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Li YJ, Chien SH, Huang R, Herrmann A, Zhao Q, Li PC, Zhang C, Martincuks A, Santiago NL, Zong K, Swiderski P, Okimoto RA, Song M, Rodriguez L, Forman SJ, Wang X, Yu H. A platform to deliver single and bi-specific Cas9/guide RNA to perturb genes in vitro and in vivo. Mol Ther 2024; 32:3629-3649. [PMID: 39091030 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Although CRISPR-Cas9 technology is poised to revolutionize the treatment of diseases with underlying genetic mutations, it faces some significant issues limiting clinical entry. They include low-efficiency in vivo systemic delivery and undesired off-target effects. Here, we demonstrate, by modifying Cas9 with phosphorothioate-DNA oligos (PSs), that one can efficiently deliver single and bi-specific CRISPR-Cas9/guide RNA (gRNA) dimers in vitro and in vivo with reduced off-target effects. We show that PS-Cas9/gRNA-mediated gene knockout preserves chimeric antigen receptor T cell viability and expansion in vitro and in vivo. PS-Cas9/gRNA mediates gene perturbation in patient-derived tumor organoids and mouse xenograft tumors, leading to potent tumor antitumor effects. Further, HER2 antibody-PS-Cas9/gRNA conjugate selectively perturbs targeted genes in HER2+ ovarian cancer xenografts in vivo. Moreover, we created bi-specific PS-Cas9 with two gRNAs to target two adjacent sequences of the same gene, leading to efficient targeted gene disruption ex vivo and in vivo with markedly reduced unintended gene perturbation. Thus, the cell-penetrating PS-Cas9/gRNA can achieve efficient systemic delivery and precision in gene disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Jia Li
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute and City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
| | - Sheng-Hsuan Chien
- Cellular Immunotherapy Center, Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11201, Taiwan
| | - Rui Huang
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute and City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Andreas Herrmann
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute and City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Qianqian Zhao
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute and City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Pei-Chuan Li
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute and City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Chunyan Zhang
- Cellular Immunotherapy Center, Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Antons Martincuks
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute and City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Nicole Lugo Santiago
- Department of Surgery, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Katherine Zong
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute and City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Piotr Swiderski
- DNA/RNA Synthesis Laboratory, Beckman Research Institute at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Ross A Okimoto
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA
| | - Mihae Song
- Department of Surgery, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Lorna Rodriguez
- Department of Surgery, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Stephen J Forman
- Cellular Immunotherapy Center, Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Xiuli Wang
- Cellular Immunotherapy Center, Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Hua Yu
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute and City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
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2
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Tong LW, Hu YS, Yu SJ, Li CL, Shao JW. Current application and future perspective of CRISPR/cas9 gene editing system mediated immune checkpoint for liver cancer treatment. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 35:402002. [PMID: 38964289 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ad5f33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Liver cancer, which is well-known to us as one of human most prevalent malignancies across the globe, poses a significant risk to live condition and life safety of individuals in every region of the planet. It has been shown that immune checkpoint treatment may enhance survival benefits and make a significant contribution to patient prognosis, which makes it a promising and popular therapeutic option for treating liver cancer at the current time. However, there are only a very few numbers of patients who can benefit from the treatment and there also exist adverse events such as toxic effects and so on, which is still required further research and discussion. Fortunately, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) provides a potential strategy for immunotherapy and immune checkpoint therapy of liver cancer. In this review, we focus on elucidating the fundamentals of the recently developed CRISPR/Cas9 technology as well as the present-day landscape of immune checkpoint treatment which pertains to liver cancer. What's more, we aim to explore the molecular mechanism of immune checkpoint treatment in liver cancer based on CRISPR/Cas9 technology. At last, its encouraging and powerful potential in the future application of the clinic is discussed, along with the issues that already exist and the difficulties that must be overcome. To sum up, our ultimate goal is to create a fresh knowledge that we can utilize this new CRISPR/Cas9 technology for the current popular immune checkpoint therapy to overcome the treatment issues of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Wu Tong
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Metastasis Chemoprevention and Chemotherapy, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Shan Hu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Metastasis Chemoprevention and Chemotherapy, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, People's Republic of China
| | - Shi-Jing Yu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Metastasis Chemoprevention and Chemotherapy, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Lei Li
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Metastasis Chemoprevention and Chemotherapy, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Wei Shao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Metastasis Chemoprevention and Chemotherapy, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, People's Republic of China
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3
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Wang PC, Deng H, Xu R, Du JL, Tao R. Improvement in Tol2 transposon for efficient large-cargo capacity transgene applications in cultured cells and zebrafish ( Danio rerio). Zool Res 2024; 45:567-574. [PMID: 38757224 PMCID: PMC11188598 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Most viruses and transposons serve as effective carriers for the introduction of foreign DNA up to 11 kb into vertebrate genomes. However, their activity markedly diminishes with payloads exceeding 11 kb. Expanding the payload capacity of transposons could facilitate more sophisticated cargo designs, improving the regulation of expression and minimizing mutagenic risks associated with molecular therapeutics, metabolic engineering, and transgenic animal production. In this study, we improved the Tol2 transposon by increasing protein expression levels using a translational enhancer ( QBI SP163, ST) and enhanced the nuclear targeting ability using the nuclear localization protein H2B (SHT). The modified Tol2 and ST transposon efficiently integrated large DNA cargos into human cell cultures (H1299), comparable to the well-established super PiggyBac system. Furthermore, mRNA from ST and SHT showed a significant increase in transgene delivery efficiency of large DNA payloads (8 kb, 14 kb, and 24 kb) into zebrafish ( Danio rerio). This study presents a modified Tol2 transposon as an enhanced nonviral vector for the delivery of large DNA payloads in transgenic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Cheng Wang
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Hao Deng
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Rang Xu
- Scientific Research Center, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China. E-mail:
| | - Jiu-Lin Du
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 200031, China. E-mail:
| | - Rongkun Tao
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China. E-mail:
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Zhan Z, Chen X, Ye Z, Zhao M, Li C, Gao S, Sinskey AJ, Yao L, Dai J, Jiang Y, Zheng X. Expanding the CRISPR Toolbox for Engineering Lycopene Biosynthesis in Corynebacterium glutamicum. Microorganisms 2024; 12:803. [PMID: 38674747 PMCID: PMC11052027 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040803] [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: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Lycopene represents one of the central compounds in the carotenoid pathway and it exhibits a potent antioxidant ability with wide potential applications in medicine, food, and cosmetics. The microbial production of lycopene has received increasing concern in recent years. Corynebacterium glutamicum (C. glutamicum) is considered to be a safe and beneficial industrial production platform, naturally endowed with the ability to produce lycopene. However, the scarcity of efficient genetic tools and the challenge of identifying crucial metabolic genes impede further research on C. glutamicum for achieving high-yield lycopene production. To address these challenges, a novel genetic editing toolkit, CRISPR/MAD7 system, was established and developed. By optimizing the promoter, ORI and PAM sequences, the CRISPR/MAD7 system facilitated highly efficient gene deletion and exhibited a broad spectrum of PAM sites. Notably, 25 kb of DNA from the genome was successfully deleted. In addition, the CRISPR/MAD7 system was effectively utilized in the metabolic engineering of C. glutamicum, allowing for the simultaneous knockout of crtEb and crtR genes in one step to enhance the accumulation of lycopene by blocking the branching pathway. Through screening crucial genes such as crtE, crtB, crtI, idsA, idi, and cg0722, an optimal carotenogenic gene combination was obtained. Particularly, cg0722, a membrane protein gene, was found to play a vital role in lycopene production. Therefore, the CBIEbR strain was obtained by overexpressing cg0722, crtB, and crtI while strategically blocking the by-products of the lycopene pathway. As a result, the final engineered strain produced lycopene at 405.02 mg/L (9.52 mg/g dry cell weight, DCW) in fed-batch fermentation, representing the highest reported lycopene yield in C. glutamicum to date. In this study, a powerful and precise genetic tool was used to engineer C. glutamicum for lycopene production. Through the modifications between the host cell and the carotenogenic pathway, the lycopene yield was stepwise improved by 102-fold as compared to the starting strain. This study highlights the usefulness of the CRISPR/MAD7 toolbox, demonstrating its practical applications in the metabolic engineering of industrially robust C. glutamicum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (L.Y.); (J.D.); (Y.J.)
| | - Xiong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (L.Y.); (J.D.); (Y.J.)
| | - Zhifang Ye
- Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (L.Y.); (J.D.); (Y.J.)
| | - Ming Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA;
| | - Cheng Li
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.L.); (A.J.S.)
| | - Shipeng Gao
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China;
| | - Anthony J. Sinskey
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.L.); (A.J.S.)
| | - Lan Yao
- Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (L.Y.); (J.D.); (Y.J.)
| | - Jun Dai
- Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (L.Y.); (J.D.); (Y.J.)
| | - Yiming Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (L.Y.); (J.D.); (Y.J.)
| | - Xueyun Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (Z.Y.); (L.Y.); (J.D.); (Y.J.)
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5
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Sabines-Chesterking J, Burenkov IA, Polyakov SV. Quantum measurement enables single biomarker sensitivity in flow cytometry. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3891. [PMID: 38365797 PMCID: PMC10873388 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49145-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
We present the first unambiguous experimental method enabling single-fluorophore sensitivity in a flow cytometer using quantum properties of single-photon emitters. We use a quantum measurement based on the second-order coherence function to prove that the optical signal is produced by individual biomarkers traversing the interrogation volume of the flow cytometer from the first principles. This observation enables the use of the quantum toolbox for rapid detection, enumeration, and sorting of single fluorophores in large cell populations as well as a 'photons-to-moles' calibration of this measurement modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Sabines-Chesterking
- Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, 20742, USA
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA
| | - I A Burenkov
- Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, 20742, USA
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA
| | - S V Polyakov
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, 20742, USA.
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6
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Li Y, Sui S, Goel A. Extracellular vesicles associated microRNAs: Their biology and clinical significance as biomarkers in gastrointestinal cancers. Semin Cancer Biol 2024; 99:5-23. [PMID: 38341121 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2024.02.001] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including colorectal, gastric, esophageal, pancreatic, and liver, are associated with high mortality and morbidity rates worldwide. One of the underlying reasons for the poor survival outcomes in patients with these malignancies is late disease detection, typically when the tumor has already advanced and potentially spread to distant organs. Increasing evidence indicates that earlier detection of these cancers is associated with improved survival outcomes and, in some cases, allows curative treatments. Consequently, there is a growing interest in the development of molecular biomarkers that offer promise for screening, diagnosis, treatment selection, response assessment, and predicting the prognosis of these cancers. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous vesicles released from cells containing a repertoire of biological molecules, including nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the most extensively studied non-coding RNAs, and the deregulation of miRNA levels is a feature of cancer cells. EVs miRNAs can serve as messengers for facilitating interactions between tumor cells and the cellular milieu, including immune cells, endothelial cells, and other tumor cells. Furthermore, recent years have witnessed considerable technological advances that have permitted in-depth sequence profiling of these small non-coding RNAs within EVs for their development as promising cancer biomarkers -particularly non-invasive, liquid biopsy markers in various cancers, including GI cancers. Herein, we summarize and discuss the roles of EV-associated miRNAs as they play a seminal role in GI cancer progression, as well as their promising translational and clinical potential as cancer biomarkers as we usher into the area of precision oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Li
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Biomedical Research Center, Monrovia, CA, USA; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Silei Sui
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Biomedical Research Center, Monrovia, CA, USA; Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Ajay Goel
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Biomedical Research Center, Monrovia, CA, USA.
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7
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Yang C, Lei Y, Ren T, Yao M. The Current Situation and Development Prospect of Whole-Genome Screening. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:658. [PMID: 38203828 PMCID: PMC10779205 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010658] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
High-throughput genetic screening is useful for discovering critical genes or gene sequences that trigger specific cell functions and/or phenotypes. Loss-of-function genetic screening is mainly achieved through RNA interference (RNAi), CRISPR knock-out (CRISPRko), and CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) technologies. Gain-of-function genetic screening mainly depends on the overexpression of a cDNA library and CRISPR activation (CRISPRa). Base editing can perform both gain- and loss-of-function genetic screening. This review discusses genetic screening techniques based on Cas9 nuclease, including Cas9-mediated genome knock-out and dCas9-based gene activation and interference. We compare these methods with previous genetic screening techniques based on RNAi and cDNA library overexpression and propose future prospects and applications for CRISPR screening.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mingze Yao
- Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Medical Molecular Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education and Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (C.Y.); (Y.L.); (T.R.)
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8
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Devi V, Harjai K, Chhibber S. Repurposing prokaryotic clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas adaptive immune system to combat antimicrobial resistance. Future Microbiol 2023; 18:443-459. [PMID: 37317864 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2022-0222] [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: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite achieving unparalleled progress in the field of science and technology, the global health community is still threatened by the looming pressure of infectious diseases. One of the greatest challenges is the rise in infections by antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. The misuse of antibiotics has led to the present circumstances, and there is seemingly no solution. There is imminent pressure to develop new antibacterial therapies to curb the rise and spread of multidrug resistance. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas, having immense potential as a gene-editing tool, has gained considerable attention as an alternative antibacterial therapy. Strategies, aiming to either eliminate pathogenic strains or to restore sensitivity to antibiotics, are the main focus of research. This review deals with the development of CRISPR-Cas antimicrobials and their delivery challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veena Devi
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Kusum Harjai
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Sanjay Chhibber
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
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9
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de Mello DC, Saito KC, Cristovão MM, Kimura ET, Fuziwara CS. Modulation of EZH2 Activity Induces an Antitumoral Effect and Cell Redifferentiation in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097872. [PMID: 37175580 PMCID: PMC10178714 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare and lethal form of thyroid cancer that requires urgent investigation of new molecular targets involved in its aggressive biology. In this context, the overactivation of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2/EZH2, which induces chromatin compaction, is frequently observed in aggressive solid tumors, making the EZH2 methyltransferase a potential target for treatment. However, the deregulation of chromatin accessibility is yet not fully investigated in thyroid cancer. In this study, EZH2 expression was modulated by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing and pharmacologically inhibited with EZH2 inhibitor EPZ6438 alone or in combination with the MAPK inhibitor U0126. The results showed that CRISPR/Cas9-induced EZH2 gene editing reduced cell growth, migration and invasion in vitro and resulted in a 90% reduction in tumor growth when EZH2-edited cells were injected into an immunocompromised mouse model. Immunohistochemistry analysis of the tumors revealed reduced tumor cell proliferation and less recruitment of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the EZH2-edited tumors compared to the control tumors. Moreover, EZH2 inhibition induced thyroid-differentiation genes' expression and mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) in ATC cells. Thus, this study shows that targeting EZH2 could be a promising neoadjuvant treatment for ATC, as it promotes antitumoral effects in vitro and in vivo and induces cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Claro de Mello
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Kelly Cristina Saito
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Marcella Maringolo Cristovão
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Edna Teruko Kimura
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Cesar Seigi Fuziwara
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
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10
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Rodrigues AF, Rebelo C, Simões S, Paulo C, Pinho S, Francisco V, Ferreira L. A Polymeric Nanoparticle Formulation for Targeted mRNA Delivery to Fibroblasts. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2205475. [PMID: 36529964 PMCID: PMC9929262 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202205475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapies offer enhanced control over the production of therapeutic proteins for many diseases. Their clinical implementation warrants formulations capable of delivering them safely and effectively to target sites. Owing to their chemical versatility, polymeric nanoparticles can be designed by combinatorial synthesis of different ionizable, cationic, and aromatic moieties to modulate cell targeting, using inexpensive formulation steps. Herein, 152 formulations are evaluated by high-throughput screening using a reporter fibroblast model sensitive to functional delivery of mRNA encoding Cre recombinase. Using in vitro and in vivo models, a polymeric nanoformulation based on the combination of 3 specific monomers is identified to transfect fibroblasts much more effectively than other cell types populating the skin, with superior performance than lipid-based transfection agents in the delivery of Cas9 mRNA and guide RNA. This tropism can be explained by receptor-mediated endocytosis, involving CD26 and FAP, which are overexpressed in profibrotic fibroblasts. Structure-activity analysis reveals that efficient mRNA delivery required the combination of high buffering capacity and low mRNA binding affinity for rapid release upon endosomal escape. These results highlight the use of high-throughput screening to rapidly identify chemical features towards the design of highly efficient mRNA delivery systems targeting fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Filipe Rodrigues
- CNC–Center for Neurosciences and Cell BiologyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3000‐517Portugal
| | - Catarina Rebelo
- CNC–Center for Neurosciences and Cell BiologyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3000‐517Portugal
- Faculty of MedicinePólo das Ciências da SaúdeUnidade CentralUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3000‐354Portugal
| | - Susana Simões
- CNC–Center for Neurosciences and Cell BiologyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3000‐517Portugal
| | - Cristiana Paulo
- CNC–Center for Neurosciences and Cell BiologyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3000‐517Portugal
| | - Sónia Pinho
- CNC–Center for Neurosciences and Cell BiologyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3000‐517Portugal
| | - Vítor Francisco
- CNC–Center for Neurosciences and Cell BiologyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3000‐517Portugal
| | - Lino Ferreira
- CNC–Center for Neurosciences and Cell BiologyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3000‐517Portugal
- Faculty of MedicinePólo das Ciências da SaúdeUnidade CentralUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3000‐354Portugal
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11
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Statkute E, Wang ECY, Stanton RJ. An Optimized CRISPR/Cas9 Adenovirus Vector (AdZ-CRISPR) for High-Throughput Cloning of sgRNA, Using Enhanced sgRNA and Cas9 Variants. Hum Gene Ther 2022; 33:990-1001. [PMID: 35196879 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.120] [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] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant adenovirus vectors enable highly efficient gene delivery in vitro and in vivo. As a result, they are widely used in gene therapy, vaccination, and anticancer applications. We have previously developed the AdZ vector system, which uses recombineering to permit high-throughput cloning of transgenes into Adenovirus vectors, simplifies alteration of the vector backbone, and enables rapid recovery of infectious virus, even if a transgene is incompatible with vector replication. In this study, we adapt this vector system to enable high-throughput cloning of sequences for CRISPR/Cas9 editing. Vectors were optimized to ensure efficient cloning, and high editing efficiency using spCas9 and single guide RNA (sgRNA) sequences in a single vector. Using a multiplicity of infection of 50, knockout efficiencies of up to 80% could be achieved with a single sgRNA. Vectors were further enhanced by altering the spCas9 sequence to match that of SniperCas9, which has reduced off-target activity, but maintains on-target efficiency, and by applying modifications to the sgRNA sequence that significantly enhance editing efficiency. Thus, the AdZ-CRISPR vectors offer highly efficient knockout, even in hard to transfect cells, and enables large-scale CRISPR/Cas9 projects to be undertaken easily and quickly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Statkute
- Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Eddie C Y Wang
- Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J Stanton
- Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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12
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Braun CJ, Adames AC, Saur D, Rad R. Tutorial: design and execution of CRISPR in vivo screens. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:1903-1925. [PMID: 35840661 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00700-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Here we provide a detailed tutorial on CRISPR in vivo screening. Using the mouse as the model organism, we introduce a range of CRISPR tools and applications, delineate general considerations for 'transplantation-based' or 'direct in vivo' screening design, and provide details on technical execution, sequencing readouts, computational analyses and data interpretation. In vivo screens face unique pitfalls and limitations, such as delivery issues or library bottlenecking, which must be counteracted to avoid screening failure or flawed conclusions. A broad variety of in vivo phenotypes can be interrogated such as organ development, hematopoietic lineage decision and evolutionary licensing in oncogenesis. We describe experimental strategies to address various biological questions and provide an outlook on emerging CRISPR applications, such as genetic interaction screening. These technological advances create potent new opportunities to dissect the molecular underpinnings of complex organismal phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian J Braun
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany. .,Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany. .,Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Andrés Carbonell Adames
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dieter Saur
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Therapy, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Roland Rad
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany. .,Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany. .,Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany. .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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13
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Wang M, Xu J, Meng J, Huang X. Synthetic Circular gRNA Mediated Biological Function of CRISPR-(d)Cas9 System. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:863431. [PMID: 35445012 PMCID: PMC9013764 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.863431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Ever since the gene editing function was discovered in the CRISPR-Cas9 system, numerous applications and utilities were investigated in order to apply this technique to medical use. However, the clinical practice was limited by unsatisfactory efficiency and unacceptable off-target editing. Modifications from different aspects of the Cas9 protein and gRNAs were published that aimed to improve its function in one way or another. Under the inspiration of Jacob L. Litke and Samie R. Jaffrey, we propose a novel gRNA design that could achieve rapid circular gRNA assembly inside the cells. This circular design consists of the gRNA of interested flanked by Twister ribozymes. The function of this circular gRNA was proved in vitro in both CRISPR-dCas9 and CRISPR-Cas9 systems. It presented a remarkable reduction in the off-target rate in accompany with reduced efficiency. With future improvement in its efficiency, this tool broadens our understanding and possibility of the CRISPR application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxia Wang
- Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Dermatology, Institute of Dermatology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinming Xu
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Jialin Meng
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Institute of Urology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xinbo Huang
- Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Dermatology, Institute of Dermatology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
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14
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Wang L, Chen Y, Liu X, Li Z, Dai X. The Application of CRISPR/Cas9 Technology for Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Status and Problems. Front Oncol 2022; 11:704999. [PMID: 35111663 PMCID: PMC8801488 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.704999] [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: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the main causes of disease-related deaths in the world. Although cancer treatment strategies have been improved in recent years, the survival time of cancer patients is still far from satisfied. Cancer immunotherapy, such as Oncolytic virotherapy, Immune checkpoints inhibition, Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, Chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cell therapy and macrophages genomic modification, has emerged as an effective therapeutic strategy for different kinds of cancer. However, many patients do not respond to the cancer immunotherapy which warrants further investigation to optimize this strategy. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9), as a versatile genome engineering tool, has become popular in the biology research field and it was also applied to optimize tumor immunotherapy. Moreover, CRISPR-based high-throughput screening can be used in the study of immunomodulatory drug resistance mechanism. In this review, we summarized the development as well as the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the cancer immunotherapy and discussed the potential problems that may be caused by this combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Disease, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yurong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Disease, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xinrui Liu
- Neurosurgery Department, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ziyi Li
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Disease, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiangpeng Dai
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Disease, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangpeng Dai,
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15
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Zhang X, Jin H, Huang X, Chaurasiya B, Dong D, Shanley TP, Zhao YY. Robust genome editing in adult vascular endothelium by nanoparticle delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 plasmid DNA. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110196. [PMID: 34986352 PMCID: PMC8769807 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelium plays a crucial role in vascular homeostasis and tissue fluid balance. To target endothelium for robust genome editing, we developed poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-block-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PEG-b-PLGA) copolymer-based nanoparticle formulated with polyethyleneimine. A single i.v. administration of mixture of nanoparticles and plasmid DNA expressing Cas9 controlled by CDH5 promoter and guide RNA (U6 promoter) induced highly efficient genome editing in endothelial cells (ECs) of the vasculatures, including lung, heart, aorta, and peripheral vessels in adult mice. Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining demonstrated an ∼80% decrease of protein expression selectively in ECs, resulting in a phenotype similar to that of genetic knockout mice. Nanoparticle delivery of plasmid DNA could induce genome editing of two genes or genome editing and transgene expression in ECs simultaneously. Thus, nanoparticle delivery of plasmid DNA is a powerful tool to rapidly and efficiently alter expression of gene(s) in ECs for cardiovascular research and potential gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianming Zhang
- Program for Lung and Vascular Biology, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Hua Jin
- Program for Lung and Vascular Biology, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Xiaojia Huang
- Program for Lung and Vascular Biology, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Birendra Chaurasiya
- Program for Lung and Vascular Biology, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Daoyin Dong
- Program for Lung and Vascular Biology, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Thomas P Shanley
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - You-Yang Zhao
- Program for Lung and Vascular Biology, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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16
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Mohan C, Easterling M, Yau YY. Gene Editing Technologies for Sugarcane Improvement: Opportunities and Limitations. SUGAR TECH : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUGAR CROPS & RELATED INDUSTRIES 2022; 24:369-385. [PMID: 34667393 PMCID: PMC8517945 DOI: 10.1007/s12355-021-01045-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Plant-based biofuels present a promising alternative to depleting non-renewable fuel resources. One of the benefits of biofuel is reduced environmental impact, including reduction in greenhouse gas emission which causes climate change. Sugarcane is one of the most important bioenergy crops. Sugarcane juice is used to produce table sugar and first-generation biofuel (e.g., bioethanol). Sugarcane bagasse is also a potential material for second-generation cellulosic biofuel production. Researchers worldwide are striving to improve sugarcane biomass yield and quality by a variety of means including biotechnological tools. This paper reviews the use of sugarcane as a feedstock for biofuel production, and gene manipulation tools and approaches, including RNAi and genome-editing tools, such as TALENs and CRISPR-Cas9, for improving its quality. The specific focus here is on CRISPR system because it is low cost, simple in design and versatile compared to other genome-editing tools. The advance of CRISPR-Cas9 technology has transformed plant research with its ability to precisely delete, insert or replace genes in recent years. Lignin is the primary material responsible for biomass recalcitrance in biofuel production. The use of genome editing technology to modify lignin composition and distribution in sugarcane cell wall has been realized. The current and potential applications of genome editing technology for sugarcane improvement are discussed. The advantages and limitations of utilizing RNAi and TALEN techniques in sugarcane improvement are discussed as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chakravarthi Mohan
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Mona Easterling
- Department of Natural Sciences, Northeastern State University, Broken Arrow, OK 74014 USA
- Northeast Campus, Tulsa Community College, 3727 East Apache St, Tulsa, OK 74115 USA
| | - Yuan-Yeu Yau
- Department of Natural Sciences, Northeastern State University, Broken Arrow, OK 74014 USA
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17
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Chavez-Granados PA, Manisekaran R, Acosta-Torres LS, Garcia-Contreras R. CRISPR/Cas gene-editing technology and its advances in dentistry. Biochimie 2021; 194:96-107. [PMID: 34974144 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
A recent discovery of revolutionary Clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR) is a gene-editing tool that provides a type of adaptive immunity in prokaryotic organisms, which is currently used as a revolutionizing tool in biomedical research. It has a mechanism of correcting genome errors, turning on/off genes in cells and organisms. Most importantly playing a crucial function in bacterial defence by identifying and destroying Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) segments during bacteriophage invasions since the CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) enzyme recognizes and cleaves invasive DNA sequences complementary to CRISPR. Therefore, researchers employ this biological device to manipulate the genes to develop new therapies to combat systemic diseases. Currently, the most significant advance at the laboratory level is the generation of cell and animal models, functional genomic screens, live images of the cell genome, and defective DNA repairs to find the cure for genetic disorders. Even though this technology has enormous biomedical applications in various sectors, this review will summarize CRISPR/Cas emphasizing both the therapeutic and diagnostic mechanisms developed in the field of dentistry and the promising attempts to transfer this technology to clinical application. Finally, future developments are also described, which proposes to use CRISPR/Cas systems for prospective clinical dentistry applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Alejandra Chavez-Granados
- Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory (LII), Nanostructures and Biomaterials Area, National School of Higher Studies (ENES) León Unit, Predio el Saucillo y el Potrero, Comunidad de los Tepetates, 37684, León, Mexico
| | - Ravichandran Manisekaran
- Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory (LII), Nanostructures and Biomaterials Area, National School of Higher Studies (ENES) León Unit, Predio el Saucillo y el Potrero, Comunidad de los Tepetates, 37684, León, Mexico
| | - Laura Susana Acosta-Torres
- Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory (LII), Nanostructures and Biomaterials Area, National School of Higher Studies (ENES) León Unit, Predio el Saucillo y el Potrero, Comunidad de los Tepetates, 37684, León, Mexico
| | - Rene Garcia-Contreras
- Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory (LII), Nanostructures and Biomaterials Area, National School of Higher Studies (ENES) León Unit, Predio el Saucillo y el Potrero, Comunidad de los Tepetates, 37684, León, Mexico.
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18
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Dalla Costa L, Vinciguerra D, Giacomelli L, Salvagnin U, Piazza S, Spinella K, Malnoy M, Moser C, Marchesi U. Integrated approach for the molecular characterization of edited plants obtained via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer. Eur Food Res Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00217-021-03881-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
AbstractAgrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer—actually the most used method to engineer plants—may lead to integration of multiple copies of T-DNA in the plant genome, as well as to chimeric tissues composed of modified cells and wild type cells. A molecular characterization of the transformed lines is thus a good practice to select the best ones for further investigation. Nowadays, several quantitative and semi-quantitative techniques are available to estimate the copy number (CN) of the T-DNA in genetically modified plants. In this study, we compared three methods based on (1) real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), (2) droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), and (3) next generation sequencing (NGS), to carry out a molecular characterization of grapevine edited lines. These lines contain a knock-out mutation, obtained via CRISPR/Cas9 technology, in genes involved in plant susceptibility to two important mildew diseases of grapevine. According to our results, qPCR and ddPCR outputs are largely in agreement in terms of accuracy, especially for low CN values, while ddPCR resulted more precise than qPCR. With regard to the NGS analysis, the CNs detected with this method were often not consistent with those calculated by qPCR and ddPCR, and NGS was not able to discriminate the integration points in three out of ten lines. Nevertheless, the NGS method can positively identify T-DNA truncations or the presence of tandem/inverted repeats, providing distinct and relevant information about the transgene integration asset. Moreover, the expression analysis of Cas9 and single guide RNA (sgRNA), and the sequencing of the target site added new information to be related to CN data. This work, by reporting a practical case-study on grapevine edited lines, explores pros and cons of the most advanced diagnostic techniques available for the precocious selection of the proper transgenic material. The results may be of interest both to scientists developing new transgenic lines, and to laboratories in charge of GMO control.
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19
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Jones CE, Tan WS, Grey F, Hughes DJ. Discovering antiviral restriction factors and pathways using genetic screens. J Gen Virol 2021; 102. [PMID: 34020727 PMCID: PMC8295917 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral infections activate the powerful interferon (IFN) response that induces the expression of several hundred IFN stimulated genes (ISGs). The principal role of this extensive response is to create an unfavourable environment for virus replication and to limit spread; however, untangling the biological consequences of this large response is complicated. In addition to a seemingly high degree of redundancy, several ISGs are usually required in combination to limit infection as individual ISGs often have low to moderate antiviral activity. Furthermore, what ISG or combination of ISGs are antiviral for a given virus is usually not known. For these reasons, and since the function(s) of many ISGs remains unexplored, genome-wide approaches are well placed to investigate what aspects of this response result in an appropriate, virus-specific phenotype. This review discusses the advances screening approaches have provided for the study of host defence mechanisms, including clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9), ISG expression libraries and RNA interference (RNAi) technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe E Jones
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Wenfang S Tan
- Division of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Finn Grey
- Division of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - David J Hughes
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9ST, UK
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20
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Masud T, Soong C, Xu H, Biele J, Bjornson S, McKinney S, Aparicio S. Ubiquitin-mediated DNA damage response is synthetic lethal with G-quadruplex stabilizer CX-5461. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9812. [PMID: 33963218 PMCID: PMC8105411 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88988-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
CX-5461 is a G-quadruplex (G4) ligand currently in trials with initial indications of clinical activity in cancers with defects in homologous recombination repair. To identify more genetic defects that could sensitize tumors to CX-5461, we tested synthetic lethality for 480 DNA repair and genome maintenance genes to CX-5461, pyridostatin (PDS), a structurally unrelated G4-specific stabilizer, and BMH-21, which binds GC-rich DNA but not G4 structures. We identified multiple members of HRD, Fanconi Anemia pathways, and POLQ, a polymerase with a helicase domain important for G4 structure resolution. Significant synthetic lethality was observed with UBE2N and RNF168, key members of the DNA damage response associated ubiquitin signaling pathway. Loss-of-function of RNF168 and UBE2N resulted in significantly lower cell survival in the presence of CX-5461 and PDS but not BMH-21. RNF168 recruitment and histone ubiquitination increased with CX-5461 treatment, and nuclear ubiquitination response frequently co-localized with G4 structures. Pharmacological inhibition of UBE2N acted synergistically with CX-5461. In conclusion, we have uncovered novel genetic vulnerabilities to CX-5461 with potential significance for patient selection in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tehmina Masud
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Charles Soong
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Hong Xu
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Justina Biele
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Saelin Bjornson
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Steven McKinney
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Samuel Aparicio
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada.
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21
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Park J, Lim JM, Jung I, Heo SJ, Park J, Chang Y, Kim HK, Jung D, Yu JH, Min S, Yoon S, Cho SR, Park T, Kim HH. Recording of elapsed time and temporal information about biological events using Cas9. Cell 2021; 184:1047-1063.e23. [PMID: 33539780 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
DNA has not been utilized to record temporal information, although DNA has been used to record biological information and to compute mathematical problems. Here, we found that indel generation by Cas9 and guide RNA can occur at steady rates, in contrast to typical dynamic biological reactions, and the accumulated indel frequency can be a function of time. By measuring indel frequencies, we developed a method for recording and measuring absolute time periods over hours to weeks in mammalian cells. These time-recordings were conducted in several cell types, with different promoters and delivery vectors for Cas9, and in both cultured cells and cells of living mice. As applications, we recorded the duration of chemical exposure and the lengths of elapsed time since the onset of biological events (e.g., heat exposure and inflammation). We propose that our systems could serve as synthetic "DNA clocks."
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye Park
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Min Lim
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Inkyung Jung
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Department of Biostatistics and Computing, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Jae Heo
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Department of Biostatistics and Computing, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinman Park
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoojin Chang
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hui Kwon Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongmin Jung
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hea Yu
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Seonwoo Min
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 00826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungroh Yoon
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 00826, Republic of Korea; Interdisciplinary Program in Bioinformatics, Seoul National University, Seoul 00826, Republic of Korea; Interdisciplinary Program in Artificial Intelligence, Seoul National University, Seoul 00826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Rae Cho
- Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Taeyoung Park
- Department of Applied Statistics, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyongbum Henry Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, Republic of Korea; Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
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22
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Efficient manipulation of gene dosage in human iPSCs using CRISPR/Cas9 nickases. Commun Biol 2021; 4:195. [PMID: 33580208 PMCID: PMC7881037 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01722-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The dysregulation of gene dosage due to duplication or haploinsufficiency is a major cause of autosomal dominant diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, there is currently no rapid and efficient method for manipulating gene dosage in a human model system such as human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Here, we demonstrate a simple and precise method to simultaneously generate iPSC lines with different gene dosages using paired Cas9 nickases. We first generate a Cas9 nickase variant with broader protospacer-adjacent motif specificity to expand the targetability of double-nicking–mediated genome editing. As a proof-of-concept study, we examine the gene dosage effects on an Alzheimer’s disease patient-derived iPSC line that carries three copies of APP (amyloid precursor protein). This method enables the rapid and simultaneous generation of iPSC lines with monoallelic, biallelic, or triallelic knockout of APP. The cortical neurons generated from isogenically corrected iPSCs exhibit gene dosage-dependent correction of disease-associated phenotypes of amyloid-beta secretion and Tau hyperphosphorylation. Thus, the rapid generation of iPSCs with different gene dosages using our method described herein can be a useful model system for investigating disease mechanisms and therapeutic development. Ye et al demonstrate a simple and precise method to simultaneously generate iPSC lines with different gene dosages using paired Cas9 nickases. As proof-of-concept they apply this method to examining amyloid precursor protein gene dosage effects in an Alzheimer’s disease patient-derived iPSC line. Their method could potentially advance what we know about disease mechanisms and assist with gene therapy development.
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Mehmetoglu-Gurbuz T, Yeh R, Garg H, Joshi A. Combination gene therapy for HIV using a conditional suicidal gene with CCR5 knockout. Virol J 2021; 18:31. [PMID: 33516234 PMCID: PMC7847599 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-021-01501-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene therapy approaches using hematopoietic stem cells to generate an HIV resistant immune system have been shown to be successful. The deletion of HIV co-receptor CCR5 remains a viable strategy although co-receptor switching to CXCR4 remains a major pitfall. To overcome this, we designed a dual gene therapy strategy that incorporates a conditional suicide gene and CCR5 knockout (KO) to overcome the limitations of CCR5 KO alone. METHODS A two-vector system was designed that included an integrating lentiviral vector that expresses a HIV Tat dependent Thymidine Kinase mutant SR39 (TK-SR39) and GFP reporter gene. The second non-integrating lentiviral (NIL) vector expresses a CCR5gRNA-CRISPR/Cas9 cassette and HIV Tat protein. RESULTS Transduction of cells sequentially with the integrating followed by the NIL vector allows for insertion of the conditional suicide gene, KO of CCR5 and transient expression of GFP to enrich the modified cells. We used this strategy to modify TZM cells and generate a cell line that was resistant to CCR5 tropic viruses while permitting infection of CXCR4 tropic viruses which could be controlled via treatment with Ganciclovir. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates proof of principle that a combination gene therapy for HIV is a viable strategy and can overcome the limitation of editing CCR5 gene alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tugba Mehmetoglu-Gurbuz
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 5001 El Paso Dr, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA
| | - Rose Yeh
- Paul L Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Himanshu Garg
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 5001 El Paso Dr, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA
| | - Anjali Joshi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 5001 El Paso Dr, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA.
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24
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Wang Y, Xie Y, Dong ZC, Jiang XJ, Gong P, Lu J, Wan F. Levels of sgRNA as a Major Factor Affecting CRISPRi Knockdown Efficiency in K562 Cells. Mol Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893321010143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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25
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Aharon-Hefetz N, Frumkin I, Mayshar Y, Dahan O, Pilpel Y, Rak R. Manipulation of the human tRNA pool reveals distinct tRNA sets that act in cellular proliferation or cell cycle arrest. eLife 2020; 9:e58461. [PMID: 33357381 PMCID: PMC7781600 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Different subsets of the tRNA pool in human cells are expressed in different cellular conditions. The 'proliferation-tRNAs' are induced upon normal and cancerous cell division, while the 'differentiation-tRNAs' are active in non-dividing, differentiated cells. Here we examine the essentiality of the various tRNAs upon cellular growth and arrest. We established a CRISPR-based editing procedure with sgRNAs that each target a tRNA family. We measured tRNA essentiality for cellular growth and found that most proliferation-tRNAs are essential compared to differentiation- tRNAs in rapidly growing cell lines. Yet in more slowly dividing lines, the differentiation-tRNAs were more essential. In addition, we measured the essentiality of each tRNA family upon response to cell cycle arresting signals. Here we detected a more complex behavior with both proliferation-tRNAs and differentiation tRNAs showing various levels of essentiality. These results provide the so-far most comprehensive functional characterization of human tRNAs with intricate roles in various cellular states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Aharon-Hefetz
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Idan Frumkin
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Yoav Mayshar
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Orna Dahan
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Yitzhak Pilpel
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Roni Rak
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
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26
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CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing of hepatitis B virus in chronically infected humanized mice. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2020; 20:258-275. [PMID: 33473359 PMCID: PMC7803634 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health problem. New treatment approaches are needed because current treatments do not target covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), the template for HBV replication, and rarely clear the virus. We harnessed adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors and CRISPR-Staphylococcus aureus (Sa)Cas9 to edit the HBV genome in liver-humanized FRG mice chronically infected with HBV and receiving entecavir. Gene editing was detected in livers of five of eight HBV-specific AAV-SaCas9-treated mice, but not control mice, and mice with detectable HBV gene editing showed higher levels of SaCas9 delivery to HBV+ human hepatocytes than those without gene editing. HBV-specific AAV-SaCas9 therapy significantly improved survival of human hepatocytes, showed a trend toward decreasing total liver HBV DNA and cccDNA, and was well tolerated. This work provides evidence for the feasibility and safety of in vivo gene editing for chronic HBV infections, and it suggests that with further optimization, this approach may offer a plausible way to treat or even cure chronic HBV infections.
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27
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Ahmadi F, Quach ABV, Shih SCC. Is microfluidics the "assembly line" for CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing? BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2020; 14:061301. [PMID: 33262863 PMCID: PMC7688342 DOI: 10.1063/5.0029846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Acclaimed as one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs, the technology of CRISPR has brought significant improvement in the biotechnological spectrum-from editing genetic defects in diseases for gene therapy to modifying organisms for the production of biofuels. Since its inception, the CRISPR-Cas9 system has become easier and more versatile to use. Many variants have been found, giving the CRISPR toolkit a great range that includes the activation and repression of genes aside from the previously known knockout and knockin of genes. Here, in this Perspective, we describe efforts on automating the gene-editing workflow, with particular emphasis given on the use of microfluidic technology. We discuss how automation can address the limitations of gene-editing and how the marriage between microfluidics and gene-editing will expand the application space of CRISPR.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Steve C. C. Shih
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:. Tel.: +1-(514) 848-2424 x7579
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28
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Geisinger JM, Stearns T. CRISPR/Cas9 treatment causes extended TP53-dependent cell cycle arrest in human cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:9067-9081. [PMID: 32687165 PMCID: PMC7498335 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
While the mechanism of CRISPR/Cas9 cleavage is understood, the basis for the large variation in mutant recovery for a given target sequence between cell lines is much less clear. We hypothesized that this variation may be due to differences in how the DNA damage response affects cell cycle progression. We used incorporation of EdU as a marker of cell cycle progression to analyze the response of several human cell lines to CRISPR/Cas9 treatment with a single guide directed to a unique locus. Cell lines with functionally wild-type TP53 exhibited higher levels of cell cycle arrest compared to lines without. Chemical inhibition of TP53 protein combined with TP53 and RB1 transcript silencing alleviated induced arrest in TP53+/+ cells. Using dCas9, we determined this arrest is driven in part by Cas9 binding to DNA. Additionally, wild-type Cas9 induced fewer 53BP1 foci in TP53+/+ cells compared to TP53−/− cells and DD-Cas9, suggesting that differences in break sensing are responsible for cell cycle arrest variation. We conclude that CRISPR/Cas9 treatment induces a cell cycle arrest dependent on functional TP53 as well as Cas9 DNA binding and cleavage. Our findings suggest that transient inhibition of TP53 may increase genome editing recovery in primary and TP53+/+ cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tim Stearns
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Genetics, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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29
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Application of CRISPR/Cas9-Based Reverse Genetics in Leishmania braziliensis: Conserved Roles for HSP100 and HSP23. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11101159. [PMID: 33007987 PMCID: PMC7601497 DOI: 10.3390/genes11101159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (L. braziliensis) is the main cause of human tegumentary leishmaniasis in the New World, a disease affecting the skin and/or mucosal tissues. Despite its importance, the study of the unique biology of L. braziliensis through reverse genetics analyses has so far lagged behind in comparison with Old World Leishmania spp. In this study, we successfully applied a cloning-free, PCR-based CRISPR–Cas9 technology in L. braziliensis that was previously developed for Old World Leishmania major and New World L. mexicana species. As proof of principle, we demonstrate the targeted replacement of a transgene (eGFP) and two L. braziliensis single-copy genes (HSP23 and HSP100). We obtained homozygous Cas9-free HSP23- and HSP100-null mutants in L. braziliensis that matched the phenotypes reported previously for the respective L. donovani null mutants. The function of HSP23 is indeed conserved throughout the Trypanosomatida as L. majorHSP23 null mutants could be complemented phenotypically with transgenes from a range of trypanosomatids. In summary, the feasibility of genetic manipulation of L. braziliensis by CRISPR–Cas9-mediated gene editing sets the stage for testing the role of specific genes in that parasite’s biology, including functional studies of virulence factors in relevant animal models to reveal novel therapeutic targets to combat American tegumentary leishmaniasis.
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30
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Yin S, Ma L, Shao T, Zhang M, Guan Y, Wang L, Hu Y, Chen X, Han H, Shen N, Qiu W, Geng H, Yu Y, Li S, Yu W, Liu M, Li D. Enhanced genome editing to ameliorate a genetic metabolic liver disease through co-delivery of adeno-associated virus receptor. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2020; 65:718-730. [PMID: 32815069 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-020-1744-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Genome editing through adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors is a promising gene therapy strategy for various diseases, especially genetic disorders. However, homologous recombination (HR) efficiency is extremely low in adult animal models. We assumed that increasing AAV transduction efficiency could increase genome editing activity, especially HR efficiency, for in vivo gene therapy. Firstly, a mouse phenylketonuria (PKU) model carrying a pathogenic R408W mutation in phenylalanine hydroxylase (Pah) was generated. Through co-delivery of the general AAV receptor (AAVR), we found that AAVR could dramatically increase AAV transduction efficiency in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, co-delivery of SaCas9/sgRNA/donor templates with AAVR via AAV8 vectors increased indel rate over 2-fold and HR rate over 15-fold for the correction of the single mutation in PahR408W mice. Moreover, AAVR co-injection successfully increased the site-specific insertion rate of a 1.4 kb Pah cDNA by 11-fold, bringing the HR rate up to 7.3% without detectable global off-target effects. Insertion of Pah cDNA significantly decreased the Phe level and ameliorated PKU symptoms. This study demonstrates a novel strategy to dramatically increase AAV transduction which substantially enhanced in vivo genome editing efficiency in adult animal models, showing clinical potential for both conventional and genome editing-based gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuming Yin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Lie Ma
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Tingting Shao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Mei Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yuting Guan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Liren Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yaqiang Hu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Honghui Han
- Bioray Laboratories Inc., Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Nan Shen
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Wenjuan Qiu
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Hongquan Geng
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yongguo Yu
- Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Shichang Li
- College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention, Ministry of Education, College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Weishi Yu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.,CIPHER GENE LLC, Beijing, 100089, China
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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31
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Zhang N, Jing X, Liu Y, Chen M, Zhu X, Jiang J, Wang H, Li X, Hao P. Interfering with retrotransposition by two types of CRISPR effectors: Cas12a and Cas13a. Cell Discov 2020; 6:30. [PMID: 32435507 PMCID: PMC7235257 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-020-0164-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPRs are a promising tool being explored in combating exogenous retroviral pathogens and in disabling endogenous retroviruses for organ transplantation. The Cas12a and Cas13a systems offer novel mechanisms of CRISPR actions that have not been evaluated for retrovirus interference. Particularly, a latest study revealed that the activated Cas13a provided bacterial hosts with a "passive protection" mechanism to defend against DNA phage infection by inducing cell growth arrest in infected cells, which is especially significant as it endows Cas13a, a RNA-targeting CRISPR effector, with mount defense against both RNA and DNA invaders. Here, by refitting long terminal repeat retrotransposon Tf1 as a model system, which shares common features with retrovirus regarding their replication mechanism and life cycle, we repurposed CRISPR-Cas12a and -Cas13a to interfere with Tf1 retrotransposition, and evaluated their different mechanisms of action. Cas12a exhibited strong inhibition on retrotransposition, allowing marginal Tf1 transposition that was likely the result of a lasting pool of Tf1 RNA/cDNA intermediates protected within virus-like particles. The residual activities, however, were completely eliminated with new constructs for persistent crRNA targeting. On the other hand, targeting Cas13a to Tf1 RNA intermediates significantly inhibited Tf1 retrotransposition. However, unlike in bacterial hosts, the sustained activation of Cas13a by Tf1 transcripts did not cause cell growth arrest in S. pombe, indicating that virus-activated Cas13a likely acted differently in eukaryotic cells. The study gained insight into the actions of novel CRISPR mechanisms in combating retroviral pathogens, and established system parameters for developing new strategies in treatment of retrovirus-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niubing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032 China
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, 475000 Kaifeng, Henan China
| | - Xinyun Jing
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yuanhua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031 China
| | - Minjie Chen
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032 China
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, 475000 Kaifeng, Henan China
| | - Xianfeng Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, 475000 Kaifeng, Henan China
| | - Jing Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, 475000 Kaifeng, Henan China
| | - Hongbing Wang
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI USA
| | - Xuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Pei Hao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031 China
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Wan P, Cui S, Ma Z, Chen L, Li X, Zhao R, Xiong W, Zeng Z. Reversal of mcr-1-Mediated Colistin Resistance in Escherichia coli by CRISPR-Cas9 System. Infect Drug Resist 2020; 13:1171-1178. [PMID: 32368108 PMCID: PMC7184118 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s244885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The plasmid-borne mobilized colistin resistance gene (mcr-1) was discovered in 2015. Subsequently, the rapid horizontal transfer of mcr-1 gene to diverse bacterial species poses a serious threat to public health, which urgently needs the introduction of novel antimicrobial strategies. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to sensitize bacteria to colistin and reduce the propagation of mcr-1 gene by curing mcr-1-harboring plasmid in Escherichia coli (E. coli) using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Methods Two sgRNAs specific to mcr-1 gene were designed and cloned into plasmid pCas9. The recombinant plasmid pCas9-mcr was transformed into E. coli carrying pUC19-mcr-1 or pHNSHP45, separately. The elimination efficiency in strains was evaluated by PCR and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed using the broth microdilution method. Results In this study, we constructed the high copy number plasmid pUC19-mcr-1 and recombinant plasmid pCas9-m1 or pCas9-m2, which contain 20 nt or 30 nt sgRNA sequences targeted to mcr-1, respectively. PCR and qPCR results showed that mcr-1-harboring plasmids could be efficiently eliminated, and there was no significant correlation between sgRNA lengths and curing efficiency. However, when comparing restructured high copy number plasmid (pUC19-mcr-1) to natural resistance plasmid (pHNSHP45) in eliminating efficiency, we found that the content of plasmid backbone had an influence on efficiency. Furthermore, the conjugation assays verified that the engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system in bacteria or in bacteria genome can protect the recipient from plasmid-borne mcr-1 transfer via conjugation. Additionally, sequence analysis showed that three different types of defects in CRISPR-Cas9 system lead to escape mutants. Conclusion We presented a method that only one plasmid-mediated CRISPR-Cas9 system can be used to efficiently resensitize E. coli to colistin. Moreover, this system provided a great potentiality to counteract the propagation of mcr-1 among bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiyun Cui
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenbao Ma
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoshen Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruonan Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenguang Xiong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenling Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People's Republic of China.,National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China
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El-Kenawy A, Benarba B, Neves AF, de Araujo TG, Tan BL, Gouri A. Gene surgery: Potential applications for human diseases. EXCLI JOURNAL 2019; 18:908-930. [PMID: 31762718 PMCID: PMC6868916 DOI: 10.17179/excli2019-1833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy became in last decade a new emerging therapeutic era showing promising results against different diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurological disorders. Recently, the genome editing technique for eukaryotic cells called CRISPR-Cas (Clustered Regulatory Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) has enriched the field of gene surgery with enhanced applications. In the present review, we summarized the different applications of gene surgery for treating human diseases such as cancer, diabetes, nervous, and cardiovascular diseases, besides the molecular mechanisms involved in these important effects. Several studies support the important therapeutic applications of gene surgery in a large number of health disorders and diseases including β-thalassemia, cancer, immunodeficiencies, diabetes, and neurological disorders. In diabetes, gene surgery was shown to be effective in type 1 diabetes by triggering different signaling pathways. Furthermore, gene surgery, especially that using CRISPR-Cas possessed important application on diagnosis, screening and treatment of several cancers such as lung, liver, pancreatic and colorectal cancer. Nevertheless, gene surgery still presents some limitations such as the design difficulties and costs regarding ZFNs (Zinc Finger Nucleases) and TALENs (Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases) use, off-target effects, low transfection efficiency, in vivo delivery-safety and ethical issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman El-Kenawy
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Taif University, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Molecular Biology, GEBRI, University of Sadat City, P.O. Box 79, Sadat City, Egypt
| | - Bachir Benarba
- Laboratory Research on Biological Systems and Geomatics, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, University of Mascara, Algeria
| | - Adriana Freitas Neves
- Institute of Biotechnology, Molecular Biology Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Goias, Catalao, Brazil
| | - Thaise Gonçalves de Araujo
- Laboratory of Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlandia, Patos de Minas, MG, Brazil
| | - Bee Ling Tan
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Adel Gouri
- Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Annaba, Algeria
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Hu W, Guo G, Chi Y, Li F. Construction of Traf3 knockout liver cancer cell line using CRISPR/Cas9 system. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:14908-14915. [PMID: 31016787 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.28753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The gene editing technology in CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to construct the Traf3 knockout HepG2 cell line to explore the role of Traf3 in the development of liver cancer. METHODS Five sgRNA sites were designed for the exons of Traf3. The recombinant plasmid of Lentiviral vector2-Traf3-sgRNA was constructed and transformed into Stbl3 competent cells. The recombinants were screened and sequenced, and the effectiveness of the designed gRNA was verified by sequencing. The constructed vector was transfected into HepG2 cells by lentiviral, and the monoclonal antibody was selected to detect the knockout effect of Traf3 gene in HepG2 cells by Western blot. PCR amplification and gene sequencing were performed to obtain the cell line, which the Traf3 gene was knocked out. MTT and Transwell assays were used to detect the effect of Traf3-knockout on HepG2 cell proliferation and cell invasion, respectively. RESULTS The Lentiviral vector2-sgRNA expression vector was successfully constructed. PCR amplification electrophoresis and gene sequencing showed that the Trep3-knockdown HepG2 cells were successfully constructed. Compared with the wild HepG2 cells group, the proliferation and invasion ability of HepG2 cells were enhanced in the Traf3 knockout group. CONCLUSION Knockout Traf3 gene by CRISPR/Cas9 system enhanced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HepG2 cells, and provided an effective tool for studying the function and mechanism of Traf3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Hu
- Class 12, Grade 2015, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Guiying Guo
- Department of Library, The People's Hospital of Rizhao City, Rizhao, Shandong, China
| | - Yuhua Chi
- Department of Oncology, The People's Hospital of Rizhao City, Rizhao, Shandong, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The People's Hospital of Rizhao City, Rizhao, Shandong, China
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Khan FJ, Yuen G, Luo J. Multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 gene knockout with simple crRNA:tracrRNA co-transfection. Cell Biosci 2019; 9:41. [PMID: 31139343 PMCID: PMC6528186 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-019-0304-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene knockout is a powerful tool for genome editing with the ability to target multiple genes simultaneously. Establishing an efficient, multiplexed gene knockout system using CRISPR/Cas9 that is both simple and robust in its application would further advance the adoption of CRISPR/Cas9 for genetic studies. Results In this study, we present a simple, versatile and highly efficient method to achieve acute gene knockout with CRISPR/Cas9 using chemically synthesized crRNA and tracrRNA oligos. We demonstrate that co-transfection of the crRNA:tracrRNA duplex into Cas9-expressing cells leads to target gene mutation and loss of target protein expression in the majority of the cell population. We also show that delivering three crRNAs targeting EGFP, KRAS and PTEN in the same reaction leads to the simultaneous knockout of all three genes. Direct comparison of multiplexed gene targeting by crRNA:tracrRNA and by siRNA indicates that these two methods are comparable in their efficiency and kinetics of gene silencing. Conclusions Our method is a convenient yet powerful tool to enable rapid and scalable gene knockout using CRISPR/Cas9 in mammalian cells. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13578-019-0304-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fehad J Khan
- 1Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD USA.,2Undergraduate Scholarship Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Garmen Yuen
- 1Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD USA.,3Master of Science in Biotechnology Program, The Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Washington, DC USA.,Present Address: Cygnal Therapeutics, Boston, MA USA
| | - Ji Luo
- 1Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD USA
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36
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Tadić V, Josipović G, Zoldoš V, Vojta A. CRISPR/Cas9-based epigenome editing: An overview of dCas9-based tools with special emphasis on off-target activity. Methods 2019; 164-165:109-119. [PMID: 31071448 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular tools for gene regulation and epigenome editing consist of two main parts: the targeting moiety binding a specific genomic locus and the effector domain performing the editing or regulatory function. The advent of CRISPR-Cas9 technology enabled easy and flexible targeting of almost any locus by co-expression of a small sgRNA molecule, which is complementary to the target sequence and forms a complex with Cas9, directing it to that particular target. Here, we review strategies for recruitment of effector domains, used in gene regulation and epigenome editing, to the dCas9 DNA-targeting protein. To date, the most important CRISPR-Cas9 applications in gene regulation are CRISPR activation or interference, while epigenome editing focuses on targeted changes in DNA methylation and histone modifications. Several strategies for signal amplification by recruitment of multiple effector domains deserve special focus. While some approaches rely on altering the sgRNA molecule and extending it with aptamers for effector domain recruitment, others use modifications to the Cas9 protein by direct fusions with effector domains or by addition of an epitope tag, which also has the ability to bind multiple effector domains. A major barrier to the widespread use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology for therapeutic purposes is its off-target effect. We review efforts to enhance CRISPR-Cas9 specificity by selection of Cas9 orthologs from various bacterial species and their further refinement by introduction of beneficial mutations. The molecular tools available today enable a researcher to choose the best balance of targeting flexibility, activity amplification, delivery method and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanja Tadić
- University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Molecular Biology, Horvatovac 102a, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Goran Josipović
- University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Molecular Biology, Horvatovac 102a, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Vlatka Zoldoš
- University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Molecular Biology, Horvatovac 102a, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Aleksandar Vojta
- University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Molecular Biology, Horvatovac 102a, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
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Kostyushev D, Brezgin S, Kostyusheva A, Zarifyan D, Goptar I, Chulanov V. Orthologous CRISPR/Cas9 systems for specific and efficient degradation of covalently closed circular DNA of hepatitis B virus. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:1779-1794. [PMID: 30673820 PMCID: PMC11105500 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03021-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the major cause of viral persistence and chronic hepatitis B. CRISPR/Cas9 nucleases can specifically target HBV cccDNA for decay, but off-target effects of nucleases in the human genome limit their clinical utility. CRISPR/Cas9 systems from four different species were co-expressed in cell lines with guide RNAs targeting conserved regions of the HBV genome. CRISPR/Cas9 systems from Streptococcus pyogenes (Sp) and Streptococcus thermophilus (St) targeting conserved regions of the HBV genome blocked HBV replication and, most importantly, resulted in degradation of over 90% of HBV cccDNA by 6 days post-transfection. Degradation of HBV cccDNA was impaired by inhibition of non-homologous end-joining pathway and resulted in an erroneous repair of HBV cccDNA. HBV cccDNA methylation also affected antiviral activity of CRISPR/Cas9. Single-nucleotide HBV genetic variants did not impact anti-HBV activity of St CRISPR/Cas9, suggesting its utility in targeting many HBV variants. However, two or more mismatches impaired or blocked CRISPR/Cas9 activity, indicating that host DNA will not likely be targeted. Deep sequencing revealed that Sp CRISPR/Cas9 induced off-target mutagenesis, whereas St CRISPR/Cas9 had no effect on the host genome. St CRISPR/Cas9 system represents the safest system with high anti-HBV activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Kostyushev
- Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, 3A Novogireevskaya Street, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation.
| | - Sergey Brezgin
- Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, 3A Novogireevskaya Street, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
- Institute of Immunology, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, 115478, Russian Federation
| | - Anastasiya Kostyusheva
- Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, 3A Novogireevskaya Street, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
| | - Dmitry Zarifyan
- Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, 3A Novogireevskaya Street, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
| | - Irina Goptar
- Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, 3A Novogireevskaya Street, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
- Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health, Moscow, 105275, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir Chulanov
- Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, 3A Novogireevskaya Street, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
- Sechenov University, Moscow, 119146, Russian Federation
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38
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Chen M, Mao A, Xu M, Weng Q, Mao J, Ji J. CRISPR-Cas9 for cancer therapy: Opportunities and challenges. Cancer Lett 2019; 447:48-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Long MJC, Liu X, Aye Y. Chemical Biology Gateways to Mapping Location, Association, and Pathway Responsivity. Front Chem 2019; 7:125. [PMID: 30949469 PMCID: PMC6437114 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we discuss, how by applying chemical concepts to biological problems, methods have been developed to map spatiotemporal regulation of proteins and small-molecule modulation of proteome signaling responses. We outline why chemical-biology platforms are ideal for such purposes. We further discuss strengths and weaknesses of chemical-biology protocols, contrasting them against classical genetic and biochemical approaches. We make these evaluations based on three parameters: occupancy; functional information; and spatial restriction. We demonstrate how the specific choice of chemical reagent and experimental set-up unite to resolve biological problems. Potential improvements/extensions as well as specific controls that in our opinion are often overlooked or employed incorrectly are also considered. Finally, we discuss some of the latest emerging methods to illuminate how chemical-biology innovations provide a gateway toward information hitherto inaccessible by conventional genetic/biochemical means. Finally, we also caution against solely relying on chemical-biology strategies and urge the field to undertake orthogonal validations to ensure robustness of results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xuyu Liu
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yimon Aye
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Lausanne, Switzerland
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40
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Kostyushev D, Kostyusheva A, Brezgin S, Zarifyan D, Utkina A, Goptar I, Chulanov V. Suppressing the NHEJ pathway by DNA-PKcs inhibitor NU7026 prevents degradation of HBV cccDNA cleaved by CRISPR/Cas9. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1847. [PMID: 30755668 PMCID: PMC6372644 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38526-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B is a severe liver disease caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), a super-spiralized, double-stranded form of the HBV genome, is the major determinant of viral persistence. CRISPR/Cas9 nucleases have been recently shown to introduce double-stranded DNA breaks into HBV cccDNA. The inflicted damage results predominantly in erroneous repair of cccDNA by non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). NHEJ has been suggested to enhance anti-HBV activity of CRISPR/Cas9 and increase cccDNA mutation. In this study, we assessed anti-HBV activity of CRISPR/Cas9 and cccDNA repair outcomes in an altered NHEJ/HR environment. NU7026, a strong inhibitor of NHEJ, prevented CRISPR/Cas9-mediated degradation of cccDNA and resulted in frequent on-target deletions. We conclude that CRISPR/Cas9 is a highly effective tool to degrade cccDNA and first demonstrate that inhibiting NHEJ impairs cccDNA degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Kostyushev
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Viral Hepatitis, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation.
| | - Anastasiya Kostyusheva
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Viral Hepatitis, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
| | - Sergey Brezgin
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Viral Hepatitis, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
- Institute of Immunology, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, 115478, Russian Federation
| | - Dmitry Zarifyan
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Viral Hepatitis, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
| | - Anastasiya Utkina
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Viral Hepatitis, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
| | - Irina Goptar
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Viral Hepatitis, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
- Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health, Gene Engineering and Biotechnology, Moscow, 105275, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir Chulanov
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Viral Hepatitis, Moscow, 111123, Russian Federation
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Infectious Diseases, Moscow, 119146, Russian Federation
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41
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Schuster A, Erasimus H, Fritah S, Nazarov PV, van Dyck E, Niclou SP, Golebiewska A. RNAi/CRISPR Screens: from a Pool to a Valid Hit. Trends Biotechnol 2018; 37:38-55. [PMID: 30177380 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
High-throughput genetic screens interfering with gene expression are invaluable tools to identify gene function and phenotype-to-genotype interactions. Implementing such screens in the laboratory is challenging, and the choice between currently available technologies based on RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9) is not trivial. Identifying reliable candidate hits requires a streamlined experimental setup adjusted to the specific biological question. Here, we provide a critical assessment of the various RNAi/CRISPR approaches to pooled screens and discuss their advantages and pitfalls. We specify a set of best practices for key parameters enabling a reproducible screen and provide a detailed overview of analysis methods and repositories for identifying the best candidate gene hits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Schuster
- NorLux Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg
| | - Hélène Erasimus
- NorLux Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg
| | - Sabrina Fritah
- NorLux Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg
| | - Petr V Nazarov
- Genomics and Proteomics Research Unit, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg
| | - Eric van Dyck
- NorLux Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg
| | - Simone P Niclou
- NorLux Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg; KG Jebsen Brain Tumour Research Center, Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Co-senior authors.
| | - Anna Golebiewska
- NorLux Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg; Co-senior authors.
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42
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Unal Eroglu A, Mulligan TS, Zhang L, White DT, Sengupta S, Nie C, Lu NY, Qian J, Xu L, Pei W, Burgess SM, Saxena MT, Mumm JS. Multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 Targeting of Genes Implicated in Retinal Regeneration and Degeneration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2018; 6:88. [PMID: 30186835 PMCID: PMC6111214 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2018.00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Thousands of genes have been implicated in retinal regeneration, but only a few have been shown to impact the regenerative capacity of Müller glia—an adult retinal stem cell with untapped therapeutic potential. Similarly, among nearly 300 genetic loci associated with human retinal disease, the majority remain untested in animal models. To address the large-scale nature of these problems, we are applying CRISPR/Cas9-based genome modification strategies in zebrafish to target over 300 genes implicated in retinal regeneration or degeneration. Our intent is to enable large-scale reverse genetic screens by applying a multiplexed gene disruption strategy that markedly increases the efficiency of the screening process. To facilitate large-scale phenotyping, we incorporate an automated reporter quantification-based assay to identify cellular degeneration and regeneration-deficient phenotypes in transgenic fish. Multiplexed gene targeting strategies can address mismatches in scale between “big data” bioinformatics and wet lab experimental capacities, a critical shortfall limiting comprehensive functional analyses of factors implicated in ever-expanding multiomics datasets. This report details the progress we have made to date with a multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9-based gene targeting strategy and discusses how the methodologies applied can further our understanding of the genes that predispose to retinal degenerative disease and which control the regenerative capacity of retinal Müller glia cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arife Unal Eroglu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Timothy S Mulligan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Liyun Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - David T White
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sumitra Sengupta
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Cathy Nie
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Noela Y Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jiang Qian
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Lisha Xu
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Wuhong Pei
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Shawn M Burgess
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Meera T Saxena
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jeff S Mumm
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Morse NJ, Wagner JM, Reed KB, Gopal MR, Lauffer LH, Alper HS. T7 Polymerase Expression of Guide RNAs in vivo Allows Exportable CRISPR-Cas9 Editing in Multiple Yeast Hosts. ACS Synth Biol 2018; 7:1075-1084. [PMID: 29565571 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.7b00461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Efficient guide RNA expression often limits CRISPR-Cas9 implementation in new hosts. To address this limitation in fungal systems, we demonstrate the utility of a T7 polymerase system to effectively express sgRNAs. Initially, we developed a methodology in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a modified version of the T7 P266L mutant polymerase with an SV40 nuclear localization signal to allow guide RNA expression immediately downstream of a T7 promoter. To improve targeting efficiency, guide RNA design was found to be tolerant to three mismatches or up to three additional bases appended to the 5' end. The addition of three guanines to a T7-based guide RNA improved guide RNA expression 80-fold and achieved transcriptional output similar to the strong Pol III snr52 promoter. Resulting gene editing and dCas9-guided gene regulation with a T7-based guide RNA was on par with the commonly used snr52 system in S. cerevisiae. Finally, 96% and 60% genome editing efficiencies were achieved in Kluyveromyces lactis and Yarrowia lipolytica respectively with minimal optimization of this system. Thus, T7-based expression of sgRNAs offers an orthogonal method for implementing CRISPR systems in fungal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Morse
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering , The University of Texas at Austin , 200 E Dean Keeton Street Stop C0400 , Austin , Texas 78712 , United States
| | - James M Wagner
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering , The University of Texas at Austin , 200 E Dean Keeton Street Stop C0400 , Austin , Texas 78712 , United States
| | - Kevin B Reed
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering , The University of Texas at Austin , 200 E Dean Keeton Street Stop C0400 , Austin , Texas 78712 , United States
| | - Madan R Gopal
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering , The University of Texas at Austin , 200 E Dean Keeton Street Stop C0400 , Austin , Texas 78712 , United States
| | - Lars H Lauffer
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering , The University of Texas at Austin , 200 E Dean Keeton Street Stop C0400 , Austin , Texas 78712 , United States
| | - Hal S Alper
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering , The University of Texas at Austin , 200 E Dean Keeton Street Stop C0400 , Austin , Texas 78712 , United States
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology , The University of Texas at Austin , 2500 Speedway Avenue , Austin , Texas 78712 , United States
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Abstract
The CRISPR-CRISPR-associated (Cas) nuclease system offers the ability to perform unprecedented functional genetic experiments and the promise of therapy for a variety of genetic disorders. The understanding of factors contributing to CRISPR targeting efficacy and specificity continues to evolve. As CRISPR systems rely on Watson-Crick base pairing to ultimately mediate genomic cleavage, it logically follows that genetic variation would affect CRISPR targeting by increasing or decreasing sequence homology at on-target and off-target sites or by altering protospacer adjacent motifs. Numerous efforts have been made to document the extent of human genetic variation, which can serve as resources to understand and mitigate the effect of genetic variation on CRISPR targeting. Here, we review efforts to elucidate the effect of human genetic variation on CRISPR targeting at on-target and off-target sites with considerations for laboratory experiments and clinical translation of CRISPR-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Canver
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - J. Keith Joung
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Luca Pinello
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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45
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Misa J, Schwartz C, Wheeldon I. Design of Hybrid RNA Polymerase III Promoters for Efficient CRISPR-Cas9 Function. Bio Protoc 2018; 8:e2779. [PMID: 34179292 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.2779] [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: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 system from Streptococcus pyogenes has allowed the development of genome engineering tools in a variety of organisms. A frequent limitation in CRISPR-Cas9 function is adequate expression levels of sgRNA. This protocol provides a strategy to construct hybrid RNA polymerase III (Pol III) promoters that facilitate high expression of sgRNA and improved CRISPR-Cas9 function. We provide selection criteria of Pol III promoters, efficient promoter construction methods, and a sample screening technique to test the efficiency of the hybrid promoters. A hybrid promoter system developed for Yarrowia lipolytica will serve as a model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Misa
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
| | - Cory Schwartz
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
| | - Ian Wheeldon
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California, United States
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46
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Labuhn M, Adams FF, Ng M, Knoess S, Schambach A, Charpentier EM, Schwarzer A, Mateo JL, Klusmann JH, Heckl D. Refined sgRNA efficacy prediction improves large- and small-scale CRISPR-Cas9 applications. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:1375-1385. [PMID: 29267886 PMCID: PMC5814880 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx1268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome editing with the CRISPR-Cas9 system has enabled unprecedented efficacy for reverse genetics and gene correction approaches. While off-target effects have been successfully tackled, the effort to eliminate variability in sgRNA efficacies-which affect experimental sensitivity-is in its infancy. To address this issue, studies have analyzed the molecular features of highly active sgRNAs, but independent cross-validation is lacking. Utilizing fluorescent reporter knock-out assays with verification at selected endogenous loci, we experimentally quantified the target efficacies of 430 sgRNAs. Based on this dataset we tested the predictive value of five recently-established prediction algorithms. Our analysis revealed a moderate correlation (r = 0.04 to r = 0.20) between the predicted and measured activity of the sgRNAs, and modest concordance between the different algorithms. We uncovered a strong PAM-distal GC-content-dependent activity, which enabled the exclusion of inactive sgRNAs. By deriving nine additional predictive features we generated a linear model-based discrete system for the efficient selection (r = 0.4) of effective sgRNAs (CRISPRater). We proved our algorithms' efficacy on small and large external datasets, and provide a versatile combined on- and off-target sgRNA scanning platform. Altogether, our study highlights current issues and efforts in sgRNA efficacy prediction, and provides an easily-applicable discrete system for selecting efficient sgRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurice Labuhn
- Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Felix F Adams
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michelle Ng
- Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sabine Knoess
- Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Emmanuelle M Charpentier
- Department of Regulation in Infection Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Adrian Schwarzer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Juan L Mateo
- Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Information Technology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Jan-Henning Klusmann
- Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics I, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Dirk Heckl
- Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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