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Suzuki S, Ohta KI, Nakajima Y, Shigeto H, Abe H, Kawai A, Miura R, Kazuki Y, Oshimura M, Miki T. Meganuclease-Based Artificial Transcription Factors. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:2679-2691. [PMID: 32907319 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Embedding middle-scale artificial gene networks in live mammalian cells is one of the most important future goals for cell engineering. However, the applications of the highly orthogonal and conventional artificial transcription factors currently available are limited. In this study, we present a scalable pipeline to produce artificial transcription factors based on homing endonucleases, also known as meganucleases. The introduction of mutations at critical sites for nuclease activity renders these homing endonucleases a simple but highly specific DNA binding domain for their specific DNA target. The introduction of inactivated meganucleases linked to transcriptional activator domains strongly induced reporter gene expression, while their fusion to transcriptional repressor domains suppressed them. In addition, we show that inactivated meganuclease-based transcription factors could be embedded in the synthetic membrane receptor synNotch and used to construct synthetic circuits. These results suggest that inactivated meganucleases are useful DNA-binding domains for the construction of synthetic transcription factors in mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shingo Suzuki
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Miki-cho, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
| | - Ken-ichi Ohta
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Miki-cho, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Nakajima
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0395, Japan
| | - Hajime Shigeto
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0395, Japan
| | - Hiroko Abe
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0395, Japan
| | - Anna Kawai
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Miki-cho, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
| | - Ryuichiro Miura
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Miki-cho, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kazuki
- Department of Biomedical Science, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Graduate School of Medical Science, Chromosome Engineering Research Center, Tottori University, Yonago, 683-8503, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Oshimura
- Department of Biomedical Science, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Graduate School of Medical Science, Chromosome Engineering Research Center, Tottori University, Yonago, 683-8503, Japan
| | - Takanori Miki
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Miki-cho, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
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Understanding the indirect DNA read-out specificity of I-CreI Meganuclease. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10286. [PMID: 29980759 PMCID: PMC6035192 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28599-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The high DNA specificity of homing endonucleases makes them a powerful protein scaffold to engineer enzymes for genome manipulation. Understanding their molecular recognition of DNA is an important prerequisite to generate engineered enzymes able to cleave DNA in specific desired genome sites. Protein-DNA recognition studies have been mostly focused on specific direct contacts between amino acid side chains and bases to redesign the binding interface. However, the important role of indirect readout in the central region of the target DNA of the homing endonuclease I-CreI suggested that indirect readout may play a key role in the redesign of protein-DNA interactions. The sequences of the I-CreI central substrate region, 2NN, along with the adjacent 5NNN, are key for substrate cleavage. Here, we analyse the mechanism of target discrimination at the 5NNN region by the I-CreI protein, revealing its critical role in the location and occupancy of the catalytic metal ions, which is crucial for cleavage. Our data highlight the importance of indirect readout for target DNA cleavage, thus aiding I-CreI engineering when targeting new DNA sequences.
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Guha TK, Edgell DR. Applications of Alternative Nucleases in the Age of CRISPR/Cas9. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18122565. [PMID: 29186020 PMCID: PMC5751168 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18122565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Breakthroughs in the development of programmable site-specific nucleases, including zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), meganucleases (MNs), and most recently, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) associated proteins (including Cas9) have greatly enabled and accelerated genome editing. By targeting double-strand breaks to user-defined locations, the rates of DNA repair events are greatly enhanced relative to un-catalyzed events at the same sites. However, the underlying biology of each genome-editing nuclease influences the targeting potential, the spectrum of off-target cleavages, the ease-of-use, and the types of recombination events at targeted double-strand breaks. No single genome-editing nuclease is optimized for all possible applications. Here, we focus on the diversity of nuclease domains available for genome editing, highlighting biochemical properties and the potential applications that are best suited to each domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuhin K Guha
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada.
| | - David R Edgell
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada.
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Alba J, Marcaida MJ, Prieto J, Montoya G, Molina R, D'Abramo M. Structure and dynamics of mesophilic variants from the homing endonuclease I-DmoI. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2017; 31:1063-1072. [PMID: 29177929 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-017-0087-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
I-DmoI, from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Desulfurococcus mobilis, belongs to the LAGLIDADG homing endonuclease protein family. Its members are highly specific enzymes capable of recognizing long DNA target sequences, thus providing potential tools for genome manipulation. Working towards this particular application, many efforts have been made to generate mesophilic variants of I-DmoI that function at lower temperatures than the wild-type. Here, we report a structural and computational analysis of two I-DmoI mesophilic mutants. Despite very limited structural variations between the crystal structures of these variants and the wild-type, a different dynamical behaviour near the cleavage sites is observed. In particular, both the dynamics of the water molecules and the protein perturbation effect on the cleavage site correlate well with the changes observed in the experimental enzymatic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Alba
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Jose Marcaida
- Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jesus Prieto
- Spanish National Cancer Center, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Guillermo Montoya
- Protein Structure & Function Programme, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rafael Molina
- Deparment of Crystallography and Structural Biology, Institute of Physical Chemistry "Rocasolano", CSIC, Serrano, 119, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Marco D'Abramo
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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5
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Vriend LEM, Krawczyk PM. Nick-initiated homologous recombination: Protecting the genome, one strand at a time. DNA Repair (Amst) 2016; 50:1-13. [PMID: 28087249 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2016.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Homologous recombination (HR) is an essential, widely conserved mechanism that utilizes a template for accurate repair of DNA breaks. Some early HR models, developed over five decades ago, anticipated single-strand breaks (nicks) as initiating lesions. Subsequent studies favored a more double-strand break (DSB)-centered view of HR initiation and at present this pathway is primarily considered to be associated with DSB repair. However, mounting evidence suggests that nicks can indeed initiate HR directly, without first being converted to DSBs. Moreover, recent studies reported on novel branches of nick-initiated HR (nickHR) that rely on single-, rather than double-stranded repair templates and that are characterized by mechanistically and genetically unique properties. The physiological significance of nickHR is not well documented, but its high-fidelity nature and low mutagenic potential are relevant in recently developed, precise gene editing approaches. Here, we review the evidence for stimulation of HR by nicks, as well as the data on the interactions of nickHR with other DNA repair pathways and on its mechanistic properties. We conclude that nickHR is a bona-fide pathway for nick repair, sharing the molecular machinery with the canonical HR but nevertheless characterized by unique properties that secure its inclusion in DNA repair models and warrant future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne E M Vriend
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Przemek M Krawczyk
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Grottesi A, Cecconi S, Molina R, D'abramo M. Effect of DNA on the conformational dynamics of the endonucleases I-DmoI as provided by molecular dynamics simulations. Biopolymers 2016; 105:898-904. [DOI: 10.1002/bip.22933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Grottesi
- SuperComputing Applications and Innovations; CINECA; via dei Tizii 6 Rome 00185 Italy
| | - Simone Cecconi
- Department of Chemistry; Sapienza University of Rome; P.le A. Moro, 5 Rome 00185 Italy
| | - Rafael Molina
- Department of Crystallography and Structural Biology; Inst. Química-Física “Rocasolano”, CSIC; Serrano 119 Madrid 28006 Spain
| | - Marco D'abramo
- Department of Chemistry; Sapienza University of Rome; P.le A. Moro, 5 Rome 00185 Italy
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7
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Shen BW, Lambert A, Walker BC, Stoddard BL, Kaiser BK. The Structural Basis of Asymmetry in DNA Binding and Cleavage as Exhibited by the I-SmaMI LAGLIDADG Meganuclease. J Mol Biol 2016; 428:206-220. [PMID: 26705195 PMCID: PMC4749321 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2015.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Revised: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
LAGLIDADG homing endonucleases ("meganucleases") are highly specific DNA cleaving enzymes that are used for genome engineering. Like other enzymes that act on DNA targets, meganucleases often display binding affinities and cleavage activities that are dominated by one protein domain. To decipher the underlying mechanism of asymmetric DNA recognition and catalysis, we identified and characterized a new monomeric meganuclease (I-SmaMI), which belongs to a superfamily of homologous enzymes that recognize divergent DNA sequences. We solved a series of crystal structures of the enzyme-DNA complex representing a progression of sequential reaction states, and we compared the structural rearrangements and surface potential distributions within each protein domain against their relative contribution to binding affinity. We then determined the effects of equivalent point mutations in each of the two enzyme active sites to determine whether asymmetry in DNA recognition is translated into corresponding asymmetry in DNA cleavage activity. These experiments demonstrate the structural basis for "dominance" by one protein domain over the other and provide insights into this enzyme's conformational switch from a nonspecific search mode to a more specific recognition mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty W. Shen
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Abigail Lambert
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Bradley C. Walker
- Department of Biology, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
| | - Barry L. Stoddard
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Brett K. Kaiser
- Department of Biology, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
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