1
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Jansen G, Gebert D, Kumar TR, Simmons E, Murphy S, Teixeira FK. Tolerance thresholds underlie responses to DNA damage during germline development. Genes Dev 2024; 38:631-654. [PMID: 39054057 PMCID: PMC11368186 DOI: 10.1101/gad.351701.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Selfish DNA modules like transposable elements (TEs) are particularly active in the germline, the lineage that passes genetic information across generations. New TE insertions can disrupt genes and impair the functionality and viability of germ cells. However, we found that in P-M hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila, a sterility syndrome triggered by the P-element DNA transposon, germ cells harbor unexpectedly few new TE insertions despite accumulating DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and inducing cell cycle arrest. Using an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system, we show that generating DSBs at silenced P-elements or other noncoding sequences is sufficient to induce germ cell loss independently of gene disruption. Indeed, we demonstrate that both developing and adult mitotic germ cells are sensitive to DSBs in a dosage-dependent manner. Following the mitotic-to-meiotic transition, however, germ cells become more tolerant to DSBs, completing oogenesis regardless of the accumulated genome damage. Our findings establish DNA damage tolerance thresholds as crucial safeguards of genome integrity during germline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Jansen
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Gebert
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | | | - Emily Simmons
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Murphy
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom
| | - Felipe Karam Teixeira
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom;
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
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2
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Pandya K, Jagani D, Singh N. CRISPR-Cas Systems: Programmable Nuclease Revolutionizing the Molecular Diagnosis. Mol Biotechnol 2024; 66:1739-1753. [PMID: 37466850 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00819-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas system has evolved as a highly preferred genetic engineering tool to perform target gene manipulation via alteration of the guide RNA (gRNA) sequence. The ability to recognize and cleave a specific target with high precision has led to its applicability in multiple frontiers pertaining to human health and medicine. From basic research focused on understanding the molecular basis of disease to translational approach leading to early and precise disease diagnosis as well as developing effective therapeutics, the CRISPR-Cas system has proved to be a quite versatile tool. The coupling of CRISPR-Cas mediated cleavage with isothermal amplification (ISA) of target DNA, followed by a read-out using fluorescent or colorimetric reporters appears quite promising in providing a solution to the urgent need for nucleic acid-based point-of-care diagnostic. Hence, it has been recognized as a highly sophisticated molecular diagnostic tool for the detection of disease-specific biomarkers not limited to nucleic acids-based detection but also of non-nucleic acid targets such as proteins, exosomes, and other small molecules. In this review, we have presented salient features and principles of class 2 type II, V, and VI CRISPR-Cas systems represented by Cas9, Cas12, and Cas13 endonucleases which are frequently used in molecular diagnosis. The article then highlights different medical diagnostic applications of CRISPR-Cas systems focusing on the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, Dengue, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Listeria monocytogenes. Lastly, we discuss existing obstacles and potential future pathways concerning this subject in a concise manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavya Pandya
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Institute of Advanced Research, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Deep Jagani
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Institute of Advanced Research, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Neeru Singh
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Institute of Advanced Research, Gandhinagar, India.
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3
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Weiss T, Kumar J, Chen C, Guo S, Schlegel O, Lutterman J, Ling K, Zhang F. Dual activities of an X-family DNA polymerase regulate CRISPR-induced insertional mutagenesis across species. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6293. [PMID: 39060288 PMCID: PMC11282277 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50676-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The canonical non-homologous end joining (c-NHEJ) repair pathway, generally viewed as stochastic, has recently been shown to produce predictable outcomes in CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis. This predictability, mainly in 1-bp insertions and small deletions, has led to the development of in-silico prediction programs for various animal species. However, the predictability of CRISPR-induced mutation profiles across species remained elusive. Comparing CRISPR-Cas9 repair outcomes between human and plant species reveals significant differences in 1-bp insertion profiles. The high predictability observed in human cells links to the template-dependent activity of human Polλ. Yet plant Polλ exhibits dual activities, generating 1-bp insertions through both templated and non-templated manners. Polλ knockout in plants leads to deletion-only mutations, while its overexpression enhances 1-bp insertion rates. Two conserved motifs are identified to modulate plant Polλ's dual activities. These findings unveil the mechanism behind species-specific CRISPR-Cas9-induced insertion profiles and offer strategies for predictable, precise genome editing through c-NHEJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor Weiss
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Microbial and Plant Genomics Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55108, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Jitesh Kumar
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Microbial and Plant Genomics Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55108, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Chuan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Shengsong Guo
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Oliver Schlegel
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - John Lutterman
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Kun Ling
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
- Center for Precision Plant Genomics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
- Microbial and Plant Genomics Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55108, USA.
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55108, USA.
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4
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Ben-Tov D, Mafessoni F, Cucuy A, Honig A, Melamed-Bessudo C, Levy AA. Uncovering the dynamics of precise repair at CRISPR/Cas9-induced double-strand breaks. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5096. [PMID: 38877047 PMCID: PMC11178868 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49410-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 is widely used for precise mutagenesis through targeted DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induction followed by error-prone repair. A better understanding of this process requires measuring the rates of cutting, error-prone, and precise repair, which have remained elusive so far. Here, we present a molecular and computational toolkit for multiplexed quantification of DSB intermediates and repair products by single-molecule sequencing. Using this approach, we characterize the dynamics of DSB induction, processing and repair at endogenous loci along a 72 h time-course in tomato protoplasts. Combining this data with kinetic modeling reveals that indel accumulation is determined by the combined effect of the rates of DSB induction processing of broken ends, and precise versus error repair. In this study, 64-88% of the molecules were cleaved in the three targets analyzed, while indels ranged between 15-41%. Precise repair accounts for most of the gap between cleavage and error repair, representing up to 70% of all repair events. Altogether, this system exposes flux in the DSB repair process, decoupling induction and repair dynamics, and suggesting an essential role of high-fidelity repair in limiting the efficiency of CRISPR-mediated mutagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Ben-Tov
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Fabrizio Mafessoni
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Amit Cucuy
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Arik Honig
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Cathy Melamed-Bessudo
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
| | - Avraham A Levy
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
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5
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Longo GMC, Sayols S, Kotini AG, Heinen S, Möckel MM, Beli P, Roukos V. Linking CRISPR-Cas9 double-strand break profiles to gene editing precision with BreakTag. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02238-8. [PMID: 38740992 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02238-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Cas9 can cleave DNA in both blunt and staggered configurations, resulting in distinct editing outcomes, but what dictates the type of Cas9 incisions is largely unknown. In this study, we developed BreakTag, a versatile method for profiling Cas9-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and identifying the determinants of Cas9 incisions. Overall, we assessed cleavage by SpCas9 at more than 150,000 endogenous on-target and off-target sites targeted by approximately 3,500 single guide RNAs. We found that approximately 35% of SpCas9 DSBs are staggered, and the type of incision is influenced by DNA:gRNA complementarity and the use of engineered Cas9 variants. A machine learning model shows that Cas9 incision is dependent on the protospacer sequence and that human genetic variation impacts the configuration of Cas9 cuts and the DSB repair outcome. Matched datasets of Cas9 and engineered variant incisions with repair outcomes show that Cas9-mediated staggered breaks are linked with precise, templated and predictable single-nucleotide insertions, demonstrating that a scission-based gRNA design can be used to correct clinically relevant pathogenic single-nucleotide deletions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sergi Sayols
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
| | - Andriana G Kotini
- Department of Biology, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Sabine Heinen
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Petra Beli
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
- Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU), Mainz, Germany
| | - Vassilis Roukos
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany.
- Department of Biology, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
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6
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Bhattacharya S, Satpati P. Why Does the E1219V Mutation Expand T-Rich PAM Recognition in Cas9 from Streptococcus pyogenes? J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:3237-3247. [PMID: 38600752 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Popular RNA-guided DNA endonuclease Cas9 from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpCas9) recognizes the canonical 5'-NGG-3' protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) and triggers double-stranded DNA cleavage activity. Mutations in SpCas9 were demonstrated to expand the PAM readability and hold promise for therapeutic and genome editing applications. However, the energetics of the PAM recognition and its relation to the atomic structure remain unknown. Using the X-ray structure (precatalytic SpCas9:sgRNA:dsDNA) as a template, we calculated the change in the PAM binding affinity in response to SpCas9 mutations using computer simulations. The E1219V mutation in SpCas9 fine-tunes the water accessibility in the PAM binding pocket and promotes new interactions in the SpCas9:noncanonical T-rich PAM, thus weakening the PAM stringency. The nucleotide-specific interaction of two arginine residues (i.e., R1333 and R1335 of SpCas9) ensured stringent 5'-NGG-3' PAM recognition. R1335A substitution (SpCas9R1335A) completely disrupts the direct interaction between SpCas9 and PAM sequences (canonical or noncanonical), accounting for the loss of editing activity. Interestingly, the double mutant (SpCas9R1335A,E1219V) boosts DNA binding affinity by favoring protein:PAM electrostatic contact in a desolvated pocket. The underlying thermodynamics explain the varied DNA cleavage activity of SpCas9 variants. A direct link between the energetics, structures, and activity is highlighted, which can aid in the rational design of improved SpCas9-based genome editing tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Bhattacharya
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Priyadarshi Satpati
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
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7
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Kovalev MA, Davletshin AI, Karpov DS. Engineering Cas9: next generation of genomic editors. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:209. [PMID: 38353732 PMCID: PMC10866799 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13056-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The Cas9 endonuclease of the CRISPR/Cas type IIA system from Streptococcus pyogenes is the heart of genome editing technology that can be used to treat human genetic and viral diseases. Despite its large size and other drawbacks, S. pyogenes Cas9 remains the most widely used genome editor. A vast amount of research is aimed at improving Cas9 as a promising genetic therapy. Strategies include directed evolution of the Cas9 protein, rational design, and domain swapping. The first generation of Cas9 editors comes directly from the wild-type protein. The next generation is obtained by combining mutations from the first-generation variants, adding new mutations to them, or refining mutations. This review summarizes and discusses recent advances and ways in the creation of next-generation genomic editors derived from S. pyogenes Cas9. KEY POINTS: • The next-generation Cas9-based editors are more active than in the first one. • PAM-relaxed variants of Cas9 are improved by increased specificity and activity. • Less mutagenic and immunogenic variants of Cas9 are created.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxim A Kovalev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russia
| | - Artem I Davletshin
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry S Karpov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991, Moscow, Russia.
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991, Moscow, Russia.
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8
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Morshedzadeh F, Ghanei M, Lotfi M, Ghasemi M, Ahmadi M, Najari-Hanjani P, Sharif S, Mozaffari-Jovin S, Peymani M, Abbaszadegan MR. An Update on the Application of CRISPR Technology in Clinical Practice. Mol Biotechnol 2024; 66:179-197. [PMID: 37269466 PMCID: PMC10239226 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00724-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas system, an innovative gene-editing tool, is emerging as a promising technique for genome modifications. This straightforward technique was created based on the prokaryotic adaptive immune defense mechanism and employed in the studies on human diseases that proved enormous therapeutic potential. A genetically unique patient mutation in the process of gene therapy can be corrected by the CRISPR method to treat diseases that traditional methods were unable to cure. However, introduction of CRISPR/Cas9 into the clinic will be challenging because we still need to improve the technology's effectiveness, precision, and applications. In this review, we first describe the function and applications of the CRISPR-Cas9 system. We next delineate how this technology could be utilized for gene therapy of various human disorders, including cancer and infectious diseases and highlight the promising examples in the field. Finally, we document current challenges and the potential solutions to overcome these obstacles for the effective use of CRISPR-Cas9 in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firouzeh Morshedzadeh
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Ghanei
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Malihe Lotfi
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Morteza Ghasemi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | - Mohsen Ahmadi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Parisa Najari-Hanjani
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Science, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Samaneh Sharif
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Sina Mozaffari-Jovin
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Maryam Peymani
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Reza Abbaszadegan
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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9
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Yang ZX, Fu YW, Zhao JJ, Zhang F, Li SA, Zhao M, Wen W, Zhang L, Cheng T, Zhang JP, Zhang XB. Superior Fidelity and Distinct Editing Outcomes of SaCas9 Compared with SpCas9 in Genome Editing. GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 21:1206-1220. [PMID: 36549468 PMCID: PMC11082263 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
A series of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas9) systems have been engineered for genome editing. The most widely used Cas9 is SpCas9 from Streptococcus pyogenes and SaCas9 from Staphylococcus aureus. However, a comparison of their detailed gene editing outcomes is still lacking. By characterizing the editing outcomes of 11 sites in human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and K562 cells, we found that SaCas9 could edit the genome with greater efficiencies than SpCas9. We also compared the effects of spacer lengths of single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs; 18-21 nt for SpCas9 and 19-23 nt for SaCas9) and found that the optimal spacer lengths were 20 nt and 21 nt for SpCas9 and SaCas9, respectively. However, the optimal spacer length for a particular sgRNA was 18-21 nt for SpCas9 and 21-22 nt for SaCas9. Furthermore, SpCas9 exhibited a more substantial bias than SaCas9 for nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) +1 insertion at the fourth nucleotide upstream of the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM), indicating a characteristic of a staggered cut. Accordingly, editing with SaCas9 led to higher efficiencies of NHEJ-mediated double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide (dsODN) insertion or homology-directed repair (HDR)-mediated adeno-associated virus serotype 6 (AAV6) donor knock-in. Finally, GUIDE-seq analysis revealed that SaCas9 exhibited significantly reduced off-target effects compared with SpCas9. Our work indicates the superior performance of SaCas9 to SpCas9 in transgene integration-based therapeutic gene editing and the necessity to identify the optimal spacer length to achieve desired editing results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Xue Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Ya-Wen Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Juan-Juan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Si-Ang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Mei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Wei Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Tao Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin 300020, China; Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Jian-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China.
| | - Xiao-Bing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China.
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10
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Newsom SN, Wang DS, Rostami S, Schuster I, Parameshwaran HP, Joseph YG, Qin PZ, Liu J, Rajan R. Differential Divalent Metal Binding by SpyCas9's RuvC Active Site Contributes to Nonspecific DNA Cleavage. CRISPR J 2023; 6:527-542. [PMID: 38108519 PMCID: PMC10753984 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2023.0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
To protect against mobile genetic elements (MGEs), some bacteria and archaea have clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR associated (CRISPR-Cas) adaptive immune systems. CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) bound to Cas nucleases hybridize to MGEs based on sequence complementarity to guide the nucleases to cleave the MGEs. This programmable DNA cleavage has been harnessed for gene editing. Safety concerns include off-target and guide RNA (gRNA)-free DNA cleavages, both of which are observed in the Cas nuclease commonly used for gene editing, Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpyCas9). We developed a SpyCas9 variant (SpyCas9H982A) devoid of gRNA-free DNA cleavage activity that is more selective for on-target cleavage. The H982A substitution in the metal-dependent RuvC active site reduces Mn2+-dependent gRNA-free DNA cleavage by ∼167-fold. Mechanistic molecular dynamics analysis shows that Mn2+, but not Mg2+, produces a gRNA-free DNA cleavage competent state that is disrupted by the H982A substitution. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of modulating cation:protein interactions to engineer safer gene editing tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney N. Newsom
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Price Family Foundation Institute of Structural Biology, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Duen-Shian Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of North Texas System College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Saadi Rostami
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Price Family Foundation Institute of Structural Biology, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Isabelle Schuster
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Hari Priya Parameshwaran
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Price Family Foundation Institute of Structural Biology, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Yadin G. Joseph
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Price Family Foundation Institute of Structural Biology, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Peter Z. Qin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jin Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of North Texas System College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Rakhi Rajan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Price Family Foundation Institute of Structural Biology, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
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11
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Maghsoud Y, Jayasinghe-Arachchige VM, Kumari P, Cisneros GA, Liu J. Leveraging QM/MM and Molecular Dynamics Simulations to Decipher the Reaction Mechanism of the Cas9 HNH Domain to Investigate Off-Target Effects. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:6834-6850. [PMID: 37877218 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01284] [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] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology is an RNA-guided targeted genome-editing tool using Cas family proteins. Two magnesium-dependent nuclease domains of the Cas9 enzyme, termed HNH and RuvC, are responsible for cleaving the target DNA (t-DNA) and nontarget DNA strands, respectively. The HNH domain is believed to determine the DNA cleavage activity of both endonuclease domains and is sensitive to complementary RNA-DNA base pairing. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of CRISPR-Cas9, by which it rebukes or accepts mismatches, are poorly understood. Thus, investigation of the structure and dynamics of the catalytic state of Cas9 with either matched or mismatched t-DNA can provide insights into improving its specificity by reducing off-target cleavages. Here, we focus on a recently discovered catalytic-active form of the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) and employ classical molecular dynamics and coupled quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics simulations to study two possible mechanisms of t-DNA cleavage reaction catalyzed by the HNH domain. Moreover, by designing a mismatched t-DNA structure called MM5 (C to G at the fifth position from the protospacer adjacent motif region), the impact of single-guide RNA (sgRNA) and t-DNA complementarity on the catalysis process was investigated. Based on these simulations, our calculated binding affinities, minimum energy paths, and analysis of catalytically important residues provide atomic-level details of the differences between matched and mismatched cleavage reactions. In addition, several residues exhibit significant differences in their catalytic roles for the two studied systems, including K253, K263, R820, K896, and K913.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazdan Maghsoud
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Vindi M Jayasinghe-Arachchige
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of North Texas System College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, United States
| | - Pratibha Kumari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of North Texas System College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, United States
| | - G Andrés Cisneros
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
- Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Jin Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of North Texas System College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, United States
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12
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Al-Zain AM, Nester MR, Ahmed I, Symington LS. Double-strand breaks induce inverted duplication chromosome rearrangements by a DNA polymerase δ-dependent mechanism. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7020. [PMID: 37919272 PMCID: PMC10622511 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42640-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Inverted duplications, also known as foldback inversions, are commonly observed in cancers and are the major class of chromosome rearrangement recovered from yeast cells lacking Mre11 nuclease activity. Foldback priming at DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is one mechanism proposed for the generation of inverted duplications. However, the other pathway steps have not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that a DSB induced near natural inverted repeats drives high frequency inverted duplication in Sae2 and Mre11-deficient cells. We find that DNA polymerase δ proof-reading activity, but not Rad1 nuclease, trims the heterologous flaps formed after foldback annealing. Additionally, Pol32 is required for the generation of inverted duplications, suggesting that Pol δ catalyzes fill-in synthesis primed from the foldback to create a hairpin-capped chromosome that is subsequently replicated to form a dicentric inversion chromosome. Finally, we show that stabilization of the dicentric chromosome after breakage involves telomere capture by non-reciprocal translocation mediated by repeat sequences or by deletion of one centromere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amr M Al-Zain
- Program in Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Mattie R Nester
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Iffat Ahmed
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Lorraine S Symington
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
- Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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13
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Wang J, Le Gall J, Frock RL, Strick TR. Shifted PAMs generate DNA overhangs and enhance SpCas9 post-catalytic complex dissociation. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:1707-1718. [PMID: 37828409 PMCID: PMC10643121 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01104-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Using Sanger sequencing and high-throughput genome sequencing of DNA cleavage reactions, we find that the Streptococcus pyogenes SpCas9 complex responds to internal mechanical strain by robustly generating a distribution of overhanging, rather than blunt, DNA ends. Internal mechanical strain is generated by shifting (increasing or decreasing) the spacing between the RNA-DNA hybrid and the downstream canonical PAM. Up to 2-base 3' overhangs can be robustly generated via a 2-base increase in the distance between hybrid and PAM. We also use single-molecule experiments to reconstruct the full course of the CRISPR-SpCas9 reaction in real-time, structurally and kinetically monitoring and quantifying R-loop formation, the first and second DNA-incision events, and dissociation of the post-catalytic complex. Complex dissociation and release of broken DNA ends is a rate-limiting step of the reaction, and shifted SpCas9 is sufficiently destabilized so as to rapidly dissociate after formation of broken DNA ends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinglong Wang
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université de Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université PSL, Paris, France
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julien Le Gall
- Institut de Biologie, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Richard L Frock
- Programme « Equipe Labélisée » de la Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Terence R Strick
- Institut de Biologie, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université PSL, Paris, France.
- Programme « Equipe Labélisée » de la Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Paris, France.
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14
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Zou K, Wang F, Zhang Z, Zhou Y, Li P, Wang D, Zhu M, Jia C, Wei Z. Optimized CRISPR/Cas9 system for gene knockout in chicken DF1 cells. Poult Sci 2023; 102:102970. [PMID: 37562129 PMCID: PMC10432839 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102970] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The editing efficiency primarily hinders the utility of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) technology in poultry. For a better understanding of the factors that influence the efficiency of gene knockout mediated by CRISPR/Cas9 in chicken DF1 cells, the single or dual single guide RNA (sgRNA) targeted exon regions of genes (taking anti-Müllerian hormone, TGF-beta receptor type-2 and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma as examples) were designed. The sgRNA-CRISPR/Cas9 vectors with corresponding reporter vectors were transfected into DF1 cells. T7 endonuclease 1 (T7E1) and amplicon sequencing assay were compared for evaluating genome editing efficiency and the indel profiles were analyzed based on the data of amplicon sequencing. Meanwhile, to evaluate the precision of Cas9 cleavage, we also analyzed the homology of small insertion with the nucleotides of upstream and downstream of cleave sties. The surrogate reporter systems showed strong enrichment function, and the indel percentages were increased after puromycin selection. The indel ratios of T7E1 assay were lower than amplicon sequencing assay, which indicated T7E1 isn't fit to be used as the sole evaluation criterion for the targeting efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9. Based on the amplicon sequencing analysis, the editing efficiency showed noticeable differences among cells treated with different sgRNAs. However, the variety of indel efficiencies was not related to the GC content of sgRNA or chromosome types of targeted genes. The results showed that the dual sgRNA might not raise the indel ratios compared with individual sgRNA, but they could increase the ratios of the fragment deletions. The present study suggested that the surrogate reporter was an effective method to promote the editing efficiencies of CRISPR/Cas9 in chicken cells. The dual sgRNA could increase the fragment deletions, and the sensitivity of amplicon sequencing to detect cleavage was higher than the T7 endonuclease 1 assay. These results are essential to improve the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in chicken cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Zou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Fang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zechun Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Pengcheng Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Dan Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Mengqi Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Cunling Jia
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zehui Wei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
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15
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Wimberger S, Akrap N, Firth M, Brengdahl J, Engberg S, Schwinn MK, Slater MR, Lundin A, Hsieh PP, Li S, Cerboni S, Sumner J, Bestas B, Schiffthaler B, Magnusson B, Di Castro S, Iyer P, Bohlooly-Y M, Machleidt T, Rees S, Engkvist O, Norris T, Cadogan EB, Forment JV, Šviković S, Akcakaya P, Taheri-Ghahfarokhi A, Maresca M. Simultaneous inhibition of DNA-PK and Polϴ improves integration efficiency and precision of genome editing. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4761. [PMID: 37580318 PMCID: PMC10425386 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40344-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome editing, specifically CRISPR/Cas9 technology, has revolutionized biomedical research and offers potential cures for genetic diseases. Despite rapid progress, low efficiency of targeted DNA integration and generation of unintended mutations represent major limitations for genome editing applications caused by the interplay with DNA double-strand break repair pathways. To address this, we conduct a large-scale compound library screen to identify targets for enhancing targeted genome insertions. Our study reveals DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) as the most effective target to improve CRISPR/Cas9-mediated insertions, confirming previous findings. We extensively characterize AZD7648, a selective DNA-PK inhibitor, and find it to significantly enhance precise gene editing. We further improve integration efficiency and precision by inhibiting DNA polymerase theta (Polϴ). The combined treatment, named 2iHDR, boosts templated insertions to 80% efficiency with minimal unintended insertions and deletions. Notably, 2iHDR also reduces off-target effects of Cas9, greatly enhancing the fidelity and performance of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Wimberger
- Genome Engineering, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Department of Chemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Nina Akrap
- Genome Engineering, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mike Firth
- Data Sciences & Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Johan Brengdahl
- Cell Assay Development, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Susanna Engberg
- Cell Engineering Sweden, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | | | - Anders Lundin
- Translational Genomics, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Pei-Pei Hsieh
- Genome Engineering, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Songyuan Li
- Genome Engineering, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Silvia Cerboni
- Translational Science & Experimental Medicine, Research and Early Development, Respiratory & Immunology (R&I), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jonathan Sumner
- Cell Immunology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Burcu Bestas
- Genome Engineering, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bastian Schiffthaler
- Data Sciences & Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Björn Magnusson
- Translational Genomics, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Silvio Di Castro
- Compound Synthesis & Management, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Preeti Iyer
- Molecular AI, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mohammad Bohlooly-Y
- Translational Genomics, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Steve Rees
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ola Engkvist
- Molecular AI, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tyrell Norris
- Cell Engineering Sweden, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | | | - Saša Šviković
- Genome Engineering, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Pinar Akcakaya
- Genome Engineering, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Amir Taheri-Ghahfarokhi
- Genome Engineering, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marcello Maresca
- Genome Engineering, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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16
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Peixoto J, Príncipe C, Pestana A, Osório H, Pinto MT, Prazeres H, Soares P, Lima RT. Using a Dual CRISPR/Cas9 Approach to Gain Insight into the Role of LRP1B in Glioblastoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11285. [PMID: 37511044 PMCID: PMC10379115 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
LRP1B remains one of the most altered genes in cancer, although its relevance in cancer biology is still unclear. Recent advances in gene editing techniques, particularly CRISPR/Cas9 systems, offer new opportunities to evaluate the function of large genes, such as LRP1B. Using a dual sgRNA CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing approach, this study aimed to assess the impact of disrupting LRP1B in glioblastoma cell biology. Four sgRNAs were designed for the dual targeting of two LRP1B exons (1 and 85). The U87 glioblastoma (GB) cell line was transfected with CRISPR/Cas9 PX459 vectors. To assess LRP1B-gene-induced alterations and expression, PCR, Sanger DNA sequencing, and qRT-PCR were carried out. Three clones (clones B9, E6, and H7) were further evaluated. All clones presented altered cellular morphology, increased cellular and nuclear size, and changes in ploidy. Two clones (E6 and H7) showed a significant decrease in cell growth, both in vitro and in the in vivo CAM assay. Proteomic analysis of the clones' secretome identified differentially expressed proteins that had not been previously associated with LRP1B alterations. This study demonstrates that the dual sgRNA CRISPR/Cas9 strategy can effectively edit LRP1B in GB cells, providing new insights into the impact of LRP1B deletions in GBM biology.
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Grants
- PTDC/MEC-ONC/31520/2017 FEEI, FEDER through COMPETE 2020 -POCI, Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior
- POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028779 (PTDC/BIA-MIC/28779/2017) FEEI, FEDER through COMPETE 2020 -POCI, Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior
- project "Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences" (UID/BIM/04293/2019) FEEI, FEDER through COMPETE 2020 -POCI, Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior
- "Cancer Research on Therapy Resistance: From Basic Mechanisms to Novel Targets"-NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000051 Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF
- The Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center" with the reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-072678 - Consórcio PORTO.CCC - Porto.Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca European Regional Development Fund
- ROTEIRO/0028/2013; LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-022125 Portuguese Mass Spectrometry Network, integrated in the National Roadmap of Research Infra-structures of Strategic Relevance
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Peixoto
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Cancer Signaling and Metabolism Group, IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Catarina Príncipe
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Cancer Signaling and Metabolism Group, IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Pestana
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Cancer Signaling and Metabolism Group, IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Hugo Osório
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- FMUP-Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Teixeira Pinto
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Hugo Prazeres
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Soares
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Cancer Signaling and Metabolism Group, IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- FMUP-Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Raquel T Lima
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Cancer Signaling and Metabolism Group, IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- FMUP-Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
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17
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Slaman E, Lammers M, Angenent GC, de Maagd RA. High-throughput sgRNA testing reveals rules for Cas9 specificity and DNA repair in tomato cells. Front Genome Ed 2023; 5:1196763. [PMID: 37346168 PMCID: PMC10279869 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2023.1196763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 technology has the potential to significantly enhance plant breeding. To determine the specificity and the mutagenic spectrum of SpCas9 in tomato, we designed 89 g(uide) RNAs targeting genes of the tomato MYB transcription factor family with varying predicted specificities. Plasmids encoding sgRNAs and Cas9 were introduced into tomato protoplasts, and target sites as well as 224 predicted off-target sites were screened for the occurrence of mutations using amplicon sequencing. Algorithms for the prediction of efficacy of the sgRNAs had little predictive power in this system. The analysis of mutations suggested predictable identity of single base insertions. Off-target mutations were found for 13 out of 89 sgRNAs and only occurred at positions with one or two mismatches (at 14 and 3 sites, respectively). We found that PAM-proximal mismatches do not preclude low frequency off-target mutations. Off-target mutations were not found at all 138 positions that had three or four mismatches. We compared off-target mutation frequencies obtained with plasmid encoding sgRNAs and Cas9 with those induced by ribonucleoprotein (RNP) transfections. The use of RNPs led to a significant decrease in relative off-target frequencies at 6 out of 17, no significant difference at 9, and an increase at 2 sites. Additionally, we show that off-target sequences with insertions or deletions relative to the sgRNA may be mutated, and should be considered during sgRNA design. Altogether, our data help sgRNA design by providing insight into the Cas9-induced double-strand break repair outcomes and the occurrence of off-target mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Slaman
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Bioscience, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Michiel Lammers
- Bioscience, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Gerco C. Angenent
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Bioscience, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Ruud A. de Maagd
- Bioscience, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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18
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Puppulin L, Ishikawa J, Sumino A, Marchesi A, Flechsig H, Umeda K, Kodera N, Nishimasu H, Shibata M. Dynamics of Target DNA Binding and Cleavage by Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 as Revealed by High-Speed Atomic Force Microscopy. ACS NANO 2023; 17:4629-4641. [PMID: 36848598 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c10709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Programmable DNA binding and cleavage by CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized the life sciences. However, the off-target cleavage observed in DNA sequences with some homology to the target still represents a major limitation for a more widespread use of Cas9 in biology and medicine. For this reason, complete understanding of the dynamics of DNA binding, interrogation and cleavage by Cas9 is crucial to improve the efficiency of genome editing. Here, we use high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) to investigate Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 (SaCas9) and its dynamics of DNA binding and cleavage. Upon binding to single-guide RNA (sgRNA), SaCas9 forms a close bilobed structure that transiently and flexibly adopts also an open configuration. The SaCas9-mediated DNA cleavage is characterized by release of cleaved DNA and immediate dissociation, confirming that SaCas9 operates as a multiple turnover endonuclease. According to present knowledge, the process of searching for target DNA is mainly governed by three-dimensional diffusion. Independent HS-AFM experiments show a potential long-range attractive interaction between SaCas9-sgRNA and its target DNA. The interaction precedes the formation of the stable ternary complex and is observed exclusively in the vicinity of the protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM), up to distances of several nanometers. The direct visualization of the process by sequential topographic images suggests that SaCas9-sgRNA binds to the target sequence first, while the following binding of the PAM is accompanied by local DNA bending and formation of the stable complex. Collectively, our HS-AFM data reveal a potential and unexpected behavior of SaCas9 during the search for DNA targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Puppulin
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Junichiro Ishikawa
- Structural Biology Division, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
| | - Ayumi Sumino
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
- Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Arin Marchesi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Tronto, 10/A Torrette di Ancona, 60126, Ancona, Italy
| | - Holger Flechsig
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Kenichi Umeda
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Kodera
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nishimasu
- Structural Biology Division, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Inamori Research Institute for Science, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8411, Japan
| | - Mikihiro Shibata
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
- Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
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19
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Müthel S, Marg A, Ignak B, Kieshauer J, Escobar H, Stadelmann C, Spuler S. Cas9-induced single cut enables highly efficient and template-free repair of a muscular dystrophy causing founder mutation. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 31:494-511. [PMID: 36865086 PMCID: PMC9972404 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
With thousands of patients worldwide, CAPN3 c.550delA is the most frequent mutation causing severe, progressive, and untreatable limb girdle muscular dystrophy. We aimed to genetically correct this founder mutation in primary human muscle stem cells. We designed editing strategies providing CRISPR-Cas9 as plasmid and mRNA first in patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells and applied this strategy then in primary human muscle stem cells from patients. Mutation-specific targeting yielded highly efficient and precise correction of CAPN3 c.550delA to wild type for both cell types. Most likely a single cut generated by SpCas9 resulted in a 5' staggered overhang of one base pair, which triggered an overhang-dependent base replication of an A:T at the mutation site. This recovered the open reading frame and the CAPN3 DNA sequence was repaired template-free to wild type, which led to CAPN3 mRNA and protein expression. Off-target analysis using amplicon sequencing of 43 in silico predicted sites demonstrates the safety of this approach. Our study extends previous usage of single cut DNA modification since our gene product has been repaired into the wild-type CAPN3 sequence with the perspective of a real cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Müthel
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin, Germany,Muscle Research Unit at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a Cooperation Between the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) and the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13125 Berlin, Germany,Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany,Corresponding author: Stefanie Müthel, PhD, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Andreas Marg
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin, Germany,Muscle Research Unit at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a Cooperation Between the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) and the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13125 Berlin, Germany,Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Busem Ignak
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin, Germany,Muscle Research Unit at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a Cooperation Between the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) and the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13125 Berlin, Germany,Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Janine Kieshauer
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin, Germany,Muscle Research Unit at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a Cooperation Between the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) and the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13125 Berlin, Germany,Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Helena Escobar
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin, Germany,Muscle Research Unit at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a Cooperation Between the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) and the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13125 Berlin, Germany,Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Stadelmann
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin, Germany,Muscle Research Unit at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a Cooperation Between the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) and the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13125 Berlin, Germany,Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany,Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Spuler
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin, Germany,Muscle Research Unit at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a Cooperation Between the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) and the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13125 Berlin, Germany,Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany,Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany,Corresponding author: Simone Spuler, MD, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
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20
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Al-Zain A, Nester MR, Symington LS. Double-strand breaks induce inverted duplication chromosome rearrangements by a DNA polymerase δ and Rad51-dependent mechanism. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.24.525421. [PMID: 36747747 PMCID: PMC9900772 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.24.525421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Inverted duplications, also known as foldback inversions, are commonly observed in cancers and are the major class of chromosome rearrangement recovered from yeast cells lacking Mre11 nuclease. Foldback priming at naturally occurring inverted repeats is one mechanism proposed for the generation of inverted duplications. However, the initiating lesion for these events and the mechanism by which they form has not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that a DNA double-strand break (DSB) induced near natural short, inverted repeats drives high frequency inverted duplication in Sae2 and Mre11-deficient cells. We find that DNA polymerase δ proof-reading activity acts non-redundantly with Rad1 nuclease to remove heterologous tails formed during foldback annealing. Additionally, Pol32 is required for the generation of inverted duplications, suggesting that Pol δ catalyzes fill-in synthesis primed from the foldback to create a hairpin-capped chromosome that is subsequently replicated to form a dicentric isochromosome. Stabilization of the dicentric chromosome after breakage involves telomere capture by non-reciprocal translocation mediated by repeat sequences and requires Rad51.
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21
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Bhattacharya S, Satpati P. Insights into the Mechanism of CRISPR/Cas9-Based Genome Editing from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:1817-1837. [PMID: 36687047 PMCID: PMC9850488 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a popular genome-editing tool with immense therapeutic potential. It is a simple two-component system (Cas9 protein and RNA) that recognizes the DNA sequence on the basis of RNA:DNA complementarity, and the Cas9 protein catalyzes the double-stranded break in the DNA. In the past decade, near-atomic resolution structures at various stages of the CRISPR/Cas9 DNA editing pathway have been reported along with numerous experimental and computational studies. Such studies have boosted knowledge of the genome-editing mechanism. Despite such advancements, the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in therapeutics is still limited, primarily due to off-target effects. Several studies aim at engineering high-fidelity Cas9 to minimize the off-target effects. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations have been an excellent complement to the experimental studies for investigating the mechanism of CRISPR/Cas9 editing in terms of structure, thermodynamics, and kinetics. MD-based studies have uncovered several important molecular aspects of Cas9, such as nucleotide binding, catalytic mechanism, and off-target effects. In this Review, the contribution of MD simulation to understand the CRISPR/Cas9 mechanism has been discussed, preceded by an overview of the history, mechanism, and structural aspects of the CRISPR/Cas9 system. These studies are important for the rational design of highly specific Cas9 and will also be extremely promising for achieving more accurate genome editing in the future.
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22
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Enabling Precision Medicine with CRISPR-Cas Genome Editing Technology: A Translational Perspective. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1396:315-339. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-19-5642-3_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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23
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CRISPR-Based Therapeutic Gene Editing for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Advances, Challenges and Perspectives. Cells 2022; 11:cells11192964. [PMID: 36230926 PMCID: PMC9564082 DOI: 10.3390/cells11192964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe neuromuscular disease arising from loss-of-function mutations in the dystrophin gene and characterized by progressive muscle degeneration, respiratory insufficiency, cardiac failure, and premature death by the age of thirty. Albeit DMD is one of the most common types of fatal genetic diseases, there is no curative treatment for this devastating disorder. In recent years, gene editing via the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system has paved a new path toward correcting pathological mutations at the genetic source, thus enabling the permanent restoration of dystrophin expression and function throughout the musculature. To date, the therapeutic benefits of CRISPR genome-editing systems have been successfully demonstrated in human cells, rodents, canines, and piglets with diverse DMD mutations. Nevertheless, there remain some nonignorable challenges to be solved before the clinical application of CRISPR-based gene therapy. Herein, we provide an overview of therapeutic CRISPR genome-editing systems, summarize recent advancements in their applications in DMD contexts, and discuss several potential obstacles lying ahead of clinical translation.
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van de Kooij B, Kruswick A, van Attikum H, Yaffe MB. Multi-pathway DNA-repair reporters reveal competition between end-joining, single-strand annealing and homologous recombination at Cas9-induced DNA double-strand breaks. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5295. [PMID: 36075911 PMCID: PMC9458747 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32743-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) are repaired by multiple distinct pathways, with outcomes ranging from error-free repair to mutagenesis and genomic loss. DSB-repair pathway cross-talk and compensation is incompletely understood, despite its importance for genomic stability, oncogenesis, and genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9. To address this, we constructed and validated three fluorescent Cas9-based reporters, named DSB-Spectrum, that simultaneously quantify the contribution of multiple DNA repair pathways at a DSB. DSB-Spectrum reporters distinguish between DSB-repair by error-free canonical non-homologous end-joining (c-NHEJ) versus homologous recombination (HR; reporter 1), mutagenic repair versus HR (reporter 2), and mutagenic end-joining versus single strand annealing (SSA) versus HR (reporter 3). Using these reporters, we show that inhibiting the c-NHEJ factor DNA-PKcs increases repair by HR, but also substantially increases mutagenic SSA. Our data indicate that SSA-mediated DSB-repair also occurs at endogenous genomic loci, driven by Alu elements or homologous gene regions. Finally, we demonstrate that long-range end-resection factors DNA2 and Exo1 promote SSA and reduce HR, when both pathways compete for the same substrate. These new Cas9-based DSB-Spectrum reporters facilitate the comprehensive analysis of repair pathway crosstalk and DSB-repair outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert van de Kooij
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Departments of Biology and Bioengineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alex Kruswick
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Departments of Biology and Bioengineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Haico van Attikum
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Michael B Yaffe
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Departments of Biology and Bioengineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Divisions of Acute Care Surgery, Trauma, and Critical Care and Surgical Oncology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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25
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Přibylová A, Fischer L, Pyott DE, Bassett A, Molnar A. DNA methylation can alter CRISPR/Cas9 editing frequency and DNA repair outcome in a target-specific manner. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 235:2285-2299. [PMID: 35524464 PMCID: PMC9545110 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The impact of epigenetic modifications on the efficacy of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated double-stranded DNA breaks and subsequent DNA repair is poorly understood, especially in plants. In this study, we investigated the effect of the level of cytosine methylation on the outcome of CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations at multiple Cas9 target sites in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf cells using next-generation sequencing. We found that high levels of promoter methylation, but not gene-body methylation, decreased the frequency of Cas9-mediated mutations. DNA methylation also influenced the ratio of insertions and deletions and potentially the type of Cas9 cleavage in a target-specific manner. In addition, we detected an over-representation of deletion events governed by a single 5'-terminal nucleotide at Cas9-induced DNA breaks. Our findings suggest that DNA methylation can indirectly impair Cas9 activity and subsequent DNA repair, probably through changes in the local chromatin structure. In addition to the well described Cas9-induced blunt-end double-stranded DNA breaks, we provide evidence for Cas9-mediated staggered DNA cuts in plant cells. Both types of cut may direct microhomology-mediated DNA repair by a novel, as yet undescribed, mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adéla Přibylová
- Institute of Molecular Plant SciencesThe University of EdinburghEdinburghEH9 3BFUK
- Faculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPrague128 44Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Fischer
- Faculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPrague128 44Czech Republic
| | - Douglas E. Pyott
- The Wellcome Trust Center for Cell BiologyInstitute of Cell BiologyThe University of EdinburghEdinburghEH9 3BFUK
| | - Andrew Bassett
- Wellcome Sanger InstituteWellcome Genome CampusHinxtonCB10 1SAUK
| | - Attila Molnar
- Institute of Molecular Plant SciencesThe University of EdinburghEdinburghEH9 3BFUK
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26
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Panda G, Ray A. Decrypting the mechanistic basis of CRISPR/Cas9 protein. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 172:60-76. [PMID: 35577099 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas system, a newly but extensively investigated genome-editing method, harbors practical solutions for various genetic problems. It relies on short guide RNAs (gRNAs) to recruit the Cas9 protein, a DNA cleaving enzyme, to its genomic target DNAs. The Cas9 enzyme exhibits some unique properties, like the ability to differentiate self vs. non-self - DNA strands using the base-pairing potential of crRNA, i.e., only CRISPR DNA is entirely complementary to the CRISPR repeat sequences at the crRNA whereas the presence of mismatches in the upstream region of the spacer permit CRISPR interference which is inhibited in case of CRISPR-DNA, allosteric regulation in its domains, and domain reorientation on sgRNA binding. Several groups have contributed their efforts in understanding the functioning of the CRISPR/Cas system, but even then, there is a lot more to explore in this area. The structural and sequence-based understanding of the whole CRISPR-associated bacterial ortholog family landscape is still ambiguous. A better understanding of the underlying energetics of the CRISPR/Cas9 system should reveal critical parameters to design better CRISPR/Cas9s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayatri Panda
- Department of Computational Biology, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi, India
| | - Arjun Ray
- Department of Computational Biology, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi, India.
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27
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Talluri S. Engineering and Design of Programmable Genome Editors. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:5140-5150. [PMID: 35819243 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c03761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Programmable genome editors are enzymes that can be targeted to a specific location in the genome for making site-specific alterations or deletions. The engineering, design, and development of sequence-specific editors has resulted in a dramatic increase in the precision of editing for nucleotide sequences. These editors can target specific locations in a genome, in vivo. The genome editors are being deployed for the development of genetically modified organisms for agriculture and industry, and for gene therapy of inherited human genetic disorders, cancer, and immunotherapy. Experimental and computational studies of structure, binding, activity, dynamics, and folding, reviewed here, have provided valuable insights that have the potential for increasing the functional efficiency of these gene/genome editors. Biochemical and biophysical studies of the specificities of natural and engineered genome editors reveal that increased binding affinity can be detrimental because of the increase of off-target effects and that the engineering and design of genome editors with higher specificity may require modulation and control of the conformational dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sekhar Talluri
- Department of Biotechnology, GITAM, Visakhapatnam, India 530045
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28
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Schiermeyer A, Cerda-Bennasser P, Schmelter T, Huang X, Christou P, Schillberg S. Rapid production of SaCas9 in plant-based cell-free lysate for activity testing. Biotechnol J 2022; 17:e2100564. [PMID: 35316566 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202100564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cas9 nucleases have become the most versatile tool for genome editing projects in a broad range of organisms. The recombinant production of Cas9 nuclease is desirable for in vitro activity assays or the preparation of ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) for DNA-free genome editing approaches. For the rapid production of Cas9, we explored the use of a recently established cell-free lysate from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) BY-2 cells. Using this system, the 130-kDa Cas9 nuclease from Staphylococcus aureus (SaCas9) was produced and subsequently purified via affinity chromatography. The purified apoenzyme was supplemented with 10 different sgRNAs, and the nuclease activity was confirmed by the linearization of plasmid DNA containing cloned DNA target sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schiermeyer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Aachen, Germany
| | - Pedro Cerda-Bennasser
- Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, Lleida, Spain
| | - Thomas Schmelter
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Aachen, Germany
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, Lleida, Spain
| | - Paul Christou
- Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, Lleida, Spain
- ICREA, Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Phytopathology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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29
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Wang Y, Yin X, Chen L, Yin Z, Zuo Z. Discovery and evaluation of cytisine n-isoflavones as novel egfr/her2 dual inhibitors. Bioorg Chem 2022; 127:105868. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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30
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Fan M, Berkhout B, Herrera-Carrillo E. A combinatorial CRISPR-Cas12a attack on HIV DNA. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 25:43-51. [PMID: 35356755 PMCID: PMC8933334 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas12a is an alternative class 2 gene editing tool that may cause less off-target effects than the original Cas9 system. We have previously demonstrated that Cas12a attack with a single CRISPR RNA (crRNA) can neutralize all infectious HIV in an infected T cell line in cell culture. However, we demonstrated that HIV escapes from most crRNAs by acquisition of a mutation in the crRNA target sequence, thus providing resistance against Cas12a attack. Here, we tested the antiviral activity of seven dual crRNA combinations and analyzed the HIV proviral genomes for mutations at the target sites. We demonstrated that dual crRNA combinations exhibit more robust antiviral activity than a single crRNA attack and, more important, that the dual-crRNA therapy can prevent virus escape in long-term cultures. We confirmed the absence of any replication-competent virus in these apparently cured cultures. Surprisingly, we did not detect excision of the HIV sequences located between two Cas12a cleavage sites. Instead, we observed almost exclusively HIV inactivation by "hypermutation," that is, the introduction of indel mutations at both target sites due to the error-prone cellular DNA repair machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Fan
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ben Berkhout
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Elena Herrera-Carrillo
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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31
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Discovery, Topo I inhibitory activity and mechanism evaluation of two novel cytisine-type alkaloid dimers from the seeds of Sophora alopecuroides L. Bioorg Med Chem 2022; 61:116723. [PMID: 35396127 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2022.116723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Alopecurosines A and B (CMs 1 and 2, respectively) are two novel cytisine-type alkaloid dimers first isolated from the aerial parts of Sophora alopecuroides L. CMs 1 and 2 are new dimeric alkaloids whose piperidine matrine ring is cleaved and connected via the N'-1 bond. Their chemical structures have been confirmed by IR, UV, HR-ESI-MS, and NMR. Preliminary screening shows that they have topoisomerase I (Topo I)-based anti-tumor activity. Their Topo I inhibitory activities and mechanism have been evaluated by agarose gel electrophoresis assay and a molecular docking study. The results show that the inhibition rate of CM 1 is 82.26% at 1 mM concentration and that it exhibits significantly Topo I inhibitory activity. Further research has illustrated that CMs 1 and 2 exert inhibitory activity by stabilising the Topo I-DNA cleavage complex, implying that they have the potential to be developed as novel Topo I inhibitors.
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32
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Molla KA, Shih J, Wheatley MS, Yang Y. Predictable NHEJ Insertion and Assessment of HDR Editing Strategies in Plants. Front Genome Ed 2022; 4:825236. [PMID: 35481279 PMCID: PMC9037586 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2022.825236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Canonical CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technique has profoundly impacted the fields of plant biology, biotechnology, and crop improvement. Since non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is usually considered to generate random indels, its high efficiency mutation is generally not pertinent to precise editing. Homology-directed repair (HDR) can mediate precise editing with supplied donor DNA, but it suffers from extreme low efficiency in higher plants. Therefore, precision editing in plants will be facilitated by the ability to predict NHEJ repair outcome and to improve HDR efficiency. Here, we report that NHEJ-mediated single nucleotide insertion at different rice genes is predictable based on DNA sequences at the target loci. Three mutation prediction tools (inDelphi, FORECasT, and SPROUT) have been validated in the rice plant system. We also evaluated the chimeric guide RNA (cgRNA) and Cas9-Retron precISe Parallel Editing via homologY (CRISPEY) strategies to facilitate donor template supply for improving HDR efficiency in Nicotiana benthamiana and rice. However, neither cgRNA nor CRISPEY improved plant HDR editing efficiency in this study. Interestingly, our data indicate that tethering of 200-250 nucleotides long sequence to either 5' or 3' ends of guide RNA did not significantly affect Cas9 cleavage activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kutubuddin A Molla
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, India
| | - Justin Shih
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Matthew S Wheatley
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Yinong Yang
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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Schröpfer S, Lempe J, Emeriewen OF, Flachowsky H. Recent Developments and Strategies for the Application of Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation of Apple Malus × domestica Borkh. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:928292. [PMID: 35845652 PMCID: PMC9280197 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.928292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Genetic transformation has become an important tool in plant genome research over the last three decades. This applies not only to model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana but also increasingly to cultivated plants, where the establishment of transformation methods could still pose many problems. One of such plants is the apple (Malus spp.), the most important fruit of the temperate climate zone. Although the genetic transformation of apple using Agrobacterium tumefaciens has been possible since 1989, only a few research groups worldwide have successfully applied this technology, and efficiency remains poor. Nevertheless, there have been some developments, especially in recent years, which allowed for the expansion of the toolbox of breeders and breeding researchers. This review article attempts to summarize recent developments in the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation strategies of apple. In addition to the use of different tissues and media for transformation, agroinfiltration, as well as pre-transformation with a Baby boom transcription factor are notable successes that have improved transformation efficiency in apple. Further, we highlight targeted gene silencing applications. Besides the classical strategies of RNAi-based silencing by stable transformation with hairpin gene constructs, optimized protocols for virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and artificial micro RNAs (amiRNAs) have emerged as powerful technologies for silencing genes of interest. Success has also been achieved in establishing methods for targeted genome editing (GE). For example, it was recently possible for the first time to generate a homohistont GE line into which a biallelic mutation was specifically inserted in a target gene. In addition to these methods, which are primarily aimed at increasing transformation efficiency, improving the precision of genetic modification and reducing the time required, methods are also discussed in which genetically modified plants are used for breeding purposes. In particular, the current state of the rapid crop cycle breeding system and its applications will be presented.
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Zhang Y, Nishiyama T, Olson EN, Bassel-Duby R. CRISPR/Cas correction of muscular dystrophies. Exp Cell Res 2021; 408:112844. [PMID: 34571006 PMCID: PMC8530959 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.112844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Muscular dystrophies are a heterogeneous group of monogenic neuromuscular disorders which lead to progressive muscle loss and degeneration of the musculoskeletal system. The genetic causes of muscular dystrophies are well characterized, but no effective treatments have been developed so far. The discovery and application of the CRISPR/Cas system for genome editing offers a new path for disease treatment with the potential to permanently correct genetic mutations. The post-mitotic and multinucleated features of skeletal muscle provide an ideal target for CRISPR/Cas therapeutic genome editing because correction of a subpopulation of nuclei can provide benefit to the whole myofiber. In this review, we provide an overview of the CRISPR/Cas system and its derivatives in genome editing, proposing potential CRISPR/Cas-based therapies to correct diverse muscular dystrophies, and we discuss challenges for translating CRISPR/Cas genome editing to a viable therapy for permanent correction of muscular dystrophies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA; Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Takahiko Nishiyama
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA; Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Eric N Olson
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA; Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Rhonda Bassel-Duby
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA; Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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Hu J, Liu R, Zhou J, Lv Y. Element coding based accurate evaluation of CRISPR/Cas9 initial cleavage. Chem Sci 2021; 12:13404-13412. [PMID: 34777759 PMCID: PMC8528026 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc03599a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
As a powerful gene editing tool, the kinetic mechanism of CRISPR/Cas9 has been the focus for its further application. Initial cleavage events as the first domino followed by nuclease end trimming significantly affect the final on-target rate. Here we propose EC-CRISPR, element coding CRISPR, an accurate evaluation platform for initial cleavage that directly characterizes the cleavage efficiency and breaking sites. We benchmarked the influence of 19 single mismatch and 3 multiple mismatch positions of DNA-sgRNA on initial cleavage, as well as various reaction conditions. Results from EC-CRISPR demonstrate that the PAM-distal single mismatch is relatively acceptable compared to the proximal one. And multiple mismatches will not only affect the cleavage efficiency, but also generate more non-site #3 cleavage. Through in-depth research of kinetic behavior, we uncovered an abnormally higher non-#3 proportion at the initial stage of cleavage by using EC-CRISPR. Together, our results provided insights into cleavage efficiency and breaking sites, demonstrating that EC-CRISPR as a novel quantitative platform for initial cleavage enables accurate comparison of efficiencies and specificities among multiple CRISPR/Cas enzymes. Initial cleavage events as the first domino of CRISPR/Cas9 kinetic behaviors. To accurately evaluate the initial cleavage of Cas9, element coding CRISPR platform-enabled direct characterization of the cleavage efficiency and cleavage sites was proposed.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianyu Hu
- Analytical & Testing Center, Sichuan University Chengdu 610064 PR China
| | - Rui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University 29 Wangjiang Road Chengdu 610064 PR China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Analytical & Testing Center, Sichuan University Chengdu 610064 PR China
| | - Yi Lv
- Analytical & Testing Center, Sichuan University Chengdu 610064 PR China .,Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University 29 Wangjiang Road Chengdu 610064 PR China
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Zhang Y, Nishiyama T, Li H, Huang J, Atmanli A, Sanchez-Ortiz E, Wang Z, Mireault AA, Mammen PPA, Bassel-Duby R, Olson EN. A consolidated AAV system for single-cut CRISPR correction of a common Duchenne muscular dystrophy mutation. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 22:122-132. [PMID: 34485599 PMCID: PMC8397837 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), caused by mutations in the X-linked dystrophin gene, is a lethal neuromuscular disease. Correction of DMD mutations in animal models has been achieved by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing using Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) delivered by adeno-associated virus (AAV). However, due to the limited viral packaging capacity of AAV, two AAV vectors are required to deliver the SpCas9 nuclease and its single guide RNA (sgRNA), impeding its therapeutic application. We devised an efficient single-cut gene-editing method using a compact Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 (SaCas9) to restore the open reading frame of exon 51, the most commonly affected out-of-frame exon in DMD. Editing of exon 51 in cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells revealed a strong preference for exon reframing via a two-nucleotide deletion. We adapted this system to express SaCas9 and sgRNA from a single AAV9 vector. Systemic delivery of this All-In-One AAV9 system restored dystrophin expression and improved muscle contractility in a mouse model of DMD with exon 50 deletion. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of CRISPR/SaCas9 delivered by a consolidated AAV delivery system in the correction of DMD in vivo, representing a promising therapeutic approach to correct the genetic causes of DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Takahiko Nishiyama
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jian Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ayhan Atmanli
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Efrain Sanchez-Ortiz
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Zhaoning Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Alex A Mireault
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Pradeep P A Mammen
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Rhonda Bassel-Duby
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Eric N Olson
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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Sizova I, Kelterborn S, Verbenko V, Kateriya S, Hegemann P. Chlamydomonas POLQ is necessary for CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene targeting. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2021; 11:jkab114. [PMID: 33836052 PMCID: PMC8495919 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The use of CRISPR/Cas endonucleases has revolutionized gene editing techniques for research on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. To better utilize the CRISPR/Cas system, it is essential to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the DNA repair pathways involved in genome editing. In this study, we have analyzed contributions from canonical KU80/KU70-dependent nonhomologous end-joining (cNHEJ) and DNA polymerase theta (POLQ)-mediated end joining on SpCas9-mediated untemplated mutagenesis and homology-directed repair (HDR)/gene inactivation in Chlamydomonas. Using CRISPR/SpCas9 technology, we generated DNA repair-defective mutants ku80, ku70, polQ for gene targeting experiments. Our results show that untemplated repair of SpCas9-induced double strand breaks results in mutation spectra consistent with an involvement of both KU80/KU70 and POLQ. In addition, the inactivation of POLQ was found to negatively affect HDR of the inactivated paromomycin-resistant mut-aphVIII gene when donor single-stranded oligos were used. Nevertheless, mut-aphVIII was still repaired by homologous recombination in these mutants. POLQ inactivation suppressed random integration of transgenes co-transformed with the donor ssDNA. KU80 deficiency did not affect these events but instead was surprisingly found to stimulate HDR/gene inactivation. Our data suggest that in Chlamydomonas, POLQ is the main contributor to CRISPR/Cas-induced HDR and random integration of transgenes, whereas KU80/KU70 potentially plays a secondary role. We expect our results will lead to improvement of genome editing in C. reinhardtii and can be used for future development of algal biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Sizova
- Experimental Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin D-10099, Germany
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B.P. Konstantinov of National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Gatchina 188300, Russia
- Kurchatov Genome Center - PNPI, Gatchina 188300, Russia
| | - Simon Kelterborn
- Experimental Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin D-10099, Germany
| | - Valeriy Verbenko
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B.P. Konstantinov of National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Gatchina 188300, Russia
- Kurchatov Genome Center - PNPI, Gatchina 188300, Russia
| | - Suneel Kateriya
- Laboratory of Optobiology School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Peter Hegemann
- Experimental Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin D-10099, Germany
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Sledzinski P, Dabrowska M, Nowaczyk M, Olejniczak M. Paving the way towards precise and safe CRISPR genome editing. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 49:107737. [PMID: 33785374 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
As the possibilities of CRISPR-Cas9 technology have been revealed, we have entered a new era of research aimed at increasing its specificity and safety. This stage of technology development is necessary not only for its wider application in the clinic but also in basic research to better control the process of genome editing. Research during the past eight years has identified some factors influencing editing outcomes and led to the development of highly specific endonucleases, modified guide RNAs and computational tools supporting experiments. More recently, large-scale experiments revealed a previously overlooked feature: Cas9 can generate reproducible mutation patterns. As a result, it has become apparent that Cas9-induced double-strand break (DSB) repair is nonrandom and can be predicted to some extent. Here, we review the present state of knowledge regarding the specificity and safety of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to define gRNA, protein and target-related problems and solutions. These issues include sequence-specific off-target effects, immune responses, genetic variation and chromatin accessibility. We present new insights into the role of DNA repair in genome editing and define factors influencing editing outcomes. In addition, we propose practical guidelines for increasing the specificity of editing and discuss novel perspectives in improvement of this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Sledzinski
- Department of Genome Engineering, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poland
| | - Magdalena Dabrowska
- Department of Genome Engineering, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poland
| | - Mateusz Nowaczyk
- Department of Genome Engineering, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poland
| | - Marta Olejniczak
- Department of Genome Engineering, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poland.
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39
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Michalski K, Hertig C, Mańkowski DR, Kumlehn J, Zimny J, Linkiewicz AM. Functional Validation of cas9/guideRNA Constructs for Site-Directed Mutagenesis of Triticale ABA8'OH1 loci. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7038. [PMID: 34210100 PMCID: PMC8269138 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137038] [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: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cas endonuclease-mediated genome editing provides a long-awaited molecular biological approach to the modification of predefined genomic target sequences in living organisms. Although cas9/guide (g)RNA constructs are straightforward to assemble and can be customized to target virtually any site in the plant genome, the implementation of this technology can be cumbersome, especially in species like triticale that are difficult to transform, for which only limited genome information is available and/or which carry comparatively large genomes. To cope with these challenges, we have pre-validated cas9/gRNA constructs (1) by frameshift restitution of a reporter gene co-introduced by ballistic DNA transfer to barley epidermis cells, and (2) via transfection in triticale protoplasts followed by either a T7E1-based cleavage assay or by deep-sequencing of target-specific PCR amplicons. For exemplification, we addressed the triticale ABA 8'-hydroxylase 1 gene, one of the putative determinants of pre-harvest sprouting of grains. We further show that in-del induction frequency in triticalecan beincreased by TREX2 nuclease activity, which holds true for both well- and poorly performing gRNAs. The presented results constitute a sound basis for the targeted induction of heritable modifications in triticale genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Michalski
- GMO Controlling Laboratory, Plant Biotechnology and Cytogenetics Department, Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute—National Research Institute, Radzików, 05-870 Błonie, Poland; (K.M.); (J.Z.)
| | - Christian Hertig
- Plant Reproductive Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), 06466 Seeland, Germany; (J.K.); (C.H.)
| | - Dariusz R. Mańkowski
- Laboratory of Seed Production and Plant Breeding Economics, Department of Seed Science and Technology, Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute—National Research Institute, Radzików, 05-870 Błonie, Poland;
| | - Jochen Kumlehn
- Plant Reproductive Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), 06466 Seeland, Germany; (J.K.); (C.H.)
| | - Janusz Zimny
- GMO Controlling Laboratory, Plant Biotechnology and Cytogenetics Department, Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute—National Research Institute, Radzików, 05-870 Błonie, Poland; (K.M.); (J.Z.)
| | - Anna M. Linkiewicz
- GMO Controlling Laboratory, Plant Biotechnology and Cytogenetics Department, Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute—National Research Institute, Radzików, 05-870 Błonie, Poland; (K.M.); (J.Z.)
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3 Street, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
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40
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Loveless TB, Grotts JH, Schechter MW, Forouzmand E, Carlson CK, Agahi BS, Liang G, Ficht M, Liu B, Xie X, Liu CC. Lineage tracing and analog recording in mammalian cells by single-site DNA writing. Nat Chem Biol 2021; 17:739-747. [PMID: 33753928 PMCID: PMC8891441 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00769-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Studying cellular and developmental processes in complex multicellular organisms can require the non-destructive observation of thousands to billions of cells deep within an animal. DNA recorders address the staggering difficulty of this task by converting transient cellular experiences into mutations at defined genomic sites that can be sequenced later in high throughput. However, existing recorders act primarily by erasing DNA. This is problematic because, in the limit of progressive erasure, no record remains. We present a DNA recorder called CHYRON (Cell History Recording by Ordered Insertion) that acts primarily by writing new DNA through the repeated insertion of random nucleotides at a single locus in temporal order. To achieve in vivo DNA writing, CHYRON combines Cas9, a homing guide RNA and the template-independent DNA polymerase terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. We successfully applied CHYRON as an evolving lineage tracer and as a recorder of user-selected cellular stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa B Loveless
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Joseph H Grotts
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Mason W Schechter
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Elmira Forouzmand
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Courtney K Carlson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Bijan S Agahi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Guohao Liang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Michelle Ficht
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Beide Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Xiaohui Xie
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Chang C Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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41
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Hendriks D, Clevers H, Artegiani B. CRISPR-Cas Tools and Their Application in Genetic Engineering of Human Stem Cells and Organoids. Cell Stem Cell 2021; 27:705-731. [PMID: 33157047 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2020.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas technology has revolutionized biological research and holds great therapeutic potential. Here, we review CRISPR-Cas systems and their latest developments with an emphasis on application to human cells. We also discuss how different CRISPR-based strategies can be used to accomplish a particular genome engineering goal. We then review how different CRISPR tools have been used in genome engineering of human stem cells in vitro, covering both the pluripotent (iPSC/ESC) and somatic adult stem cell fields and, in particular, 3D organoid cultures. Finally, we discuss the progress and challenges associated with CRISPR-based genome editing of human stem cells for therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delilah Hendriks
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, and University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Clevers
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, and University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; The Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Benedetta Artegiani
- The Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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42
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Tang H, Yuan H, Du W, Li G, Xue D, Huang Q. Active-Site Models of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 in DNA Cleavage State. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:653262. [PMID: 33987202 PMCID: PMC8112549 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.653262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 is a powerful tool for target genome editing in living cells. Significant advances have been made to understand how this system cleaves target DNA. HNH is a nuclease domain, which shares structural similarity with the HNH endonuclease characterzied by a beta-beta-alpha-metal fold. Therefore, based on one- and two-metal-ion mechanisms, homology modeling and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation are suitable tools for building an atomic model of Cas9 in the DNA cleavage state. Here, by modeling and MD, we presented an atomic model of SpCas9-sgRNA-DNA complex with the cleavage state. This model shows that the HNH and RuvC conformations resemble their DNA cleavage state where the active-sites in the complex coordinate with DNA, Mg2+ ions, and water. Among them, residues D10, E762, H983, and D986 locate at the first shell of the RuvC active-site and interact with the ions directly, residues H982 or/and H985 are general (Lewis) bases, and the coordinated water is located at the positions for nucleophilic attack of the scissile phosphate. Meanwhile, this catalytic model led us to engineer a new SpCas9 variant (SpCas9-H982A + H983D) with reduced off-target effects. Thus, our study provided new mechanistic insights into the CRISPR-Cas9 system in the DNA cleavage state and offered useful guidance for engineering new CRISPR-Cas9 editing systems with improved specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghai Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Centre of Gene Technology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Centre of Gene Technology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenhao Du
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Centre of Gene Technology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Centre of Gene Technology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongmei Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Centre of Gene Technology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Centre of Gene Technology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Multiscale Research Institute of Complex Systems, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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43
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Leeper K, Kalhor K, Vernet A, Graveline A, Church GM, Mali P, Kalhor R. Lineage barcoding in mice with homing CRISPR. Nat Protoc 2021; 16:2088-2108. [PMID: 33692551 PMCID: PMC8049957 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-020-00485-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Classic approaches to mapping the developmental history of cells in vivo have relied on techniques that require complex interventions and often capture only a single trajectory or moment in time. We have previously described a developmental barcoding system to address these issues using synthetically induced mutations to record information about each cell's lineage in its genome. This system uses MARC1 mouse lines, which have multiple homing guide RNAs that each generate hundreds of mutant alleles and combine to produce an exponential diversity of barcodes. Here, we detail two MARC1 lines that are available from a public repository. We describe strategies for using MARC1 mice and experimental design considerations. We provide a protocol for barcode retrieval and sequencing as well as the analysis of the sequencing data. This protocol generates barcodes based on synthetically induced mutations in mice to enable lineage analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Leeper
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Center for Epigenetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kian Kalhor
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andyna Vernet
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amanda Graveline
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - George M Church
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prashant Mali
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Reza Kalhor
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Center for Epigenetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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44
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Tatiossian KJ, Clark RDE, Huang C, Thornton ME, Grubbs BH, Cannon PM. Rational Selection of CRISPR-Cas9 Guide RNAs for Homology-Directed Genome Editing. Mol Ther 2021; 29:1057-1069. [PMID: 33160457 PMCID: PMC7934447 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Homology-directed repair (HDR) of a DNA break allows copying of genetic material from an exogenous DNA template and is frequently exploited in CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. However, HDR is in competition with other DNA repair pathways, including non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ), and the efficiency of HDR outcomes is not predictable. Consequently, to optimize HDR editing, panels of CRISPR-Cas9 guide RNAs (gRNAs) and matched homology templates must be evaluated. We report here that CRISPR-Cas9 indel signatures can instead be used to identify gRNAs that maximize HDR outcomes. Specifically, we show that the frequency of deletions resulting from MMEJ repair, characterized as deletions greater than or equal to 3 bp, better predicts HDR frequency than consideration of total indel frequency. We further demonstrate that tools that predict gRNA indel signatures can be repurposed to identify gRNAs to promote HDR. Finally, by comparing indels generated by S. aureus and S. pyogenes Cas9 targeted to the same site, we add to the growing body of data that the targeted DNA sequence is a major factor governing genome editing outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina J Tatiossian
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Robert D E Clark
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chun Huang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Matthew E Thornton
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brendan H Grubbs
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Paula M Cannon
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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45
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Bayarsaikhan D, Bayarsaikhan G, Lee B. Recent advances in stem cells and gene editing: Drug discovery and therapeutics. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2021; 181:231-269. [PMID: 34127195 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2021.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The recently introduced genome editing technology has had a remarkable impact on genetic medicine. Zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas nucleases are the three major platforms used for priming of stem cells or correction of mutated genes. Among these nucleases, CRISPR/Cas is the most easily applicable. Various CRISPR/Cas variants such as base editors, prime editors, mad7 nucleases, RESCUE, REPAIR, digenome sequencing, and SHERLOCK are being developed and considered as a promising tool for gene therapy and drug discovery. These advances in the CRISPR/Cas platform have enabled the correction of gene mutations from DNA to RNA level and validation of the safety of genome editing performance at a very precise level by allowing the detection of one base-pair mismatch. These promising alternatives of the CRISPR/Cas system can benefit millions of patients with intractable diseases. Although the therapeutic effects of stem cells have been confirmed in a wide range of disease models, their safety still remains an issue. Hence, scientists are concentrating on generating functionally improved stem cells by using programmable nucleases such as CRISPR. Therefore, in this chapter, we have summarized the applicable options of the CRISPR/Cas platforms by weighing their advantages and limitations in drug discovery and gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delger Bayarsaikhan
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon City, Republic of Korea
| | - Govigerel Bayarsaikhan
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon City, Republic of Korea
| | - Bonghee Lee
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon City, Republic of Korea.
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46
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Wu Q, Shou J. Toward precise CRISPR DNA fragment editing and predictable 3D genome engineering. J Mol Cell Biol 2021; 12:828-856. [PMID: 33125070 PMCID: PMC7883824 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjaa060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ever since gene targeting or specific modification of genome sequences in mice was achieved in the early 1980s, the reverse genetic approach of precise editing of any genomic locus has greatly accelerated biomedical research and biotechnology development. In particular, the recent development of the CRISPR/Cas9 system has greatly expedited genetic dissection of 3D genomes. CRISPR gene-editing outcomes result from targeted genome cleavage by ectopic bacterial Cas9 nuclease followed by presumed random ligations via the host double-strand break repair machineries. Recent studies revealed, however, that the CRISPR genome-editing system is precise and predictable because of cohesive Cas9 cleavage of targeting DNA. Here, we synthesize the current understanding of CRISPR DNA fragment-editing mechanisms and recent progress in predictable outcomes from precise genetic engineering of 3D genomes. Specifically, we first briefly describe historical genetic studies leading to CRISPR and 3D genome engineering. We then summarize different types of chromosomal rearrangements by DNA fragment editing. Finally, we review significant progress from precise 1D gene editing toward predictable 3D genome engineering and synthetic biology. The exciting and rapid advances in this emerging field provide new opportunities and challenges to understand or digest 3D genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Wu
- Center for Comparative Biomedicine, MOE Key Lab of Systems Biomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Systems Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jia Shou
- Center for Comparative Biomedicine, MOE Key Lab of Systems Biomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Systems Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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47
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Fu YW, Dai XY, Wang WT, Yang ZX, Zhao JJ, Zhang JP, Wen W, Zhang F, Oberg KC, Zhang L, Cheng T, Zhang XB. Dynamics and competition of CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoproteins and AAV donor-mediated NHEJ, MMEJ and HDR editing. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:969-985. [PMID: 33398341 PMCID: PMC7826255 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigations of CRISPR gene knockout editing profiles have contributed to enhanced precision of editing outcomes. However, for homology-directed repair (HDR) in particular, the editing dynamics and patterns in clinically relevant cells, such as human iPSCs and primary T cells, are poorly understood. Here, we explore the editing dynamics and DNA repair profiles after the delivery of Cas9-guide RNA ribonucleoprotein (RNP) with or without the adeno-associated virus serotype 6 (AAV6) as HDR donors in four cell types. We show that editing profiles have distinct differences among cell lines. We also reveal the kinetics of HDR mediated by the AAV6 donor template. Quantification of T50 (time to reach half of the maximum editing frequency) indicates that short indels (especially +A/T) occur faster than longer (>2 bp) deletions, while the kinetics of HDR falls between NHEJ (non-homologous end-joining) and MMEJ (microhomology-mediated end-joining). As such, AAV6-mediated HDR effectively outcompetes the longer MMEJ-mediated deletions but not NHEJ-mediated indels. Notably, a combination of small molecular compounds M3814 and Trichostatin A (TSA), which potently inhibits predominant NHEJ repairs, leads to a 3-fold increase in HDR efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Wen Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Xin-Yue Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Wen-Tian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Zhi-Xue Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Juan-Juan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Jian-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Wei Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Kerby C Oberg
- Department of Pathology and Human Anatomy, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Gene Therapy for Blood Diseases, Tianjin 300020, China
- Tianjin Laboratory of Blood Disease Gene Therapy, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Tao Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
- Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin 300020, China
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Xiao-Bing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China
- Department of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
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48
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Saha A, Arantes PR, Hsu RV, Narkhede YB, Jinek M, Palermo G. Molecular Dynamics Reveals a DNA-Induced Dynamic Switch Triggering Activation of CRISPR-Cas12a. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:6427-6437. [PMID: 33107304 PMCID: PMC7605327 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas12a is a genome-editing system, recently also harnessed for nucleic acid detection, which is promising for the diagnosis of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus through the DETECTR technology. Here, a collective ensemble of multimicrosecond molecular dynamics characterizes the key dynamic determinants allowing nucleic acid processing in CRISPR-Cas12a. We show that DNA binding induces a switch in the conformational dynamics of Cas12a, which results in the activation of the peripheral REC2 and Nuc domains to enable cleavage of nucleic acids. The simulations reveal that large-amplitude motions of the Nuc domain could favor the conformational activation of the system toward DNA cleavages. In this process, the REC lobe plays a critical role. Accordingly, the joint dynamics of REC and Nuc shows the tendency to prime the conformational transition of the DNA target strand toward the catalytic site. Most notably, the highly coupled dynamics of the REC2 region and Nuc domain suggests that REC2 could act as a regulator of the Nuc function, similar to what was observed previously for the HNH domain in the CRISPR-associated nuclease Cas9. These mutual domain dynamics could be critical for the nonspecific binding of DNA and thereby for the underlying mechanistic functioning of the DETECTR technology. Considering that REC is a key determinant in the system's specificity, our findings provide a rational basis for future biophysical studies aimed at characterizing its function in CRISPR-Cas12a. Overall, our outcomes advance our mechanistic understanding of CRISPR-Cas12a and provide grounds for novel engineering efforts to improve genome editing and viral detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aakash Saha
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Pablo R. Arantes
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Rohaine V. Hsu
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Yogesh B. Narkhede
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Martin Jinek
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Palermo
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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49
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Steele JL, Stevens RC, Cabrera OA, Bassill GJ, Cramer SM, Guzman F, Shuber AP. Novel CRISPR-based sequence specific enrichment methods for target loci and single base mutations. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243781. [PMID: 33362267 PMCID: PMC7757808 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The programmable sequence specificity of CRISPR has found uses in gene editing and diagnostics. This manuscript describes an additional application of CRISPR through a family of novel DNA enrichment technologies. CAMP (CRISPR Associated Multiplexed PCR) and cCAMP (chimeric CRISPR Associated Multiplexed PCR) utilize the sequence specificity of the Cas9/sgRNA complex to target loci for the ligation of a universal adapter that is used for subsequent amplification. cTRACE (chimeric Targeting Rare Alleles with CRISPR-based Enrichment) also applies this method to use Cas9/sgRNA to target loci for the addition of universal adapters, however it has an additional selection for specific mutations through the use of an allele-specific primer. These three methods can produce multiplex PCR that significantly reduces the optimization required for every target. The methods are also not specific to any downstream analytical platform. We additionally will present a mutation specific enrichment technology that is non-amplification based and leaves the DNA in its native state: TRACE (Targeting Rare Alleles with CRISPR-based Enrichment). TRACE utilizes the Cas9/sgRNA complex to sterically protect the ends of targeted sequences from exonuclease activity which digests both the normal variant as well as any off-target sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Oscar A. Cabrera
- Genetics Research LLC, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Gary J. Bassill
- Genetics Research LLC, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sabrina M. Cramer
- Genetics Research LLC, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Felipe Guzman
- Genetics Research LLC, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Anthony P. Shuber
- Genetics Research LLC, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
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50
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Kujoth GC, Sullivan TD, Klein BS. Gene Editing in Dimorphic Fungi Using CRISPR/Cas9. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN MICROBIOLOGY 2020; 59:e132. [PMID: 33315302 PMCID: PMC7783865 DOI: 10.1002/cpmc.132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Dimorphic fungi in the genera Blastomyces, Histoplasma, Coccidioides, and Paracoccidioides are important human pathogens that affect human health in many countries throughout the world. Understanding the biology of these fungi is important for the development of effective treatments and vaccines. Gene editing is a critically important tool for research into these organisms. In recent years, gene targeting approaches employing RNA-guided DNA nucleases, such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (Cas9), have exploded in popularity. Here, we provide a detailed description of the steps involved in applying CRISPR/Cas9 technology to dimorphic fungi, with Blastomyces dermatitidis in particular as our model fungal pathogen. We discuss the design and construction of single guide RNA and Cas9-expressing targeting vectors (including multiplexed vectors) as well as introduction of these plasmids into Blastomyces using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Finally, we cover the outcomes that may be expected in terms of gene-editing efficiency and types of gene alterations produced. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Construction of CRISPR/Cas9 targeting vectors Support Protocol 1: Choosing protospacers in the target gene Basic Protocol 2: Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Blastomyces Support Protocol 2: Preparation of electrocompetent Agrobacterium Support Protocol 3: Preparation and recovery of Blastomyces frozen stocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory C. Kujoth
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Thomas D. Sullivan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Bruce S. Klein
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
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