal antibodies against specific antigen-endowed prostate cancer cells can improve immune micro-environmental conditions. On the basis of a preliminary survey about various immunotherapy strategies, are here also outlined their effects when combined with androgen deprivation therapy or radiation. What's more, as regard the immune-based treatment effectiveness, it has to be pointed out that suitable personalized epigenetic/gene profile-achieved pharmacogenomic approaches to target identified gene aberrations, may lead to overcome - as well as for conventional therapies - possible prostate cancer resistance to immunotherapy.
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Zhou M, Li D, Huan X, Manthey J, Lioutikova E, Zhou H. Mathematical and computational analysis of CRISPR Cas9 sgRNA off-target homologies. INT J BIOMATH 2017. [DOI: 10.1142/s1793524517500851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Revolutionary in scope and application, the CRISPR Cas9 endonuclease system can be guided by 20-nt single guide RNA (sgRNA) to any complementary loci on the double-stranded DNA. Once the target site is located, Cas9 can then cleave the DNA and introduce mutations. Despite the power of this system, sgRNA is highly susceptible to off-target homologous attachment and can consequently cause Cas9 to cleave DNA at off-target sites. In order to better understand this flaw in the system, the human genome and Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) were used in a mathematical and computational study to analyze the probabilities of potential sgRNA off-target homologies. It has been concluded that off-target sites are nearly unavoidable for large-size genomes, such as the human genome. Backed by mathematical analysis, a viable solution is the double-nicking method which has the promise for genome editing specificity. Also applied in this study was a computational algorithm for off-target homology search that was implemented in Java to confirm the mathematical analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Zhou
- Hall High School, 975N Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06117, USA
| | - Daisy Li
- Hall High School, 975N Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06117, USA
| | - Xiaoli Huan
- Department of Computer Science, Troy University, Troy AL 36082, USA
| | - Joseph Manthey
- Department of Mathematical Science, University of Saint Joseph, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford CT 06117, USA
| | - Ekaterina Lioutikova
- Department of Mathematical Science, University of Saint Joseph, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford CT 06117, USA
| | - Hong Zhou
- Department of Mathematical Science, University of Saint Joseph, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford CT 06117, USA
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