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Zahedipour F, Zahedipour F, Zamani P, Jaafari MR, Sahebkar A. Harnessing CRISPR technology for viral therapeutics and vaccines: from preclinical studies to clinical applications. Virus Res 2024; 341:199314. [PMID: 38211734 PMCID: PMC10825633 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2024.199314] [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: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas system, identified as a type of bacterial adaptive immune system, have attracted significant attention due to its remarkable ability to precisely detect and eliminate foreign genetic material and nucleic acids. Expanding upon these inherent capabilities, recent investigations have unveiled the potential of reprogrammed CRISPR/Cas 9, 12, and 13 systems for treating viral infections associated with human diseases, specifically targeting DNA and RNA viruses, respectively. Of particular interest is the RNA virus responsible for the recent global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which presents a substantial public health risk, coupled with limited efficacy of current prophylactic and therapeutic techniques. In this regard, the utilization of CRISPR/Cas technology offers a promising gene editing approach to overcome the limitations of conventional methods in managing viral infections. This comprehensive review provides an overview of the latest CRISPR/Cas-based therapeutic and vaccine strategies employed to combat human viral infections. Additionally, we discuss significant challenges and offer insights into the future prospects of this cutting-edge gene editing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Zahedipour
- Microbiology Department, Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU), Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Zahedipour
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Medical Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Parvin Zamani
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Reza Jaafari
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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2
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Kim YM, Woo SJ, Han JY. Strategies for the Generation of Gene Modified Avian Models: Advancement in Avian Germline Transmission, Genome Editing, and Applications. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14040899. [PMID: 37107658 PMCID: PMC10137648 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian models are valuable for studies of development and reproduction and have important implications for food production. Rapid advances in genome-editing technologies have enabled the establishment of avian species as unique agricultural, industrial, disease-resistant, and pharmaceutical models. The direct introduction of genome-editing tools, such as the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system, into early embryos has been achieved in various animal taxa. However, in birds, the introduction of the CRISPR system into primordial germ cells (PGCs), a germline-competent stem cell, is considered a much more reliable approach for the development of genome-edited models. After genome editing, PGCs are transplanted into the embryo to establish germline chimera, which are crossed to produce genome-edited birds. In addition, various methods, including delivery by liposomal and viral vectors, have been employed for gene editing in vivo. Genome-edited birds have wide applications in bio-pharmaceutical production and as models for disease resistance and biological research. In conclusion, the application of the CRISPR system to avian PGCs is an efficient approach for the production of genome-edited birds and transgenic avian models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Seung-Je Woo
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Yong Han
- Avinnogen Co., Ltd., Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
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3
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Mitchell E, Tellez G, McGrew MJ. Chicken genome editing for investigating poultry pathogens. Avian Pathol 2023; 52:1-11. [PMID: 36278430 DOI: 10.1080/03079457.2022.2130173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Major advances in pathogen identification, treatment, vaccine development, and avian immunology have enabled the enormous expansion in global poultry production over the last 50 years. Looking forward, climate change, reduced feed, reduced water access, new avian pathogens and restrictions on the use of antimicrobials threaten to hamper further gains in poultry productivity and health. The development of novel in vitro cell culture systems, coupled with new genetic tools to investigate gene function, will aid in developing novel interventions for existing and newly emerging poultry pathogens. Our growing capacity to cryopreserve and generate genome-edited chicken lines will also be useful for developing improved chicken breeds for poultry farmers and conserving chicken genetic resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Euan Mitchell
- The Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Guillermo Tellez
- The Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mike J McGrew
- The Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Challagulla A, Shi S, Nair K, O'Neil TE, Morris KR, Wise TG, Cahill DM, Tizard ML, Doran TJ, Jenkins KA. Marker counter-selection via CRISPR/Cas9 co-targeting for efficient generation of genome edited avian cell lines and germ cells. Anim Biotechnol 2022; 33:1235-1245. [PMID: 33650465 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2021.1885428] [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] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Efficient isolation of genetically modified cells that are phenotypically indistinguishable from the unmodified cells remains a major technical barrier for the broader utilization of CRISPR/Cas9. Here, we report a novel enrichment approach to select the genome engineered cells by co-targeting a genomically integrated GFP gene along with the endogenous gene of interest (GOI). Using this co-targeting approach, multiple genomic loci were successfully targeted in chicken (DF1) and quail (CEC-32) fibroblast cell lines by transient transfection of Cas9 and guide RNAs (gRNAs). Clonal isolation of co-targeted DF1 cells showed 75% of cell clones had deletion of GFP and biallelic deletion of the GOI. To assess the utility of this approach to generate genome modified animals, we tested it on chicken primordial germ cells (PGCs) expressing GFP by co-targeting with gRNAs against GFP and endogenous ovomucoid (OVM) gene. PGCs enriched for loss of GFP and confirmed for OVM deletion, derived by co-targeting, were injected into Hamburger and Hamilton stage 14-15 chicken embryos, and their ability to migrate to the genital ridge was confirmed. This simple, efficient enrichment approach could easily be applied to the creation of knock-out or edited cell lines or animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjun Challagulla
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Shunning Shi
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Kiran Nair
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Terri E O'Neil
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Kirsten R Morris
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Terry G Wise
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - David M Cahill
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark L Tizard
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Timothy J Doran
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Kristie A Jenkins
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC, Australia
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Barkova OY, Larkina TA, Krutikova AA, Polteva EA, Shcherbakov YS, Peglivanyan GK, Pozovnikova MV. Innovative Approaches to Genome Editing in Chickens. CYTOL GENET+ 2022. [DOI: 10.3103/s0095452722020037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Harnessing Intronic microRNA Structures to Improve Tolerance and Expression of shRNAs in Animal Cells. Methods Protoc 2022; 5:mps5010018. [PMID: 35200534 PMCID: PMC8879667 DOI: 10.3390/mps5010018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Exogenous RNA polymerase III (pol III) promoters are commonly used to express short hairpin RNA (shRNA). Previous studies have indicated that expression of shRNAs using standard pol III promoters can cause toxicity in vivo due to saturation of the native miRNA pathway. A potential way of mitigating shRNA-associated toxicity is by utilising native miRNA processing enzymes to attain tolerable shRNA expression levels. Here, we examined parallel processing of exogenous shRNAs by harnessing the natural miRNA processing enzymes and positioning a shRNA adjacent to microRNA107 (miR107), located in the intron 5 of the Pantothenate Kinase 1 (PANK1) gene. We developed a vector encoding the PANK1 intron containing miR107 and examined the expression of a single shRNA or multiple shRNAs. Using qRT-PCR analysis and luciferase assay-based knockdown assay, we confirmed that miR30-structured shRNAs have resulted in the highest expression and subsequent transcript knockdown. Next, we injected Hamburger and Hamilton stage 14–15 chicken embryos with a vector encoding multiple shRNAs and confirmed that the parallel processing was not toxic. Taken together, this data provides a novel strategy to harness the native miRNA processing pathways for shRNA expression. This enables new opportunities for RNAi based applications in animal species such as chickens.
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Dehdilani N, Taemeh SY, Goshayeshi L, Dehghani H. Genetically engineered birds; pre-CRISPR and CRISPR era. Biol Reprod 2021; 106:24-46. [PMID: 34668968 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Generating biopharmaceuticals in genetically engineered bioreactors continues to reign supreme. Hence, genetically engineered birds have attracted considerable attention from the biopharmaceutical industry. Fairly recent genome engineering methods have made genome manipulation an easy and affordable task. In this review, we first provide a broad overview of the approaches and main impediments ahead of generating efficient and reliable genetically engineered birds, and various factors that affect the fate of a transgene. This section provides an essential background for the rest of the review, in which we discuss and compare different genome manipulation methods in the pre-CRISPR and CRISPR era in the field of avian genome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima Dehdilani
- Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Sara Yousefi Taemeh
- Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Lena Goshayeshi
- Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hesam Dehghani
- Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.,Division of Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.,Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
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8
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Challagulla A, Schat KA, Doran TJ. In Vitro Inhibition of Influenza Virus Using CRISPR/Cas13a in Chicken Cells. Methods Protoc 2021; 4:40. [PMID: 34201194 PMCID: PMC8293360 DOI: 10.3390/mps4020040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in the field of CRISPR/Cas systems are expanding our ability to modulate cellular genomes and transcriptomes precisely and efficiently. Here, we assessed the Cas13a-mediated targeted disruption of RNA in chicken fibroblast DF1 cells. First, we developed a Tol2 transposon vector carrying the Cas13a-msGFP-NLS (pT-Cas13a) transgene, followed by a stable insertion of the Cas13a transgene into the genome of DF1 cells to generate stable DF1-Cas13a cells. To assess the Cas13a-mediated functional knockdown, DF1-Cas13a cells were transfected with the combination of a plasmid encoding DsRed coding sequence (pDsRed) and DsRed-specific crRNA (crRNA-DsRed) or non-specific crRNA (crRNA-NS). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and a microscopy analysis showed reduced levels of DsRed expression in cells transfected with crRNA-DsRed but not in crRNA-NS, confirming a sequence-specific Cas13a mediated mRNA knockdown. Next, we designed four crRNAs (crRNA-IAV) against the PB1, NP and M genes of influenza A virus (IAV) and cloned in tandem to express from a single vector. DF1-Cas13a cells were transfected with plasmids encoding the crRNA-IAV or crRNA-NS, followed by infection with WSN or PR8 IAV. DF1 cells transfected with crRNA-IAV showed reduced levels of viral titers compared to cells transfected with crRNA-NS. These results demonstrate the potential of Cas13a as an antiviral strategy against highly pathogenic strains of IAV in chickens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjun Challagulla
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong 3220, Australia;
| | - Karel A. Schat
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;
| | - Timothy J. Doran
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong 3220, Australia;
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9
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Jin YH, Robledo D, Hickey JM, McGrew MJ, Houston RD. Surrogate broodstock to enhance biotechnology research and applications in aquaculture. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 49:107756. [PMID: 33895331 PMCID: PMC8192414 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Aquaculture is playing an increasingly important role in meeting global demands for seafood, particularly in low and middle income countries. Genetic improvement of aquaculture species has major untapped potential to help achieve this, with selective breeding and genome editing offering exciting avenues to expedite this process. However, limitations to these breeding and editing approaches include long generation intervals of many fish species, alongside both technical and regulatory barriers to the application of genome editing in commercial production. Surrogate broodstock technology facilitates the production of donor-derived gametes in surrogate parents, and comprises transplantation of germ cells of donors into sterilised recipients. There are many successful examples of intra- and inter-species germ cell transfer and production of viable offspring in finfish, and this leads to new opportunities to address the aforementioned limitations. Firstly, surrogate broodstock technology raises the opportunity to improve genome editing via the use of cultured germ cells, to reduce mosaicism and potentially enable in vivo CRISPR screens in the progeny of surrogate parents. Secondly, the technology has pertinent applications in preservation of aquatic genetic resources, and in facilitating breeding of high-value species which are otherwise difficult to rear in captivity. Thirdly, it holds potential to drastically reduce the effective generation interval in aquaculture breeding programmes, expediting the rate of genetic gain. Finally, it provides new opportunities for dissemination of tailored, potentially genome edited, production animals of high genetic merit for farming. This review focuses on the state-of-the-art of surrogate broodstock technology, and discusses the next steps for its applications in research and production. The integration and synergy of genomics, genome editing, and reproductive technologies have exceptional potential to expedite genetic gain in aquaculture species in the coming decades. Genetic improvement in aquaculture species has a major role in global food security. Advances in biotechnology provide new opportunities to support aquaculture breeding. Advances in biotechnology provide new opportunities to support aquaculture breeding. Donor-derived gametes can be produced from surrogate broodstock of several aquaculture species. Surrogate broodstock technology provides new opportunities for application of genome editing. Surrogate broodstock can accelerate genetic gain, and improve dissemination of elite germplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Hwa Jin
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Diego Robledo
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK
| | - John M Hickey
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Mike J McGrew
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Ross D Houston
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK.
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Abstract
Avian species are used as model systems in research and have contributed to ground-breaking concepts in developmental biology, immunology, genetics, virology, cancer and cell biology. The chicken in particular is an important research model and an agricultural animal as a major contributor to animal protein resources for the global population. The development of genome editing methods, including CRISPR/Cas9, to mediate germline engineering of the avian genome will have important applications in biomedical, agricultural and biotechnological activities. Notably, these precise genome editing tools have the potential to enhance avian health and productivity by identifying and validating beneficial genetic variants in bird populations. Here, we present a concise description of the existing methods and current applications of the genome editing tools in bird species, focused on chickens, with attention on animal use and welfare issues for each of the techniques presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudeepta K Panda
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mike J McGrew
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, UK
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Ballantyne M, Woodcock M, Doddamani D, Hu T, Taylor L, Hawken RJ, McGrew MJ. Direct allele introgression into pure chicken breeds using Sire Dam Surrogate (SDS) mating. Nat Commun 2021; 12:659. [PMID: 33510156 PMCID: PMC7844028 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20812-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Poultry is the most abundant livestock species with over 60 billion chickens raised globally per year. The majority of chicken are produced from commercial flocks, however many indigenous chicken breeds play an important role in rural economies as they are well adapted to local environmental and scavenging conditions. The ability to make precise genetic changes in chicken will permit the validation of genetic variants responsible for climate adaptation and disease resilience, and the transfer of beneficial alleles between breeds. Here, we generate a novel inducibly sterile surrogate host chicken. Introducing donor genome edited primordial germ cells into the sterile male and female host embryos produces adult chicken carrying only exogenous germ cells. Subsequent direct mating of the surrogate hosts, Sire Dam Surrogate (SDS) mating, recreates the donor chicken breed carrying the edited allele in a single generation. We demonstrate the introgression and validation of two feather trait alleles, Dominant white and Frizzle into two pure chicken breeds using the SDS surrogate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve Ballantyne
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), Edinburgh, UK
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, UK
| | - Mark Woodcock
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, UK
| | - Dadakhalandar Doddamani
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, UK
| | - Tuanjun Hu
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), Edinburgh, UK
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, UK
| | - Lorna Taylor
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, UK
| | | | - Mike J McGrew
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), Edinburgh, UK.
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, UK.
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In Vivo Inhibition of Marek's Disease Virus in Transgenic Chickens Expressing Cas9 and gRNA against ICP4. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010164. [PMID: 33450980 PMCID: PMC7828426 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Marek’s disease (MD), caused by MD herpesvirus (MDV), is an economically important disease in chickens. The efficacy of the existing vaccines against evolving virulent stains may become limited and necessitates the development of novel antiviral strategies to protect poultry from MDV strains with increased virulence. The CRISPR/Cas9 system has emerged as a powerful genome editing tool providing an opportunity to develop antiviral strategies for the control of MDV infection. Here, we characterized Tol2 transposon constructs encoding Cas9 and guide RNAs (gRNAs) specific to the immediate early infected-cell polypeptide-4 (ICP4) of MDV. We generated transgenic chickens that constitutively express Cas9 and ICP4-gRNAs (gICP4) and challenged them via intraabdominal injection of MDV-1 Woodlands strain passage-19 (p19). Transgenic chickens expressing both gRNA/Cas9 had a significantly reduced replication of MDV in comparison to either transgenic Cas9-only or the wild-type (WT) chickens. We further confirmed that the designed gRNAs exhibited sequence-specific virus interference in transgenic chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) expressing Cas9/gICP4 when infected with MDV but not with herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT). These results suggest that CRISPR/Cas9 can be used as an antiviral approach to control MDV infection in chickens, allowing HVT to be used as a vector for recombinant vaccines.
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Meaker GA, Hair EJ, Gorochowski TE. Advances in engineering CRISPR-Cas9 as a molecular Swiss Army knife. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2020; 5:ysaa021. [PMID: 33344779 PMCID: PMC7737000 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysaa021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The RNA-guided endonuclease system CRISPR-Cas9 has been extensively modified since its discovery, allowing its capabilities to extend far beyond double-stranded cleavage to high fidelity insertions, deletions and single base edits. Such innovations have been possible due to the modular architecture of CRISPR-Cas9 and the robustness of its component parts to modifications and the fusion of new functional elements. Here, we review the broad toolkit of CRISPR-Cas9-based systems now available for diverse genome-editing tasks. We provide an overview of their core molecular structure and mechanism and distil the design principles used to engineer their diverse functionalities. We end by looking beyond the biochemistry and toward the societal and ethical challenges that these CRISPR-Cas9 systems face if their transformative capabilities are to be deployed in a safe and acceptable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace A Meaker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Emma J Hair
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Thomas E Gorochowski
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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Park JS, Lee KY, Han JY. Precise Genome Editing in Poultry and Its Application to Industries. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1182. [PMID: 33053652 PMCID: PMC7601607 DOI: 10.3390/genes11101182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Poultry such as chickens are valuable model animals not only in the food industry, but also in developmental biology and biomedicine. Recently, precise genome-editing technologies mediated by the CRISPR/Cas9 system have developed rapidly, enabling the production of genome-edited poultry models with novel traits that are applicable to basic sciences, agriculture, and biomedical industry. In particular, these techniques have been combined with cultured primordial germ cells (PGCs) and viral vector systems to generate a valuable genome-edited avian model for a variety of purposes. Here, we summarize recent progress in CRISPR/Cas9-based genome-editing technology and its applications to avian species. In addition, we describe further applications of genome-edited poultry in various industries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jae Yong Han
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea; (J.S.P.); (K.Y.L.)
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