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Yu L, Marchisio MA. Scaffold RNA engineering in type V CRISPR-Cas systems: a potent way to enhance gene expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:1483-1497. [PMID: 38142459 PMCID: PMC10853767 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
New, orthogonal transcription factors in eukaryotic cells have been realized by engineering nuclease-deficient CRISPR-associated proteins and/or their guide RNAs. In this work, we present a new kind of orthogonal transcriptional activators, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, made by turning type V CRISPR RNA into a scaffold RNA (ScRNA) able to recruit a variable number of VP64 activation domains. The activator arises from the complex between the synthetic ScRNA and DNase-deficient type V Cas proteins: dCas12e and denAsCas12a. The transcription activation achieved via the newly engineered dCas:ScRNA system is up to 4.7-fold higher than that obtained with the direct fusion of VP64 to Cas proteins. The new transcription factors have been proven to be functional in circuits such as Boolean gates, converters, multiplex-gene and metabolic-pathway activation. Our results extend the CRISPR-Cas-based technology with a new effective tool that only demands RNA engineering and improves the current design of transcription factors based on type V Cas proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifang Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, 300072 Tianjin, China
| | - Mario Andrea Marchisio
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, 300072 Tianjin, China
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Liu Y, Ge H, Marchisio MA. Hybrid Boolean gates show that Cas12c controls transcription activation effectively in the yeast S. cerevisiae. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1267174. [PMID: 37771576 PMCID: PMC10523329 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1267174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Among CRISPR-Cas systems, type V CRISPR-Cas12c is of significant interest because Cas12c recognizes a very simple PAM (TN) and has the ability to silence gene expression without cleaving the DNA. We studied how new transcription factors for the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be built on Cas12c. We found that, upon fusion to a strong activation domain, Cas12c is an efficient activator. Its functionality was proved as a component of hybrid Boolean gates, i.e., logic circuits that mix transcriptional and translational control (the latter reached via tetracycline-responsive riboswitches). Moreover, Cas12c activity can be strongly inhibited by the anti-CRISPR AcrVA1 protein. Thus, Cas12c has the potential to be a new tool to control the activation of gene expression within yeast synthetic gene circuits.
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Çobanoğlu Ş, Arslan E, Yazıcı A, Örtücü S. Expression of Human β-defensin 2 (hBD-2) in Pichia Pastoris and Investigation of Its Binding Efficiency with ACE-2. Protein J 2023; 42:399-407. [PMID: 37291459 PMCID: PMC10250178 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-023-10130-8] [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] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 is a disease that have affected the entire world, and it continues to spread with new variants. A patient's innate immune system plays a critical role in the mild and severe transition of COVID-19. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are important components of the innate immune system, are potential molecules to fight pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Human β-defensin 2 (hBD-2), a 41-amino-acid antimicrobial peptide, is one of the defensins inducibly expressed in the skin, lungs, and trachea in humans. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the interaction of hBD-2 produced recombinantly in Pichia pastoris with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) under in vitro conditions. First, hBD-2 was cloned in P. pastoris X-33 via the pPICZαA vector, a yeast expression platform, and its expression was confirmed by SDS-PAGE, western blotting, and qRT-PCR. Then, the interaction between recombinant hBD-2 and ACE-2 proteins was revealed by a pull-down assay. In light of these preliminary experiments, we suggest that the recombinantly produced hBD-2 may be protective against SARS-CoV-2 and be used as a supplement in treatment. However, current findings need to be supported by cell culture studies, toxicity analyses, and in vivo experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Şeymanur Çobanoğlu
- Faculty of Science, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey
- High Technology Research and Application Centre (YUTAM), Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Elif Arslan
- Faculty of Science, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey
- High Technology Research and Application Centre (YUTAM), Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Ayşenur Yazıcı
- Faculty of Science, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey.
- High Technology Research and Application Centre (YUTAM), Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey.
| | - Serkan Örtücü
- Faculty of Science, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey
- High Technology Research and Application Centre (YUTAM), Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey
- EcoTech Biotechnology, Ata Teknokent, Erzurum, Turkey
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Durmusoglu D, Al'Abri I, Li Z, Islam Williams T, Collins LB, Martínez JL, Crook N. Improving therapeutic protein secretion in the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii using a multifactorial engineering approach. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:109. [PMID: 37287064 PMCID: PMC10245609 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02117-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii (Sb) is a promising chassis to deliver therapeutic proteins to the gut due to Sb's innate therapeutic properties, resistance to phage and antibiotics, and high protein secretion capacity. To maintain therapeutic efficacy in the context of challenges such as washout, low rates of diffusion, weak target binding, and/or high rates of proteolysis, it is desirable to engineer Sb strains with enhanced levels of protein secretion. In this work, we explored genetic modifications in both cis- (i.e. to the expression cassette of the secreted protein) and trans- (i.e. to the Sb genome) that enhance Sb's ability to secrete proteins, taking a Clostridioides difficile Toxin A neutralizing peptide (NPA) as our model therapeutic. First, by modulating the copy number of the NPA expression cassette, we found NPA concentrations in the supernatant could be varied by sixfold (76-458 mg/L) in microbioreactor fermentations. In the context of high NPA copy number, we found a previously-developed collection of native and synthetic secretion signals could further tune NPA secretion between 121 and 463 mg/L. Then, guided by prior knowledge of S. cerevisiae's secretion mechanisms, we generated a library of homozygous single gene deletion strains, the most productive of which achieved 2297 mg/L secretory production of NPA. We then expanded on this library by performing combinatorial gene deletions, supplemented by proteomics experiments. We ultimately constructed a quadruple protease-deficient Sb strain that produces 5045 mg/L secretory NPA, an improvement of > tenfold over wild-type Sb. Overall, this work systematically explores a broad collection of engineering strategies to improve protein secretion in Sb and highlights the ability of proteomics to highlight under-explored mediators of this process. In doing so, we created a set of probiotic strains that are capable of delivering a wide range of protein titers and therefore furthers the ability of Sb to deliver therapeutics to the gut and other settings to which it is adapted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deniz Durmusoglu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Ibrahim Al'Abri
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Zidan Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Taufika Islam Williams
- Molecular Education, Technology and Research Innovation Center (METRIC), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Leonard B Collins
- Molecular Education, Technology and Research Innovation Center (METRIC), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - José L Martínez
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nathan Crook
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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Yu L, Marchisio MA. CRISPR-associated type V proteins as a tool for controlling mRNA stability in S. cerevisiae synthetic gene circuits. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:1473-1487. [PMID: 36651298 PMCID: PMC9943656 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Type V-A CRISPR-(d)Cas system has been used in multiplex genome editing and transcription regulation in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. However, mRNA degradation through the endonuclease activity of Cas12a has never been studied. In this work, we present an efficient and powerful tool to induce mRNA degradation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae via the catalytic activity of (d)Cas12a on pre-crRNA structure. Our results point out that dFnCas12a, (d)LbCas12a, denAsCas12a and two variants (which carry either NLSs or NESs) perform significant mRNA degradation upon insertion of pre-crRNA fragments into the 5'- or 3' UTR of the target mRNA. The tool worked well with two more Cas12 proteins-(d)MbCas12a and Casϕ2-whereas failed by using type VI LwaCas13a, which further highlights the great potential of type V-A Cas proteins in yeast. We applied our tool to the construction of Boolean NOT, NAND, and IMPLY gates, whose logic operations are fully based on the control of the degradation of the mRNA encoding for a reporter protein. Compared to other methods for the regulation of mRNA stability in yeast synthetic gene circuits (such as RNAi and riboswitches/ribozymes), our system is far easier to engineer and ensure very high performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifang Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, 300072 Tianjin, China
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Vieyra-Garcia PA, Wolf P. A deep dive into UV-based phototherapy: Mechanisms of action and emerging molecular targets in inflammation and cancer. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 222:107784. [PMID: 33316286 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
UV-based phototherapy (including psoralen plus UVA (PUVA), UVB and UVA1) has a long, successful history in the management of numerous cutaneous disorders. Photoresponsive diseases are etiologically diverse, but most involve disturbances in local (and occasionally systemic) inflammatory cells and/or abnormalities in keratinocytes that trigger inflammation. UV-based phototherapy works by regulating the inflammatory component and inducing apoptosis of pathogenic cells. This results in a fascinating and complex network of simultaneous events-immediate transcriptional changes in keratinocytes, immune cells, and pigment cells; the emergence of apoptotic bodies; and the trafficking of antigen-presenting cells in skin-that quickly transform the microenvironment of UV-exposed skin. Molecular elements in this system of UV recognition and response include chromophores, metabolic byproducts, innate immune receptors, neurotransmitters and mediators such as chemokines and cytokines, antimicrobial peptides, and platelet activating factor (PAF) and PAF-like molecules that simultaneously shape the immunomodulatory effects of UV and their interplay with the microbiota of the skin and beyond. Phototherapy's key effects-proapoptotic, immunomodulatory, antipruritic, antifibrotic, propigmentary, and pro-prebiotic-promote clinical improvement in various skin diseases such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (AD), graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), vitiligo, scleroderma, and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) as well as prevention of polymorphic light eruption (PLE). As understanding of phototherapy improves, new therapies (UV- and non-UV-based) are being developed that will modify regulatory T-cells (Treg), interact with (resident) memory T-cells and /or utilize agonists and antagonists as well as antibodies targeting soluble molecules such as cytokines and chemokines, transcription factors, and a variety of membrane-associated receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo A Vieyra-Garcia
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 8, Graz A-8036, Austria.
| | - Peter Wolf
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 8, Graz A-8036, Austria.
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Koeninger L, Armbruster NS, Brinch KS, Kjaerulf S, Andersen B, Langnau C, Autenrieth SE, Schneidawind D, Stange EF, Malek NP, Nordkild P, Jensen BAH, Wehkamp J. Human β-Defensin 2 Mediated Immune Modulation as Treatment for Experimental Colitis. Front Immunol 2020; 11:93. [PMID: 32076420 PMCID: PMC7006816 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Defensins represents an integral part of the innate immune system serving to ward off potential pathogens and to protect the intestinal barrier from microbial encroachment. In addition to their antimicrobial activities, defensins in general, and human β-defensin 2 (hBD2) in particular, also exhibit immunomodulatory capabilities. In this report, we assessed the therapeutic efficacy of systemically administered recombinant hBD2 to ameliorate intestinal inflammation in three distinct animal models of inflammatory bowel disease; i.e., chemically induced mucosal injury (DSS), loss of mucosal tolerance (TNBS), and T-cell transfer into immunodeficient recipient mice. Treatment efficacy was confirmed in all tested models, where systemically administered hBD2 mitigated inflammation, improved disease activity index, and hindered colitis-induced body weight loss on par with anti-TNF-α and steroids. Treatment of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with rhBD2 confirmed the immunomodulatory capacity in the circulatory compartment. Subsequent analyzes revealed dendritic cells (DCs) as the main target population. Suppression of LPS-induced inflammation was dependent on chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) expression. Mechanistically, hBD2 engaged with CCR2 on its DC target cell to decrease NF-κB, and increase CREB phosphorylation, hence curbing inflammation. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing in vivo efficacy of a systemically administered defensin in experimental disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Koeninger
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nicole S Armbruster
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Carolin Langnau
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stella E Autenrieth
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dominik Schneidawind
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Eduard F Stange
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nisar P Malek
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Benjamin A H Jensen
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cardiology Axis, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.,Section for Human Genomics and Metagenomics in Metabolism, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jan Wehkamp
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Brown AJ, Gibson SJ, Hatton D, Arnall CL, James DC. Whole synthetic pathway engineering of recombinant protein production. Biotechnol Bioeng 2018; 116:375-387. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.26855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam J. Brown
- Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringUniversity of SheffieldSheffield UK
| | | | - Diane Hatton
- Biopharmaceutical Development, MedImmuneCambridge UK
| | - Claire L. Arnall
- Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringUniversity of SheffieldSheffield UK
| | - David C. James
- Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringUniversity of SheffieldSheffield UK
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Larsen MT, Rawsthorne H, Schelde KK, Dagnæs-Hansen F, Cameron J, Howard KA. Cellular recycling-driven in vivo half-life extension using recombinant albumin fusions tuned for neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) engagement. J Control Release 2018; 287:132-141. [PMID: 30016735 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant albumin-drug genetic fusions are an effective technology to prolong the serum half-life of therapeutics that has resulted in marketed products. Indirect evidence suggests albumin fusions' long circulation is controlled by engagement with the cellular recycling neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) in addition to reduced kidney filtration. In this work, we have used a panel of recombinant fusions, engineered with different human FcRn (hFcRn) affinity, including a novel high binding albumin variant (HBII), to directly define and importantly, control the intracellular mechanism as a half-life extension tuning method. mNeonGreen or mCherry fusion to the N-terminal of the recombinant human albumin (rHA) variants null-binder (rHA NB), wild-type (rHA WT), high-binder I (rHA HBI), and high-binder II (rHA HBII) did not generally interfere with hFcRn interaction determined by Biolayer Interferometry. Co-localisation of the albumins with endosomal, but not lysosomal, markers was shown by confocal microscopy for high, but not low, hFcRn binders in a human microvascular endothelial hFcRn overexpressing cell line (HMEC-1 FcRn) suggestive of endosomal compartmentalisation. Furthermore, a cellular recycling assay revealed increased recycling of albumin fusions for the high binding variants (mNeonGreen WT; ~1, mNeonGreen HBI; 5.26-fold higher, and mNeonGreen HBII; 5.77-fold higher) in the hFcRn overexpressing cell line. In vivo experiments demonstrated a direct in vitro recycling/in vivo half-life correlation with a longer circulation for the mCherry fusions engineered with high hFcRn affinity that was highest with the HBII variant of 30.1 h compared to 18.2 h for the mCherry WT. This work gives the first direct evidence for an FcRn-driven endosomal cellular recycling pathway for recombinant albumin fusions that correlates with half-life extension controlled by the affinity to hFcRn; promoting a versatile method to tune the pharmacokinetics of albumin fusion-based therapeutics not met by current technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Thim Larsen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Helen Rawsthorne
- Albumedix Ltd, Castle Court, 59 Castle Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 1FD, United Kingdom
| | - Karen Kræmmer Schelde
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | - Jason Cameron
- Albumedix Ltd, Castle Court, 59 Castle Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 1FD, United Kingdom
| | - Kenneth A Howard
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
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