1
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Přibylová A, Fischer L. How to use CRISPR/Cas9 in plants: from target site selection to DNA repair. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:5325-5343. [PMID: 38648173 PMCID: PMC11389839 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
A tool for precise, target-specific, efficient, and affordable genome editing is a dream for many researchers, from those who conduct basic research to those who use it for applied research. Since 2012, we have tool that almost fulfils such requirements; it is based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) systems. However, even CRISPR/Cas has limitations and obstacles that might surprise its users. In this review, we focus on the most frequently used variant, CRISPR/Cas9 from Streptococcus pyogenes, and highlight key factors affecting its mutagenesis outcomes: (i) factors affecting the CRISPR/Cas9 activity, such as the effect of the target sequence, chromatin state, or Cas9 variant, and how long it remains in place after cleavage; and (ii) factors affecting the follow-up DNA repair mechanisms including mostly the cell type and cell cycle phase, but also, for example, the type of DNA ends produced by Cas9 cleavage (blunt/staggered). Moreover, we note some differences between using CRISPR/Cas9 in plants, yeasts, and animals, as knowledge from individual kingdoms is not fully transferable. Awareness of these factors can increase the likelihood of achieving the expected results of plant genome editing, for which we provide detailed guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adéla Přibylová
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 5, 12800, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Fischer
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 5, 12800, Prague 2, Czech Republic
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2
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Yang Y, Zheng Y, Zou Q, Li J, Feng H. Overcoming CRISPR-Cas9 off-target prediction hurdles: A novel approach with ESB rebalancing strategy and CRISPR-MCA model. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012340. [PMID: 39226304 PMCID: PMC11398643 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012340] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 09/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The off-target activities within the CRISPR-Cas9 system remains a formidable barrier to its broader application and development. Recent advancements have highlighted the potential of deep learning models in predicting these off-target effects, yet they encounter significant hurdles including imbalances within datasets and the intricacies associated with encoding schemes and model architectures. To surmount these challenges, our study innovatively introduces an Efficiency and Specificity-Based (ESB) class rebalancing strategy, specifically devised for datasets featuring mismatches-only off-target instances, marking a pioneering approach in this realm. Furthermore, through a meticulous evaluation of various One-hot encoding schemes alongside numerous hybrid neural network models, we discern that encoding and models of moderate complexity ideally balance performance and efficiency. On this foundation, we advance a novel hybrid model, the CRISPR-MCA, which capitalizes on multi-feature extraction to enhance predictive accuracy. The empirical results affirm that the ESB class rebalancing strategy surpasses five conventional methods in addressing extreme dataset imbalances, demonstrating superior efficacy and broader applicability across diverse models. Notably, the CRISPR-MCA model excels in off-target effect prediction across four distinct mismatches-only datasets and significantly outperforms contemporary state-of-the-art models in datasets comprising both mismatches and indels. In summation, the CRISPR-MCA model, coupled with the ESB rebalancing strategy, offers profound insights and a robust framework for future explorations in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanpeng Yang
- School of Mathematics and Computer science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanyi Zheng
- College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Quan Zou
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Quzhou), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Quzhou, China
| | - Jian Li
- School of Mathematics and Computer science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hailin Feng
- School of Mathematics and Computer science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
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3
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Aguirre Rivera J, Mao G, Sabantsev A, Panfilov M, Hou Q, Lindell M, Chanez C, Ritort F, Jinek M, Deindl S. Massively parallel analysis of single-molecule dynamics on next-generation sequencing chips. Science 2024; 385:892-898. [PMID: 39172826 DOI: 10.1126/science.adn5371] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Single-molecule techniques are ideally poised to characterize complex dynamics but are typically limited to investigating a small number of different samples. However, a large sequence or chemical space often needs to be explored to derive a comprehensive understanding of complex biological processes. Here we describe multiplexed single-molecule characterization at the library scale (MUSCLE), a method that combines single-molecule fluorescence microscopy with next-generation sequencing to enable highly multiplexed observations of complex dynamics. We comprehensively profiled the sequence dependence of DNA hairpin properties and Cas9-induced target DNA unwinding-rewinding dynamics. The ability to explore a large sequence space for Cas9 allowed us to identify a number of target sequences with unexpected behaviors. We envision that MUSCLE will enable the mechanistic exploration of many fundamental biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Aguirre Rivera
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75105 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - G Mao
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75105 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - A Sabantsev
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75105 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M Panfilov
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75105 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Q Hou
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75105 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M Lindell
- Department of Medical Sciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75144 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - C Chanez
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - F Ritort
- Small Biosystems Lab, Condensed Matter Physics Department, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (IN2UB), Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Jinek
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - S Deindl
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75105 Uppsala, Sweden
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4
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Roth GV, Gengaro IR, Qi LS. Precision epigenetic editing: Technological advances, enduring challenges, and therapeutic applications. Cell Chem Biol 2024:S2451-9456(24)00309-X. [PMID: 39137782 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.07.007] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
The epigenome is a complex framework through which gene expression is precisely and flexibly modulated to incorporate heritable memory and responses to environmental stimuli. It governs diverse cellular processes, including cell fate, disease, and aging. The need to understand this system and precisely control gene expression outputs for therapeutic purposes has precipitated the development of a diverse set of epigenetic editing tools. Here, we review the existing toolbox for targeted epigenetic editing, technical considerations of the current technologies, and opportunities for future development. We describe applications of therapeutic epigenetic editing and their potential for treating disease, with a discussion of ongoing delivery challenges that impede certain clinical interventions, particularly in the brain. With simultaneous advancements in available engineering tools and appropriate delivery technologies, we predict that epigenetic editing will increasingly cement itself as a powerful approach for safely treating a wide range of disorders in all tissues of the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goldie V Roth
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Isabella R Gengaro
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lei S Qi
- Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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5
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Strohkendl I, Saha A, Moy C, Nguyen AH, Ahsan M, Russell R, Palermo G, Taylor DW. Cas12a domain flexibility guides R-loop formation and forces RuvC resetting. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2717-2731.e6. [PMID: 38955179 PMCID: PMC11283365 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.06.007] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The specific nature of CRISPR-Cas12a makes it a desirable RNA-guided endonuclease for biotechnology and therapeutic applications. To understand how R-loop formation within the compact Cas12a enables target recognition and nuclease activation, we used cryo-electron microscopy to capture wild-type Acidaminococcus sp. Cas12a R-loop intermediates and DNA delivery into the RuvC active site. Stages of Cas12a R-loop formation-starting from a 5-bp seed-are marked by distinct REC domain arrangements. Dramatic domain flexibility limits contacts until nearly complete R-loop formation, when the non-target strand is pulled across the RuvC nuclease and coordinated domain docking promotes efficient cleavage. Next, substantial domain movements enable target strand repositioning into the RuvC active site. Between cleavage events, the RuvC lid conformationally resets to occlude the active site, requiring re-activation. These snapshots build a structural model depicting Cas12a DNA targeting that rationalizes observed specificity and highlights mechanistic comparisons to other class 2 effectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Strohkendl
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Aakash Saha
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Catherine Moy
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Alexander-Hoi Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Mohd Ahsan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Rick Russell
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Graduate Programs, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - David W Taylor
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Graduate Programs, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; LIVESTRONG Cancer Institute, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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6
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Kuo YA, Chen YI, Wang Y, Korkmaz Z, Yonas S, He Y, Nguyen TD, Hong S, Nguyen AT, Kim S, Seifi S, Fan PH, Wu Y, Yang Z, Liu HW, Lu Y, Ren P, Yeh HC. Fluorogenic Aptamer Optimizations on a Massively Parallel Sequencing Platform. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.07.602435. [PMID: 39026723 PMCID: PMC11257435 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.07.602435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
F luorogenic ap tamers (FAPs) have become an increasingly important tool in cellular sensing and pathogen diagnostics. However, fine-tuning FAPs for enhanced performance remains challenging even with the structural details provided by X-ray crystallography. Here we present a novel approach to optimize a DNA-based FAP (D-FAP), Lettuce, on repurposed Illumina next-generation sequencing (NGS) chips. When substituting its cognate chromophore, DFHBI-1T, with TO1-biotin, Lettuce not only shows a red-shifted emission peak by 53 nm (from 505 to 558 nm), but also a 4-fold bulk fluorescence enhancement. After screening 8,821 Lettuce variants complexed with TO1-biotin, the C14T mutation is found to exhibit an improved apparent dissociated constant ( vs. 0.82 µM), an increased quantum yield (QY: 0.62 vs. 0.59) and an elongated fluorescence lifetime (τ: 6.00 vs. 5.77 ns), giving 45% more ensemble fluorescence than the canonical Lettuce/TO1-biotin complex. Molecular dynamic simulations further indicate that the π-π stacking interaction is key to determining the coordination structure of TO1-biotin in Lettuce. Our screening-and-simulation pipeline can effectively optimize FAPs without any prior structural knowledge of the canonical FAP/chromophore complexes, providing not only improved molecular probes for fluorescence sensing but also insights into aptamer-chromophore interactions.
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7
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Vora DS, Bhandari SM, Sundar D. DNA shape features improve prediction of CRISPR/Cas9 activity. Methods 2024; 226:120-126. [PMID: 38641083 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.04.012] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology has transformed basic and translational research in biology and medicine. However, the advances are hindered by off-target effects and a paucity in the knowledge of the mechanism of the Cas9 protein. Machine learning models have been proposed for the prediction of Cas9 activity at unintended sites, yet feature engineering plays a major role in the outcome of the predictors. This study evaluates the improvement in the performance of similar predictors upon inclusion of epigenetic and DNA shape feature groups in the conventionally used sequence-based Cas9 target and off-target datasets. The approach involved the utilization of neural networks trained on a diverse range of parameters, allowing us to systematically assess the performance increase for the meticulously designed datasets- (i) sequence only, (ii) sequence and epigenetic features, and (iii) sequence, epigenetic and DNA shape feature datasets. The addition of DNA shape information significantly improved predictive performance, evaluated by Akaike and Bayesian information criteria. The evaluation of individual feature importance by permutation and LIME-based methods also indicates that not only sequence features like mismatches and nucleotide composition, but also base pairing parameters like opening and stretch, that are indicative of distortion in the DNA-RNA hybrid in the presence of mismatches, influence model outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhvani Sandip Vora
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Sakshi Manoj Bhandari
- Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Durai Sundar
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India; School of Artificial Intelligence, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
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8
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Szekely O, Rangadurai AK, Gu S, Manghrani A, Guseva S, Al-Hashimi HM. NMR measurements of transient low-populated tautomeric and anionic Watson-Crick-like G·T/U in RNA:DNA hybrids: implications for the fidelity of transcription and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2672-2685. [PMID: 38281263 PMCID: PMC10954477 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae027] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Many biochemical processes use the Watson-Crick geometry to distinguish correct from incorrect base pairing. However, on rare occasions, mismatches such as G·T/U can transiently adopt Watson-Crick-like conformations through tautomerization or ionization of the bases, giving rise to replicative and translational errors. The propensities to form Watson-Crick-like mismatches in RNA:DNA hybrids remain unknown, making it unclear whether they can also contribute to errors during processes such as transcription and CRISPR/Cas editing. Here, using NMR R1ρ experiments, we show that dG·rU and dT·rG mismatches in two RNA:DNA hybrids transiently form tautomeric (Genol·T/U $ \mathbin{\lower.3ex\hbox{$\buildrel\textstyle\rightarrow\over {\smash{\leftarrow}\vphantom{_{\vbox to.5ex{\vss}}}}$}}$ G·Tenol/Uenol) and anionic (G·T-/U-) Watson-Crick-like conformations. The tautomerization dynamics were like those measured in A-RNA and B-DNA duplexes. However, anionic dG·rU- formed with a ten-fold higher propensity relative to dT-·rG and dG·dT- and this could be attributed to the lower pKa (ΔpKa ∼0.4-0.9) of U versus T. Our findings suggest plausible roles for Watson-Crick-like G·T/U mismatches in transcriptional errors and CRISPR/Cas9 off-target gene editing, uncover a crucial difference between the chemical dynamics of G·U versus G·T, and indicate that anionic Watson-Crick-like G·U- could play a significant role evading Watson-Crick fidelity checkpoints in RNA:DNA hybrids and RNA duplexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Or Szekely
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | - Stephanie Gu
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, NY, NY 10032, USA
| | - Akanksha Manghrani
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, NY, NY 10032, USA
| | - Serafima Guseva
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, NY, NY 10032, USA
| | - Hashim M Al-Hashimi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, NY, NY 10032, USA
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9
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Sandler SE, Weckman NE, Yorke S, Das A, Chen K, Gutierrez R, Keyser UF. Sensing the DNA-mismatch tolerance of catalytically inactive Cas9 via barcoded DNA nanostructures in solid-state nanopores. Nat Biomed Eng 2024; 8:325-334. [PMID: 37550424 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01078-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule quantification of the strength and sequence specificity of interactions between proteins and nucleic acids would facilitate the probing of protein-DNA binding. Here we show that binding events between the catalytically inactive Cas9 ribonucleoprotein and any pre-defined short sequence of double-stranded DNA can be identified by sensing changes in ionic current as suitably designed barcoded linear DNA nanostructures with Cas9-binding double-stranded DNA overhangs translocate through solid-state nanopores. We designed barcoded DNA nanostructures to study the relationships between DNA sequence and the DNA-binding specificity, DNA-binding efficiency and DNA-mismatch tolerance of Cas9 at the single-nucleotide level. Nanopore-based sensing of DNA-barcoded nanostructures may help to improve the design of efficient and specific ribonucleoproteins for biomedical applications, and could be developed into sensitive protein-sensing assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Sandler
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nicole E Weckman
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education & Practice, Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sarah Yorke
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK
| | - Akashaditya Das
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Kaikai Chen
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Ulrich F Keyser
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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10
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Backofen R, Gorodkin J, Hofacker IL, Stadler PF. Comparative RNA Genomics. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2802:347-393. [PMID: 38819565 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3838-5_12] [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] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Over the last quarter of a century it has become clear that RNA is much more than just a boring intermediate in protein expression. Ancient RNAs still appear in the core information metabolism and comprise a surprisingly large component in bacterial gene regulation. A common theme with these types of mostly small RNAs is their reliance of conserved secondary structures. Large-scale sequencing projects, on the other hand, have profoundly changed our understanding of eukaryotic genomes. Pervasively transcribed, they give rise to a plethora of large and evolutionarily extremely flexible non-coding RNAs that exert a vastly diverse array of molecule functions. In this chapter we provide a-necessarily incomplete-overview of the current state of comparative analysis of non-coding RNAs, emphasizing computational approaches as a means to gain a global picture of the modern RNA world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rolf Backofen
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Jan Gorodkin
- Center for Non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Ivo L Hofacker
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology research group, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center for Non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Peter F Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
- Universidad National de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
- Center for Non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, USA.
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11
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Pérez-García I, Pérez-García V. CRISPR Activation in Mouse Trophoblast Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2781:93-103. [PMID: 38502446 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3746-3_9] [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] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The placenta is a vital organ that regulates nutrient supply to the developing embryo during gestation. In mice, the placenta is composed of trophoblast lineage and mesodermal derivatives, which merge through the chorioallantoic fusion process in a critical event for the progression of placenta development. The trophoblast lineage is derived from self-renewing, multipotent cells known as mouse trophoblast stem cells (mTSCs). These cells are a valuable tool that allows scientists to comprehend the signals regulating major placental cell types' self-renewal and differentiation capacity. Recent advances in CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing applied in mTSCs have provided novel insights into the molecular networks involved in placentation. Here, we present a comprehensive CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) protocol based on the CRISPR/gRNA-directed synergistic activation mediator (SAM) method to overexpress specific target genes in mTSCs.
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12
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Rajaram N, Bashtrykov P, Jeltsch A. Protocol for Allele-Specific Epigenome Editing Using CRISPR/dCas9. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2842:179-192. [PMID: 39012596 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4051-7_9] [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] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
The discovery and adaptation of CRISPR/Cas systema for epigenome editing has allowed for a straightforward design of targeting modules that can direct epigenome editors to virtually any genomic site. This advancement in DNA-targeting technology brings allele-specific epigenome editing into reach, a "super-specific" variation of epigenome editing whose goal is an alteration of chromatin marks at only one selected allele of the genomic target locus. This technology could be useful for the treatment of diseases caused by a mutant allele with a dominant effect, because allele-specific epigenome editing allows the specific silencing of the mutated allele leaving the healthy counterpart expressed. Moreover, it may allow the direct correction of aberrant imprints in imprinting disorders where editing of DNA methylation is required exclusively in a single allele. Here, we describe a basic protocol for the design and application of allele-specific epigenome editing systems using allele-specific DNA methylation at the NARF gene in HEK293 cells as an example. An sgRNA/dCas9 unit is used for allele-specific binding to the target locus containing a SNP in the seed region of the sgRNA or the PAM region. The dCas9 protein is connected to a SunTag allowing to recruit up to 10 DNMT3A/3L units fused to a single-chain Fv fragment, which specifically binds to the SunTag peptide sequence. The plasmids expressing dCas9-10x SunTag, scFv-DNMT3A/3L, and sgRNA, each of them co-expressing a fluorophore, are introduced into cells by co-transfection. Cells containing all three plasmids are enriched by FACS, cultivated, and later the genomic DNA and RNA can be retrieved for DNA methylation and gene expression analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivethika Rajaram
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Pavel Bashtrykov
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Albert Jeltsch
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
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13
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Van Hove B, De Wannemaeker L, Missiaen I, Maertens J, De Mey M. Taming CRISPRi: Dynamic range tuning through guide RNA diversion. N Biotechnol 2023; 77:50-57. [PMID: 37422184 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2023.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
CRISPRi is a powerful technique to repress gene expression in a targeted and highly efficient manner. However, this potency is a double-edged sword in inducible systems, as even leaky expression of guide RNA results in a repression phenotype, complicating applications such as dynamic metabolic engineering. We evaluated three methods to enhance the controllability of CRISPRi by modulating the level of free and DNA-bound guide RNA complexes. Overall repression can be attenuated through rationally designed mismatches in the reversibility determining region of the guide RNA sequence; decoy target sites can selectively modulate repression at low levels of induction; and the implementation of feedback control not only enhances the linearity of induction, but broadens the dynamic range of the output as well. Furthermore, feedback control significantly enhances the recovery rate after induction is removed. Used in combination, these techniques enable the fine-tuning of CRISPRi to meet restrictions imposed by the target and match the input signal required for induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bob Van Hove
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lien De Wannemaeker
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Isolde Missiaen
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jo Maertens
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marjan De Mey
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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14
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Chen Q, Chuai G, Zhang H, Tang J, Duan L, Guan H, Li W, Li W, Wen J, Zuo E, Zhang Q, Liu Q. Genome-wide CRISPR off-target prediction and optimization using RNA-DNA interaction fingerprints. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7521. [PMID: 37980345 PMCID: PMC10657421 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42695-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The powerful CRISPR genome editing system is hindered by its off-target effects, and existing computational tools achieved limited performance in genome-wide off-target prediction due to the lack of deep understanding of the CRISPR molecular mechanism. In this study, we propose to incorporate molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in the computational analysis of CRISPR system, and present CRISOT, an integrated tool suite containing four related modules, i.e., CRISOT-FP, CRISOT-Score, CRISOT-Spec, CRISORT-Opti for RNA-DNA molecular interaction fingerprint generation, genome-wide CRISPR off-target prediction, sgRNA specificity evaluation and sgRNA optimization of Cas9 system respectively. Our comprehensive computational and experimental tests reveal that CRISOT outperforms existing tools with extensive in silico validations and proof-of-concept experimental validations. In addition, CRISOT shows potential in accurately predicting off-target effects of the base editors and prime editors, indicating that the derived RNA-DNA molecular interaction fingerprint captures the underlying mechanisms of RNA-DNA interaction among distinct CRISPR systems. Collectively, CRISOT provides an efficient and generalizable framework for genome-wide CRISPR off-target prediction, evaluation and sgRNA optimization for improved targeting specificity in CRISPR genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinchang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration (Tongji University), Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Bioinformatics Department, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Bioinformatics Department, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Research Institute of Intelligent Computing, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Guohui Chuai
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Bioinformatics Department, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Haihang Zhang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies (Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jin Tang
- Research Institute of Intelligent Computing, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Liwen Duan
- Research Institute of Intelligent Computing, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Huan Guan
- Research Institute of Intelligent Computing, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Wenhui Li
- Research Institute of Intelligent Computing, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Wannian Li
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration (Tongji University), Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Bioinformatics Department, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jiaying Wen
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration (Tongji University), Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Bioinformatics Department, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Erwei Zuo
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies (Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Qing Zhang
- Roche R&D Center (China) Ltd., China Innovation Center of Roche, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- Ailomics Therapeutics, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Qi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration (Tongji University), Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Bioinformatics Department, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Bioinformatics Department, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
- Research Institute of Intelligent Computing, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, 311121, China.
- Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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15
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Rajaram N, Kouroukli AG, Bens S, Bashtrykov P, Jeltsch A. Development of super-specific epigenome editing by targeted allele-specific DNA methylation. Epigenetics Chromatin 2023; 16:41. [PMID: 37864244 PMCID: PMC10589950 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-023-00515-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenome editing refers to the targeted reprogramming of genomic loci using an EpiEditor which may consist of an sgRNA/dCas9 complex that recruits DNMT3A/3L to the target locus. Methylation of the locus can lead to a modulation of gene expression. Allele-specific DNA methylation (ASM) refers to the targeted methylation delivery only to one allele of a locus. In the context of diseases caused by a dominant mutation, the selective DNA methylation of the mutant allele could be used to repress its expression but retain the functionality of the normal gene. RESULTS To set up allele-specific targeted DNA methylation, target regions were selected from hypomethylated CGIs bearing a heterozygous SNP in their promoters in the HEK293 cell line. We aimed at delivering maximum DNA methylation with highest allelic specificity in the targeted regions. Placing SNPs in the PAM or seed regions of the sgRNA, we designed 24 different sgRNAs targeting single alleles in 14 different gene loci. We achieved efficient ASM in multiple cases, such as ISG15, MSH6, GPD1L, MRPL52, PDE8A, NARF, DAP3, and GSPT1, which in best cases led to five to tenfold stronger average DNA methylation at the on-target allele and absolute differences in the DNA methylation gain at on- and off-target alleles of > 50%. In general, loci with the allele discriminatory SNP positioned in the PAM region showed higher success rate of ASM and better specificity. Highest DNA methylation was observed on day 3 after transfection followed by a gradual decline. In selected cases, ASM was stable up to 11 days in HEK293 cells and it led up to a 3.6-fold change in allelic expression ratios. CONCLUSIONS We successfully delivered ASM at multiple genomic loci with high specificity, efficiency and stability. This form of super-specific epigenome editing could find applications in the treatment of diseases caused by dominant mutations, because it allows silencing of the mutant allele without repression of the expression of the normal allele thereby minimizing potential side-effects of the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivethika Rajaram
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Alexandra G Kouroukli
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Ulm and Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Susanne Bens
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Ulm and Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Pavel Bashtrykov
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Albert Jeltsch
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
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16
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Cai R, Lv R, Shi X, Yang G, Jin J. CRISPR/dCas9 Tools: Epigenetic Mechanism and Application in Gene Transcriptional Regulation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14865. [PMID: 37834313 PMCID: PMC10573330 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated cleavage of DNA, which depends on the endonuclease activity of Cas9, has been widely used for gene editing due to its excellent programmability and specificity. However, the changes to the DNA sequence that are mediated by CRISPR/Cas9 affect the structures and stability of the genome, which may affect the accuracy of results. Mutations in the RuvC and HNH regions of the Cas9 protein lead to the inactivation of Cas9 into dCas9 with no endonuclease activity. Despite the loss of endonuclease activity, dCas9 can still bind the DNA strand using guide RNA. Recently, proteins with active/inhibitory effects have been linked to the end of the dCas9 protein to form fusion proteins with transcriptional active/inhibitory effects, named CRISPRa and CRISPRi, respectively. These CRISPR tools mediate the transcription activity of protein-coding and non-coding genes by regulating the chromosomal modification states of target gene promoters, enhancers, and other functional elements. Here, we highlight the epigenetic mechanisms and applications of the common CRISPR/dCas9 tools, by which we hope to provide a reference for future related gene regulation, gene function, high-throughput target gene screening, and disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijie Cai
- Laboratory of Animal Fat Deposition and Muscle Development, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Runyu Lv
- Laboratory of Animal Fat Deposition and Muscle Development, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Xin'e Shi
- Laboratory of Animal Fat Deposition and Muscle Development, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Gongshe Yang
- Laboratory of Animal Fat Deposition and Muscle Development, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jianjun Jin
- Laboratory of Animal Fat Deposition and Muscle Development, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
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17
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Li Y, Cooper BH, Liu Y, Wu D, Zhang X, Rohs R, Qin PZ. CRISPR-Cas9 Activities with Truncated 16-Nucleotide RNA Guides Are Tuned by Target Duplex Stability Beyond the RNA/DNA Hybrid. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2541-2548. [PMID: 37552860 PMCID: PMC10578059 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 has been adapted as a readily programmable genome manipulation agent, and continuing technological advances rely on an in-depth mechanistic understanding of Cas9 target discrimination. Cas9 interrogates a target by unwinding the DNA duplex to form an R-loop, where the RNA guide hybridizes with one of the DNA strands. It has been shown that RNA guides shorter than the normal length of 20-nucleotide (-nt) support Cas9 cleavage activity by enabling partial unwinding beyond the RNA/DNA hybrid. To investigate whether DNA segment beyond the RNA/DNA hybrid can impact Cas9 target discrimination with truncated guides, Cas9 double-stranded DNA cleavage rates (kcat) were measured with 16-nt guides on targets with varying sequences at +17 to +20 positions distal to the protospacer-adjacent-motif (PAM). The data reveal a log-linear inverse correlation between kcat and the PAM+(17-20) DNA duplex dissociation free energy (ΔGNN(17-20)0), with sequences having smaller ΔGNN(17-20)0 showing faster cleavage and a higher degree of unwinding. The results indicate that, with a 16-nt guide, "peripheral" DNA sequences beyond the RNA/DNA hybrid contribute to target discrimination by tuning the cleavage reaction transition state through the modulation of PAM-distal unwinding. The finding provides mechanistic insights for the further development of strategies that use RNA guide truncation to enhance Cas9 specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Brendon H Cooper
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Yukang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Difei Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Xiaojun Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Remo Rohs
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Peter Z Qin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
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18
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Szekely O, Rangadurai AK, Gu S, Manghrani A, Guseva S, Al-Hashimi HM. NMR measurements of transient low-populated tautomeric and anionic Watson-Crick-like G·T/U in RNA:DNA hybrids: Implications for the fidelity of transcription and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.24.554670. [PMID: 37662220 PMCID: PMC10473728 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.24.554670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Many biochemical processes use the Watson-Crick geometry to distinguish correct from incorrect base pairing. However, on rare occasions, mismatches such as G•T/U can transiently adopt Watson-Crick-like conformations through tautomerization or ionization of the bases, giving rise to replicative and translational errors. The propensities to form Watson-Crick-like mismatches in RNA:DNA hybrids remain unknown, making it unclear whether they can also contribute to errors during processes such as transcription and CRISPR/Cas editing. Here, using NMR R 1ρ experiments, we show that dG•rU and dT•rG mismatches in two RNA:DNA hybrids transiently form tautomeric (G enol •T/U ⇄G•T enol /U enol ) and anionic (G•T - /U - ) Watson-Crick-like conformations. The tautomerization dynamics were like those measured in A-RNA and B-DNA duplexes. However, anionic dG•rU - formed with a ten-fold higher propensity relative to dT - •rG and dG•dT - and this could be attributed to the lower pK a (Δ pK a ∼0.4-0.9) of U versus T. Our findings suggest plausible roles for Watson-Crick-like G•T/U mismatches in transcriptional errors and CRISPR/Cas9 off-target gene editing, uncover a crucial difference between the chemical dynamics of G•U versus G•T, and indicate that anionic Watson-Crick-like G•U - could play a significant role evading Watson-Crick fidelity checkpoints in RNA:DNA hybrids and RNA duplexes.
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19
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Tian Y, Dong D, Wang Z, Wu L, Park JY, Wei GH, Wang L. Combined CRISPRi and proteomics screening reveal a cohesin-CTCF-bound allele contributing to increased expression of RUVBL1 and prostate cancer progression. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:1289-1303. [PMID: 37541187 PMCID: PMC10432188 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies along with expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping have identified hundreds of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and their target genes in prostate cancer (PCa), yet functional characterization of these risk loci remains challenging. To screen for potential regulatory SNPs, we designed a CRISPRi library containing 9,133 guide RNAs (gRNAs) to cover 2,166 candidate SNP loci implicated in PCa and identified 117 SNPs that could regulate 90 genes for PCa cell growth advantage. Among these, rs60464856 was covered by multiple gRNAs significantly depleted in screening (FDR < 0.05). Pooled SNP association analysis in the PRACTICAL and FinnGen cohorts showed significantly higher PCa risk for the rs60464856 G allele (p value = 1.2 × 10-16 and 3.2 × 10-7, respectively). Subsequent eQTL analysis revealed that the G allele is associated with increased RUVBL1 expression in multiple datasets. Further CRISPRi and xCas9 base editing confirmed that the rs60464856 G allele leads to elevated RUVBL1 expression. Furthermore, SILAC-based proteomic analysis demonstrated allelic binding of cohesin subunits at the rs60464856 region, where the HiC dataset showed consistent chromatin interactions in prostate cell lines. RUVBL1 depletion inhibited PCa cell proliferation and tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model. Gene-set enrichment analysis suggested an association of RUVBL1 expression with cell-cycle-related pathways. Increased expression of RUVBL1 and activation of cell-cycle pathways were correlated with poor PCa survival in TCGA datasets. Our CRISPRi screening prioritized about one hundred regulatory SNPs essential for prostate cell proliferation. In combination with proteomics and functional studies, we characterized the mechanistic role of rs60464856 and RUVBL1 in PCa progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Tian
- Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Dandan Dong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zixian Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lang Wu
- Population Sciences in the Pacific Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Jong Y Park
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Gong-Hong Wei
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Disease Networks Research Unit, Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Liang Wang
- Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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20
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Hayes BH, Zhu H, Andrechak JC, Dooling LJ, Discher DE. Titrating CD47 by mismatch CRISPR-interference reveals incomplete repression can eliminate IgG-opsonized tumors but limits induction of antitumor IgG. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad243. [PMID: 37593202 PMCID: PMC10427748 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Phagocytic elimination of solid tumors by innate immune cells seems attractive for immunotherapy, particularly because of the possibilities for acquired immunity. However, the approach remains challenging, with blockade of the macrophage checkpoint CD47 working in immunodeficient mice and against highly immunogenic tumors but not in the clinic where tumors are poorly immunogenic. Even when mouse tumors of poorly immunogenic B16F10 melanoma are opsonized to drive engulfment with a suitable monoclonal antibody (mAb), anti-CD47 blockade remains insufficient. Using both in vitro immuno-tumoroids and in vivo mouse models, we show with CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) that a relatively uniform minimum repression of CD47 by 80% is needed for phagocytosis to dominate net growth when combined with an otherwise ineffective mAb (anti-Tyrp1). Heterogeneity enriches for CD47-high cells, but mice that eliminate tumors generate prophagocytic IgGs that increase in titer with CD47 repression and with tumor accumulation of macrophages, although deeper repression does not improve survival. Given well-known limitations of antibody permeation into solid tumors, our studies clarify benchmarks for CD47 disruption that should be more clinically feasible and safer but just as effective as complete ablation. Additionally, safe but ineffective opsonization in human melanoma trials suggests that combinations with deep repression of CD47 could prove effective and initiate durable immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon H Hayes
- Molecular and Cell Biophysics Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Physical Sciences Oncology Center at Penn, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Bioengineering Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Hui Zhu
- Molecular and Cell Biophysics Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Physical Sciences Oncology Center at Penn, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jason C Andrechak
- Molecular and Cell Biophysics Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Physical Sciences Oncology Center at Penn, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Bioengineering Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lawrence J Dooling
- Molecular and Cell Biophysics Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Physical Sciences Oncology Center at Penn, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Dennis E Discher
- Molecular and Cell Biophysics Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Physical Sciences Oncology Center at Penn, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Bioengineering Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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21
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Tian T, Zhou X. CRISPR-Based Biosensing Strategies: Technical Development and Application Prospects. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (PALO ALTO, CALIF.) 2023; 16:311-332. [PMID: 37018798 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-090822-014725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biosensing based on CRISPR-Cas systems is a young but rapidly evolving technology. The unprecedented properties of the CRISPR-Cas system provide an innovative tool for developing new-generation biosensing strategies. To date, a series of nucleic acid and non-nucleic acid detection methods have been developed based on the CRISPR platform. In this review, we first introduce the core biochemical properties underpinning the development of CRISPR bioassays, such as diverse reaction temperatures, programmability in design, high reaction efficiency, and recognition specificity, and highlight recent efforts to improve these parameters. We then introduce the technical developments, including how to improve sensitivity and quantification capabilities, develop multiplex assays, achieve convenient one-pot assays, create advanced sensors, and extend the applications of detection. Finally, we analyze obstacles to the commercial application of CRISPR detection technology and explore development opportunities and directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Tian
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China;
| | - Xiaoming Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China;
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22
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Tian Y, Dong D, Wang Z, Wu L, Park JY, Wei GH, Wang L. Combined CRISPRi and proteomics screening reveal a cohesin-CTCF-bound allele contributing to increased expression of RUVBL1 and prostate cancer progression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.18.524405. [PMID: 36711639 PMCID: PMC9882314 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.18.524405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies along with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping have identified hundreds of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and their target genes in prostate cancer (PCa), yet functional characterization of these risk loci remains challenging. To screen for potential regulatory SNPs, we designed a CRISPRi library containing 9133 guide RNAs (gRNAs) to target 2,166 candidate SNP sites implicated in PCa and identified 117 SNPs that could regulate 90 genes for PCa cell growth advantage. Among these, rs60464856 was covered by multiple gRNAs significantly depleted in the screening (FDR<0.05). Pooled SNP association analysis in the PRACTICAL and FinnGen cohorts showed significantly higher PCa risk for the rs60464856 G allele (pvalue=1.2E-16 and 3.2E-7). Subsequent eQTL analysis revealed that the G allele is associated with increased RUVBL1 expression in multiple datasets. Further CRISPRi and xCas9 base editing proved the rs60464856 G allele leading to an elevated RUVBL1 expression. Furthermore, SILAC-based proteomic analysis demonstrated allelic binding of cohesin subunits at the rs60464856 region, where HiC dataset showed consistent chromatin interactions in prostate cell lines. RUVBL1 depletion inhibited PCa cell proliferation and tumor growth in xenograft mouse model. Gene set enrichment analysis suggested an association of RUVBL1 expression with cell-cycle-related pathways. An increased expression of RUVBL1 and activations of cell-cycle pathways were correlated with poor PCa survival in TCGA datasets. Together, our CRISPRi screening prioritized about one hundred regulatory SNPs essential for prostate cell proliferation. In combination with proteomics and functional studies, we characterized the mechanistic role of rs60464856 and RUVBL1 in PCa progression.
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23
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Panda A, Suvakov M, Mariani J, Drucker KL, Park Y, Jang Y, Kollmeyer TM, Sarkar G, Bae T, Kim JJ, Yoon WH, Jenkins RB, Vaccarino FM, Abyzov A. Clonally Selected Lines After CRISPR-Cas Editing Are Not Isogenic. CRISPR J 2023; 6:176-182. [PMID: 37071670 PMCID: PMC10123805 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2022.0050] [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: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas9 system has enabled researchers to precisely modify/edit the sequence of a genome. A typical editing experiment consists of two steps: (1) editing cultured cells; (2) cell cloning and selection of clones with and without intended edit, presumed to be isogenic. The application of CRISPR-Cas9 system may result in off-target edits, whereas cloning will reveal culture-acquired mutations. We analyzed the extent of the former and the latter by whole genome sequencing in three experiments involving separate genomic loci and conducted by three independent laboratories. In all experiments we hardly found any off-target edits, whereas detecting hundreds to thousands of single nucleotide mutations unique to each clone after relatively short culture of 10-20 passages. Notably, clones also differed in copy number alterations (CNAs) that were several kb to several mb in size and represented the largest source of genomic divergence among clones. We suggest that screening of clones for mutations and CNAs acquired in culture is a necessary step to allow correct interpretation of DNA editing experiments. Furthermore, since culture associated mutations are inevitable, we propose that experiments involving derivation of clonal lines should compare a mix of multiple unedited lines and a mix of multiple edited lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arijit Panda
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Milovan Suvakov
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jessica Mariani
- Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kristen L. Drucker
- Department of Lab Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yohan Park
- Aging and Metabolism Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Yeongjun Jang
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Thomas M. Kollmeyer
- Department of Lab Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Gobinda Sarkar
- Department of Lab Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Taejeong Bae
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jean J. Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wan Hee Yoon
- Aging and Metabolism Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Robert B. Jenkins
- Department of Lab Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Flora M. Vaccarino
- Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Alexej Abyzov
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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24
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Sun J, Chen J. [Research Progress of DNA Methylation in Cisplatin Resistance in Lung Cancer]. ZHONGGUO FEI AI ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF LUNG CANCER 2023; 26:52-58. [PMID: 36792081 PMCID: PMC9987084 DOI: 10.3779/j.issn.1009-3419.2023.101.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
As one of the most common malignant tumors, lung cancer poses a serious threat to human life and health. The platinum-based drug cisplatin (DDP) is used as the first-line treatment for lung cancer. The poor prognosis of lung cancer is mostly due to developed resistance to cisplatin, which poses a serious treatment challenge. The mechanism of cisplatin resistance is complex and unclear. Numerous studies have shown that DNA methylation plays a crucial role in the emergence of lung cancer cisplatin resistance. DNA hypermethylation results in the deactivation of numerous drug resistance genes and tumor suppressor genes through a change in chromatin conformation. Finding new therapeutic targets and indicators to predict the therapeutic effect can be aided by elucidating the complex mechanism. In order to discover novel strategies to overcome cisplatin resistance in lung cancer, this paper discusses DNA methylation-mediated cisplatin resistance and offers an overview of current demethylation procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhe Sun
- Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116000, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116000, China
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25
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Marklund E, Ke Y, Greenleaf WJ. High-throughput biochemistry in RNA sequence space: predicting structure and function. Nat Rev Genet 2023; 24:401-414. [PMID: 36635406 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-022-00567-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
RNAs are central to fundamental biological processes in all known organisms. The set of possible intramolecular interactions of RNA nucleotides defines the range of alternative structural conformations of a specific RNA that can coexist, and these structures enable functional catalytic properties of RNAs and/or their productive intermolecular interactions with other RNAs or proteins. However, the immense combinatorial space of potential RNA sequences has precluded predictive mapping between RNA sequence and molecular structure and function. Recent advances in high-throughput approaches in vitro have enabled quantitative thermodynamic and kinetic measurements of RNA-RNA and RNA-protein interactions, across hundreds of thousands of sequence variations. In this Review, we explore these techniques, how they can be used to understand RNA function and how they might form the foundations of an accurate model to predict the structure and function of an RNA directly from its nucleotide sequence. The experimental techniques and modelling frameworks discussed here are also highly relevant for the sampling of sequence-structure-function space of DNAs and proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Marklund
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yuxi Ke
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - William J Greenleaf
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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26
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A quantitative model for the dynamics of target recognition and off-target rejection by the CRISPR-Cas Cascade complex. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7460. [PMID: 36460652 PMCID: PMC9718816 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35116-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas effector complexes recognise nucleic acid targets by base pairing with their crRNA which enables easy re-programming of the target specificity in rapidly emerging genome engineering applications. However, undesired recognition of off-targets, that are only partially complementary to the crRNA, occurs frequently and represents a severe limitation of the technique. Off-targeting lacks comprehensive quantitative understanding and prediction. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the target recognition dynamics by the Cascade surveillance complex on a set of mismatched DNA targets using single-molecule supercoiling experiments. We demonstrate that the observed dynamics can be quantitatively modelled as a random walk over the length of the crRNA-DNA hybrid using a minimal set of parameters. The model accurately describes the recognition of targets with single and double mutations providing an important basis for quantitative off-target predictions. Importantly the model intrinsically accounts for observed bias regarding the position and the proximity between mutations and reveals that the seed length for the initiation of target recognition is controlled by DNA supercoiling rather than the Cascade structure.
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27
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Pacesa M, Lin CH, Cléry A, Saha A, Arantes PR, Bargsten K, Irby MJ, Allain FHT, Palermo G, Cameron P, Donohoue PD, Jinek M. Structural basis for Cas9 off-target activity. Cell 2022; 185:4067-4081.e21. [PMID: 36306733 PMCID: PMC10103147 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The target DNA specificity of the CRISPR-associated genome editor nuclease Cas9 is determined by complementarity to a 20-nucleotide segment in its guide RNA. However, Cas9 can bind and cleave partially complementary off-target sequences, which raises safety concerns for its use in clinical applications. Here, we report crystallographic structures of Cas9 bound to bona fide off-target substrates, revealing that off-target binding is enabled by a range of noncanonical base-pairing interactions within the guide:off-target heteroduplex. Off-target substrates containing single-nucleotide deletions relative to the guide RNA are accommodated by base skipping or multiple noncanonical base pairs rather than RNA bulge formation. Finally, PAM-distal mismatches result in duplex unpairing and induce a conformational change in the Cas9 REC lobe that perturbs its conformational activation. Together, these insights provide a structural rationale for the off-target activity of Cas9 and contribute to the improved rational design of guide RNAs and off-target prediction algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Pacesa
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chun-Han Lin
- Caribou Biosciences, 2929 Seventh Street Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Antoine Cléry
- Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Aakash Saha
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 52512, USA
| | - Pablo R Arantes
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 52512, USA
| | - Katja Bargsten
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthew J Irby
- Caribou Biosciences, 2929 Seventh Street Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Frédéric H-T Allain
- Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 52512, USA
| | - Peter Cameron
- Caribou Biosciences, 2929 Seventh Street Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Paul D Donohoue
- Caribou Biosciences, 2929 Seventh Street Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Martin Jinek
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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28
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Khosraviani N, Abraham KJ, Chan JN, Mekhail K. Protocol to use RNaseH1-based CRISPR to modulate locus-associated R-loops. STAR Protoc 2022; 3:101734. [PMID: 36178790 PMCID: PMC9525952 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Modulating R-loop triplex nucleic acid structures reveals their roles across the genome. However, common approaches cannot ascribe functions to R-loops in a locus-associated manner. This protocol presents the use of a locus-associated R-loop-modulating system (dubbed LasR), which employs an inducible RNaseH1-EGFP-dCas9 chimaera. We detail the in silico design of sgRNAs and their transfection with the chimaera, and outline steps confirming RNaseH1-EGFP-dCas9 expression, localization, locus-targeted association, and R-loop modulation in cis or trans using immunoblotting, microscopy, and chromatin and DNA-RNA immunoprecipitation. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Abraham et al. (2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Negin Khosraviani
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Karan J. Abraham
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Janet N.Y. Chan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada,Corresponding author
| | - Karim Mekhail
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada,Canada Research Chairs Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada,Corresponding author
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29
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Vora DS, Verma Y, Sundar D. A Machine Learning Approach to Identify the Importance of Novel Features for CRISPR/Cas9 Activity Prediction. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1123. [PMID: 36009017 PMCID: PMC9405635 DOI: 10.3390/biom12081123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The reprogrammable CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tool's growing popularity is hindered by unwanted off-target effects. Efforts have been directed toward designing efficient guide RNAs as well as identifying potential off-target threats, yet factors that determine efficiency and off-target activity remain obscure. Based on sequence features, previous machine learning models performed poorly on new datasets, thus there is a need for the incorporation of novel features. The binding energy estimation of the gRNA-DNA hybrid as well as the Cas9-gRNA-DNA hybrid allowed generating better performing machine learning models for the prediction of Cas9 activity. The analysis of feature contribution towards the model output on a limited dataset indicated that energy features played a determining role along with the sequence features. The binding energy features proved essential for the prediction of on-target activity and off-target sites. The plateau, in the performance on unseen datasets, of current machine learning models could be overcome by incorporating novel features, such as binding energy, among others. The models are provided on GitHub (GitHub Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhvani Sandip Vora
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Yugesh Verma
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Durai Sundar
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
- Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
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30
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Ameruoso A, Villegas Kcam MC, Cohen KP, Chappell J. Activating natural product synthesis using CRISPR interference and activation systems in Streptomyces. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:7751-7760. [PMID: 35801861 PMCID: PMC9303295 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria represents a major threat to global health, creating an urgent need to discover new antibiotics. Natural products derived from the genus Streptomyces represent a rich and diverse repertoire of chemical molecules from which new antibiotics are likely to be found. However, a major challenge is that the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) responsible for natural product synthesis are often poorly expressed under laboratory culturing conditions, thus preventing the isolation and screening of novel chemicals. To address this, we describe a novel approach to activate silent BGCs through rewiring endogenous regulation using synthetic gene regulators based upon CRISPR-Cas. First, we refine CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) and create CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) systems that allow for highly programmable and effective gene repression and activation in Streptomyces. We then harness these tools to activate a silent BGC by perturbing its endogenous regulatory network. Together, this work advances the synthetic regulatory toolbox for Streptomyces and facilitates the programmable activation of silent BGCs for novel chemical discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ameruoso
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS 140, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | | | - Katherine Piper Cohen
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS 140, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - James Chappell
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS 140, Houston, TX 77005, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS 142, Houston, TX 77005, USA
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31
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Chen Q, Chuai G, Zhang C, Zhang Q, Liu Q. Toward a molecular mechanism-based prediction of CRISPR-Cas9 targeting effects. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2022; 67:1201-1204. [PMID: 36546144 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2022.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Qinchang Chen
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Bioinformatics Department, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Guohui Chuai
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Bioinformatics Department, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
| | - Qing Zhang
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, pRED Informatics, Roche Innovation Center Shanghai, Roche R&D Center (China) Ltd., Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Qi Liu
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Bioinformatics Department, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Shanghai 201210, China.
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32
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Corsi GI, Qu K, Alkan F, Pan X, Luo Y, Gorodkin J. CRISPR/Cas9 gRNA activity depends on free energy changes and on the target PAM context. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3006. [PMID: 35637227 PMCID: PMC9151727 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30515-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A major challenge of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering is that not all guide RNAs (gRNAs) cleave the DNA efficiently. Although the heterogeneity of gRNA activity is well recognized, the current understanding of how CRISPR/Cas9 activity is regulated remains incomplete. Here, we identify a sweet spot range of binding free energy change for optimal efficiency which largely explains why gRNAs display changes in efficiency at on- and off-target sites, including why gRNAs can cleave an off-target with higher efficiency than the on-target. Using an energy-based model, we show that local gRNA-DNA interactions resulting from Cas9 "sliding" on overlapping protospacer adjacent motifs (PAMs) profoundly impact gRNA activities. Combining the effects of local sliding for a given PAM context with global off-targets allows us to better identify highly specific, and thus efficient, gRNAs. We validate the effects of local sliding on gRNA efficiency using both public data and in-house data generated by measuring SpCas9 cleavage efficiency at 1024 sites designed to cover all possible combinations of 4-nt PAM and context sequences of 4 gRNAs. Our results provide insights into the mechanisms of Cas9-PAM compatibility and cleavage activation, underlining the importance of accounting for local sliding in gRNA design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia I Corsi
- Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 57, 1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Kunli Qu
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao, 266555, China
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2200, Denmark
| | - Ferhat Alkan
- Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 57, 1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Xiaoguang Pan
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao, 266555, China
| | - Yonglun Luo
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao, 266555, China.
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083, China.
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark.
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, 8200, Denmark.
| | - Jan Gorodkin
- Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 57, 1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
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33
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Antony JS, Hinz JM, Wyrick JJ. Tips, Tricks, and Potential Pitfalls of CRISPR Genome Editing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:924914. [PMID: 35706506 PMCID: PMC9190257 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.924914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The versatility of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated (Cas) genome editing makes it a popular tool for many research and biotechnology applications. Recent advancements in genome editing in eukaryotic organisms, like fungi, allow for precise manipulation of genetic information and fine-tuned control of gene expression. Here, we provide an overview of CRISPR genome editing technologies in yeast, with a particular focus on Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We describe the tools and methods that have been previously developed for genome editing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and discuss tips and experimental tricks for promoting efficient, marker-free genome editing in this model organism. These include sgRNA design and expression, multiplexing genome editing, optimizing Cas9 expression, allele-specific editing in diploid cells, and understanding the impact of chromatin on genome editing. Finally, we summarize recent studies describing the potential pitfalls of using CRISPR genome targeting in yeast, including the induction of background mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S. Antony
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - John M. Hinz
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - John J. Wyrick
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
- Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
- *Correspondence: John J. Wyrick,
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34
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Severins I, Joo C, van Noort J. Exploring molecular biology in sequence space: The road to next-generation single-molecule biophysics. Mol Cell 2022; 82:1788-1805. [PMID: 35561688 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.04.024] [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: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Next-generation sequencing techniques have led to a new quantitative dimension in the biological sciences. In particular, integrating sequencing techniques with biophysical tools allows sequence-dependent mechanistic studies. Using the millions of DNA clusters that are generated during sequencing to perform high-throughput binding affinity and kinetics measurements enabled the construction of energy landscapes in sequence space, uncovering relationships between sequence, structure, and function. Here, we review the approaches to perform ensemble fluorescence experiments on next-generation sequencing chips for variations of DNA, RNA, and protein sequences. As the next step, we anticipate that these fluorescence experiments will be pushed to the single-molecule level, which can directly uncover kinetics and molecular heterogeneity in an unprecedented high-throughput fashion. Molecular biophysics in sequence space, both at the ensemble and single-molecule level, leads to new mechanistic insights. The wide spectrum of applications in biology and medicine ranges from the fundamental understanding of evolutionary pathways to the development of new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo Severins
- Department of BioNanoScience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands; Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Chirlmin Joo
- Department of BioNanoScience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands.
| | - John van Noort
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, the Netherlands.
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35
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Pandit K, Petrescu J, Cuevas M, Stephenson W, Smibert P, Phatnani H, Maniatis S. An open source toolkit for repurposing Illumina sequencing systems as versatile fluidics and imaging platforms. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5081. [PMID: 35332182 PMCID: PMC8948189 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08740-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence microscopy is a key method in the life sciences. State of the art -omics methods combine fluorescence microscopy with complex protocols to visualize tens to thousands of features in each of millions of pixels across samples. These -omics methods require precise control of temperature, reagent application, and image acquisition parameters during iterative chemistry and imaging cycles conducted over the course of days or weeks. Automated execution of such methods enables robust and reproducible data generation. However, few commercial solutions exist for temperature controlled, fluidics coupled fluorescence imaging, and implementation of bespoke instrumentation requires specialized engineering expertise. Here we present PySeq2500, an open source Python code base and flow cell design that converts the Illumina HiSeq 2500 instrument, comprising an epifluorescence microscope with integrated fluidics, into an open platform for programmable applications without need for specialized engineering or software development expertise. Customizable PySeq2500 protocols enable experimental designs involving simultaneous 4-channel image acquisition, temperature control, reagent exchange, stable positioning, and sample integrity over extended experiments. To demonstrate accessible automation of complex, multi-day workflows, we use the PySeq2500 system for unattended execution of iterative indirect immunofluorescence imaging (4i). Our automated 4i method uses off-the-shelf antibodies over multiple cycles of staining, imaging, and antibody elution to build highly multiplexed maps of cell types and pathological features in mouse and postmortem human spinal cord sections. Given the widespread availability of HiSeq 2500 platforms and the simplicity of the modifications required to repurpose these systems, PySeq2500 enables non-specialists to develop and implement state of the art fluidics coupled imaging methods in a widely available benchtop system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunal Pandit
- Technology Innovation Lab, New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Joana Petrescu
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease, New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Miguel Cuevas
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Peter Smibert
- Technology Innovation Lab, New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. .,Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. .,Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease, New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Silas Maniatis
- Technology Innovation Lab, New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA.
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36
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Li Y, Liu Y, Singh J, Tangprasertchai NS, Trivedi R, Fang Y, Qin PZ. Site-Specific Labeling Reveals Cas9 Induces Partial Unwinding Without RNA/DNA Pairing in Sequences Distal to the PAM. CRISPR J 2022; 5:341-352. [PMID: 35352981 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2021.0100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 is an RNA-guided nuclease that has been widely adapted for genome engineering. A key determinant in Cas9 target selection is DNA duplex unwinding to form an R-loop, in which the single-stranded RNA guide hybridizes with one of the DNA strands. To advance understanding on DNA unwinding by Cas9, we combined two types of spectroscopic label, 2-aminopurine and nitroxide spin-label, to investigate unwinding at a specific DNA base pair induced by Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9. Data obtained with RNA guide lengths varying from 13 to 20 nucleotide revealed that the DNA segment distal to the protospacer adjacent motif can adopt a "partial unwinding" state, in which a mixture of DNA-paired and DNA-unwound populations exist in equilibrium. Significant unwinding can occur at positions not supported by RNA/DNA pairing, and the degree of unwinding depends on RNA guide length and modulates DNA cleavage activity. The results shed light on Cas9 target selection and may inform developments of genome-engineering strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yukang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jaideep Singh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Ravi Trivedi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yun Fang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Peter Z Qin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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37
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Eslami-Mossallam B, Klein M, Smagt CVD, Sanden KVD, Jones SK, Hawkins JA, Finkelstein IJ, Depken M. A kinetic model predicts SpCas9 activity, improves off-target classification, and reveals the physical basis of targeting fidelity. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1367. [PMID: 35292641 PMCID: PMC8924176 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28994-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The S. pyogenes (Sp) Cas9 endonuclease is an important gene-editing tool. SpCas9 is directed to target sites based on complementarity to a complexed single-guide RNA (sgRNA). However, SpCas9-sgRNA also binds and cleaves genomic off-targets with only partial complementarity. To date, we lack the ability to predict cleavage and binding activity quantitatively, and rely on binary classification schemes to identify strong off-targets. We report a quantitative kinetic model that captures the SpCas9-mediated strand-replacement reaction in free-energy terms. The model predicts binding and cleavage activity as a function of time, target, and experimental conditions. Trained and validated on high-throughput bulk-biochemical data, our model predicts the intermediate R-loop state recently observed in single-molecule experiments, as well as the associated conversion rates. Finally, we show that our quantitative activity predictor can be reduced to a binary off-target classifier that outperforms the established state-of-the-art. Our approach is extensible, and can characterize any CRISPR-Cas nuclease - benchmarking natural and future high-fidelity variants against SpCas9; elucidating determinants of CRISPR fidelity; and revealing pathways to increased specificity and efficiency in engineered systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behrouz Eslami-Mossallam
- Kavli Institute of NanoScience and Department of BionanoScience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629HZ, the Netherlands
- Dept. Building Physics and Systems, TNO Building and Construction Research, Leeghwaterstraat 44, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Misha Klein
- Kavli Institute of NanoScience and Department of BionanoScience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629HZ, the Netherlands
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Constantijn V D Smagt
- Kavli Institute of NanoScience and Department of BionanoScience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629HZ, the Netherlands
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Koen V D Sanden
- Kavli Institute of NanoScience and Department of BionanoScience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629HZ, the Netherlands
| | - Stephen K Jones
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- VU LSC-EMBL Partnership for Genome Editing Technologies, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - John A Hawkins
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Science, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Department, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ilya J Finkelstein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Martin Depken
- Kavli Institute of NanoScience and Department of BionanoScience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629HZ, the Netherlands.
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38
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Roy RK, Debashree I, Srivastava S, Rishi N, Srivastava A. CRISPR/ Cas9 Off-targets: Computational Analysis of Causes, Prediction,
Detection, and Overcoming Strategies. Curr Bioinform 2022. [DOI: 10.2174/1574893616666210708150439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
:
CRISPR/Cas9 technology is a highly flexible RNA-guided endonuclease (RGEN)
based gene-editing tool that has transformed the field of genomics, gene therapy, and genome/
epigenome imaging. Its wide range of applications provides immense scope for understanding
as well as manipulating genetic/epigenetic elements. However, the RGEN is prone to
off-target mutagenesis that leads to deleterious effects. This review details the molecular and cellular
mechanisms underlying the off-target activity, various available detection tools and prediction
methodology ranging from sequencing to machine learning approaches, and the strategies to
overcome/minimise off-targets. A coherent and concise method increasing target precision would
prove indispensable to concrete manipulation and interpretation of genome editing results that
can revolutionise therapeutics, including clarity in genome regulatory mechanisms during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Kumar Roy
- Amity Institute of Virology and Immunology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201313, India
| | - Ipsita Debashree
- Amity Institute of Virology and Immunology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201313, India
| | - Sonal Srivastava
- Amity Institute of Virology and Immunology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201313,India
| | - Narayan Rishi
- Amity Institute of Virology and Immunology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201313,India
| | - Ashish Srivastava
- Amity Institute of Virology and Immunology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201313,India
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39
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Marklund E, Mao G, Yuan J, Zikrin S, Abdurakhmanov E, Deindl S, Elf J. Sequence specificity in DNA binding is mainly governed by association. Science 2022; 375:442-445. [PMID: 35084952 DOI: 10.1126/science.abg7427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Sequence-specific binding of proteins to DNA is essential for accessing genetic information. We derive a model that predicts an anticorrelation between the macroscopic association and dissociation rates of DNA binding proteins. We tested the model for thousands of different lac operator sequences with a protein binding microarray and by observing kinetics for individual lac repressor molecules in single-molecule experiments. We found that sequence specificity is mainly governed by the efficiency with which the protein recognizes different targets. The variation in probability of recognizing different targets is at least 1.7 times as large as the variation in microscopic dissociation rates. Modulating the rate of binding instead of the rate of dissociation effectively reduces the risk of the protein being retained on nontarget sequences while searching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Marklund
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 596, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Guanzhong Mao
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 596, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jinwen Yuan
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 596, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Spartak Zikrin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 596, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eldar Abdurakhmanov
- Drug Discovery and Development Platform, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Deindl
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 596, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Elf
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 596, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
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40
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Pantoja Angles A, Ali Z, Mahfouz M. CS-Cells: A CRISPR-Cas12 DNA Device to Generate Chromosome-Shredded Cells for Efficient and Safe Molecular Biomanufacturing. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:430-440. [PMID: 34978812 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic biology holds great promise for translating ideas into products to address the grand challenges facing humanity. Molecular biomanufacturing is an emerging technology that facilitates the production of key products of value, including therapeutics and select chemical compounds. Current biomanufacturing technologies require improvements to overcome limiting factors, including efficient production, cost, and safe release; therefore, developing optimum chassis for biomolecular manufacturing is of great interest for enabling diverse synthetic biology applications. Here, we harnessed the power of the CRISPR-Cas12 system to design, build, and test a DNA device for genome shredding, which fragments the native genome to enable the conversion of bacterial cells into nonreplicative, biosynthetically active, and programmable molecular biomanufacturing chassis. As a proof of concept, we demonstrated the efficient production of green fluorescent protein and violacein, an antimicrobial and antitumorigenic compound. Our CRISPR-Cas12-based chromosome-shredder DNA device has built-in biocontainment features providing a roadmap for the conversion of any bacterial cell into a chromosome-shredded chassis amenable to high-efficiency molecular biomanufacturing, thereby enabling exciting and diverse biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarón Pantoja Angles
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zahir Ali
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magdy Mahfouz
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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41
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Lu Q, Bhat D, Stepanenko D, Pigolotti S. Search and Localization Dynamics of the CRISPR-Cas9 System. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 127:208102. [PMID: 34860046 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.208102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas9 system acts as the prokaryotic immune system and has important applications in gene editing. The protein Cas9 is one of its crucial components. The role of Cas9 is to search for specific target sequences on the DNA and cleave them. In this Letter, we introduce a model of facilitated diffusion for Cas9 and fit its parameters to single-molecule experiments. Our model confirms that Cas9 search for targets by sliding, but shows that its sliding length is rather short. We then investigate how Cas9 explores a long stretch of DNA containing randomly placed targets. We solve this problem by mapping it into the theory of Anderson localization in condensed matter physics. Our theoretical approach rationalizes experimental evidence on the distribution of Cas9 molecules along the DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Lu
- Biological Complexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Deepak Bhat
- Biological Complexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Darya Stepanenko
- Biological Complexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
| | - Simone Pigolotti
- Biological Complexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
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42
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Cheng L, Zhou X, Zheng Y, Tang C, Liu Y, Zheng S, Liu Y, Zhou J, Li C, Chen M, Lai L, Zou Q. Simple and Rapid Assembly of TALE Modules Based on the Degeneracy of the Codons and Trimer Repeats. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12111761. [PMID: 34828367 PMCID: PMC8621181 DOI: 10.3390/genes12111761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) have been effectively used for targeted genome editing, transcriptional regulation, epigenetic modification, and locus-specific DNA imaging. However, with the advent of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/Cas9 system, an easy-to-use tool with the same function as TALEs, TALEs have recently been abandoned because of their complexity, time consumption, and difficult handling in common labs. Here, we described a degenerated codon-based TALE assembly system for simple, rapid, and efficient TALE assembly. TALE trimers with nonrepetitive DNA sequences were amplified by PCR and sequentially assembled via Gibson assembly. Our method is cost-effective, requires only commonly used basic molecular biology reagents, and takes only 2 h from target sequence analysis to completion. This simple, rapid, and lab-friendly TALE assembly method will restore the value of TALEs in DNA targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyin Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China; (L.C.); (X.Z.); (Y.Z.); (C.T.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (C.L.); (M.C.)
| | - Xiaoqing Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China; (L.C.); (X.Z.); (Y.Z.); (C.T.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (C.L.); (M.C.)
| | - Yuling Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China; (L.C.); (X.Z.); (Y.Z.); (C.T.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (C.L.); (M.C.)
| | - Chengcheng Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China; (L.C.); (X.Z.); (Y.Z.); (C.T.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (C.L.); (M.C.)
| | - Yu Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China; (L.C.); (X.Z.); (Y.Z.); (C.T.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (C.L.); (M.C.)
| | - Shuwen Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China; (L.C.); (X.Z.); (Y.Z.); (C.T.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (C.L.); (M.C.)
| | - Yang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China;
| | - Jizeng Zhou
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510643, China;
| | - Chuan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China; (L.C.); (X.Z.); (Y.Z.); (C.T.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (C.L.); (M.C.)
| | - Min Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China; (L.C.); (X.Z.); (Y.Z.); (C.T.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (C.L.); (M.C.)
| | - Liangxue Lai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China; (L.C.); (X.Z.); (Y.Z.); (C.T.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (C.L.); (M.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China;
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510643, China;
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Qingjian Zou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China; (L.C.); (X.Z.); (Y.Z.); (C.T.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (C.L.); (M.C.)
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (Q.Z.)
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43
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Anderson DA, Voigt CA. Competitive dCas9 binding as a mechanism for transcriptional control. Mol Syst Biol 2021; 17:e10512. [PMID: 34747560 PMCID: PMC8574044 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202110512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Catalytically dead Cas9 (dCas9) is a programmable transcription factor that can be targeted to promoters through the design of small guide RNAs (sgRNAs), where it can function as an activator or repressor. Natural promoters use overlapping binding sites as a mechanism for signal integration, where the binding of one can block, displace, or augment the activity of the other. Here, we implemented this strategy in Escherichia coli using pairs of sgRNAs designed to repress and then derepress transcription through competitive binding. When designed to target a promoter, this led to 27-fold repression and complete derepression. This system was also capable of ratiometric input comparison over two orders of magnitude. Additionally, we used this mechanism for promoter sequence-independent control by adopting it for elongation control, achieving 8-fold repression and 4-fold derepression. This work demonstrates a new genetic control mechanism that could be used to build analog circuit or implement cis-regulatory logic on CRISPRi-targeted native genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Anderson
- Synthetic Biology CenterDepartment of Biological EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
| | - Christopher A Voigt
- Synthetic Biology CenterDepartment of Biological EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
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44
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Makasheva K, Bryan LC, Anders C, Panikulam S, Jinek M, Fierz B. Multiplexed Single-Molecule Experiments Reveal Nucleosome Invasion Dynamics of the Cas9 Genome Editor. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:16313-16319. [PMID: 34597515 PMCID: PMC8517959 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c06195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Single-molecule measurements provide detailed mechanistic insights into molecular processes, for example in genome regulation where DNA access is controlled by nucleosomes and the chromatin machinery. However, real-time single-molecule observations of nuclear factors acting on defined chromatin substrates are challenging to perform quantitatively and reproducibly. Here we present XSCAN (multiplexed single-molecule detection of chromatin association), a method to parallelize single-molecule experiments by simultaneous imaging of a nucleosome library, where each nucleosome type carries an identifiable DNA sequence within its nucleosomal DNA. Parallel experiments are subsequently spatially decoded, via the detection of specific binding of dye-labeled DNA probes. We use this method to reveal how the Cas9 nuclease overcomes the nucleosome barrier when invading chromatinized DNA as a function of PAM position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Makasheva
- Laboratory
of Biophysical Chemistry of Macromolecules, Institute of Chemical
Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), École
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Louise C. Bryan
- Laboratory
of Biophysical Chemistry of Macromolecules, Institute of Chemical
Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), École
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carolin Anders
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sherin Panikulam
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Jinek
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Beat Fierz
- Laboratory
of Biophysical Chemistry of Macromolecules, Institute of Chemical
Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), École
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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45
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Barber KW, Shrock E, Elledge SJ. CRISPR-based peptide library display and programmable microarray self-assembly for rapid quantitative protein binding assays. Mol Cell 2021; 81:3650-3658.e5. [PMID: 34390675 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-inspired systems have been extensively developed for applications in genome editing and nucleic acid detection. Here, we introduce a CRISPR-based peptide display technology to facilitate customized, high-throughput in vitro protein interaction studies. We show that bespoke peptide libraries fused to catalytically inactive Cas9 (dCas9) and barcoded with unique single guide RNA (sgRNA) molecules self-assemble from a single mixed pool to programmable positions on a DNA microarray surface for rapid, multiplexed binding assays. We develop dCas9-displayed saturation mutagenesis libraries to characterize antibody-epitope binding for a commercial anti-FLAG monoclonal antibody and human serum antibodies. We also show that our platform can be used for viral epitope mapping and exhibits promise as a multiplexed diagnostics tool. Our CRISPR-based peptide display platform and the principles of complex library self-assembly using dCas9 could be adapted for rapid interrogation of varied customized protein libraries or biological materials assembly using DNA scaffolding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl W Barber
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ellen Shrock
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stephen J Elledge
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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46
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Donohoue PD, Pacesa M, Lau E, Vidal B, Irby MJ, Nyer DB, Rotstein T, Banh L, Toh MS, Gibson J, Kohrs B, Baek K, Owen ALG, Slorach EM, van Overbeek M, Fuller CK, May AP, Jinek M, Cameron P. Conformational control of Cas9 by CRISPR hybrid RNA-DNA guides mitigates off-target activity in T cells. Mol Cell 2021; 81:3637-3649.e5. [PMID: 34478654 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.07.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The off-target activity of the CRISPR-associated nuclease Cas9 is a potential concern for therapeutic genome editing applications. Although high-fidelity Cas9 variants have been engineered, they exhibit varying efficiencies and have residual off-target effects, limiting their applicability. Here, we show that CRISPR hybrid RNA-DNA (chRDNA) guides provide an effective approach to increase Cas9 specificity while preserving on-target editing activity. Across multiple genomic targets in primary human T cells, we show that 2'-deoxynucleotide (dnt) positioning affects guide activity and specificity in a target-dependent manner and that this can be used to engineer chRDNA guides with substantially reduced off-target effects. Crystal structures of DNA-bound Cas9-chRDNA complexes reveal distorted guide-target duplex geometry and allosteric modulation of Cas9 conformation. These structural effects increase specificity by perturbing DNA hybridization and modulating Cas9 activation kinetics to disfavor binding and cleavage of off-target substrates. Overall, these results pave the way for utilizing customized chRDNAs in clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Donohoue
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA.
| | - Martin Pacesa
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elaine Lau
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Bastien Vidal
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Matthew J Irby
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - David B Nyer
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Tomer Rotstein
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Lynda Banh
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Mckenzi S Toh
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Jason Gibson
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Bryan Kohrs
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Kevin Baek
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Arthur L G Owen
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Euan M Slorach
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Megan van Overbeek
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Christopher K Fuller
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
| | - Andrew P May
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA.
| | - Martin Jinek
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Peter Cameron
- Caribou Biosciences, Inc., 2929 Seventh Street, Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA.
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47
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Drees A, Fischer M. High-Throughput Selection and Characterisation of Aptamers on Optical Next-Generation Sequencers. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9202. [PMID: 34502110 PMCID: PMC8431662 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aptamers feature a number of advantages, compared to antibodies. However, their application has been limited so far, mainly because of the complex selection process. 'High-throughput sequencing fluorescent ligand interaction profiling' (HiTS-FLIP) significantly increases the selection efficiency and is consequently a very powerful and versatile technology for the selection of high-performance aptamers. It is the first experiment to allow the direct and quantitative measurement of the affinity and specificity of millions of aptamers simultaneously by harnessing the potential of optical next-generation sequencing platforms to perform fluorescence-based binding assays on the clusters displayed on the flow cells and determining their sequence and position in regular high-throughput sequencing. Many variants of the experiment have been developed that allow automation and in situ conversion of DNA clusters into base-modified DNA, RNA, peptides, and even proteins. In addition, the information from mutational assays, performed with HiTS-FLIP, provides deep insights into the relationship between the sequence, structure, and function of aptamers. This enables a detailed understanding of the sequence-specific rules that determine affinity, and thus, supports the evolution of aptamers. Current variants of the HiTS-FLIP experiment and its application in the field of aptamer selection, characterisation, and optimisation are presented in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa Drees
- Hamburg School of Food Science, Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Markus Fischer
- Hamburg School of Food Science, Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany;
- Center for Hybrid Nanostructures (CHyN), Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
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48
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Bosch B, DeJesus MA, Poulton NC, Zhang W, Engelhart CA, Zaveri A, Lavalette S, Ruecker N, Trujillo C, Wallach JB, Li S, Ehrt S, Chait BT, Schnappinger D, Rock JM. Genome-wide gene expression tuning reveals diverse vulnerabilities of M. tuberculosis. Cell 2021; 184:4579-4592.e24. [PMID: 34297925 PMCID: PMC8382161 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Antibacterial agents target the products of essential genes but rarely achieve complete target inhibition. Thus, the all-or-none definition of essentiality afforded by traditional genetic approaches fails to discern the most attractive bacterial targets: those whose incomplete inhibition results in major fitness costs. In contrast, gene "vulnerability" is a continuous, quantifiable trait that relates the magnitude of gene inhibition to the effect on bacterial fitness. We developed a CRISPR interference-based functional genomics method to systematically titrate gene expression in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and monitor fitness outcomes. We identified highly vulnerable genes in various processes, including novel targets unexplored for drug discovery. Equally important, we identified invulnerable essential genes, potentially explaining failed drug discovery efforts. Comparison of vulnerability between the reference and a hypervirulent Mtb isolate revealed incomplete conservation of vulnerability and that differential vulnerability can predict differential antibacterial susceptibility. Our results quantitatively redefine essential bacterial processes and identify high-value targets for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Bosch
- Laboratory of Host-Pathogen Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Michael A DeJesus
- Laboratory of Host-Pathogen Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nicholas C Poulton
- Laboratory of Host-Pathogen Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Wenzhu Zhang
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Curtis A Engelhart
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Anisha Zaveri
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sophie Lavalette
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nadine Ruecker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Carolina Trujillo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Joshua B Wallach
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shuqi Li
- Laboratory of Host-Pathogen Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sabine Ehrt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Brian T Chait
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Dirk Schnappinger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Jeremy M Rock
- Laboratory of Host-Pathogen Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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49
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Banerjee T, Takahashi H, Subekti DRG, Kamagata K. Engineering of the genome editing protein Cas9 to slide along DNA. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14165. [PMID: 34239016 PMCID: PMC8266852 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93685-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The genome editing protein Cas9 faces engineering challenges in improving off-target DNA cleavage and low editing efficiency. In this study, we aimed to engineer Cas9 to be able to slide along DNA, which might facilitate genome editing and reduce off-target cleavage. We used two approaches to achieve this: reducing the sliding friction along DNA by removing the interactions of Cas9 residues with DNA and facilitating sliding by introducing the sliding-promoting tail of Nhp6A. Seven engineered mutants of Cas9 were prepared, and their performance was tested using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy. Comparison of the mutations enabled the identification of key residues of Cas9 to enhance the sliding along DNA in the presence and absence of single guide RNA (sgRNA). The attachment of the tail to Cas9 mutants enhanced sliding along DNA, particularly in the presence of sgRNA. Together, using the proposed approaches, the sliding ability of Cas9 was improved up to eightfold in the presence of sgRNA. A sliding model of Cas9 and its engineering action are discussed herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trishit Banerjee
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
| | - Hiroto Takahashi
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
| | - Dwiky Rendra Graha Subekti
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kamagata
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan.
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan.
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50
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Balderston S, Taulbee JJ, Celaya E, Fung K, Jiao A, Smith K, Hajian R, Gasiunas G, Kutanovas S, Kim D, Parkinson J, Dickerson K, Ripoll JJ, Peytavi R, Lu HW, Barron F, Goldsmith BR, Collins PG, Conboy IM, Siksnys V, Aran K. Discrimination of single-point mutations in unamplified genomic DNA via Cas9 immobilized on a graphene field-effect transistor. Nat Biomed Eng 2021; 5:713-725. [PMID: 33820980 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00706-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Simple and fast methods for the detection of target genes with single-nucleotide specificity could open up genetic research and diagnostics beyond laboratory settings. We recently reported a biosensor for the electronic detection of unamplified target genes using liquid-gated graphene field-effect transistors employing an RNA-guided catalytically deactivated CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) anchored to a graphene monolayer. Here, using unamplified genomic samples from patients and by measuring multiple types of electrical response, we show that the biosensors can discriminate within one hour between wild-type and homozygous mutant alleles differing by a single nucleotide. We also show that biosensors using a guide RNA-Cas9 orthologue complex targeting genes within the protospacer-adjacent motif discriminated between homozygous and heterozygous DNA samples from patients with sickle cell disease, and that the biosensors can also be used to rapidly screen for guide RNA-Cas9 complexes that maximize gene-targeting efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Balderston
- Keck Graduate Institute, The Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA
- Cardea, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Kandace Fung
- Keck Graduate Institute, The Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA
| | | | - Kasey Smith
- Keck Graduate Institute, The Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA
| | - Reza Hajian
- Keck Graduate Institute, The Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA
- Cardea, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Giedrius Gasiunas
- CasZyme, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Daehwan Kim
- University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Hsiang-Wei Lu
- Keck Graduate Institute, The Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA
- Cardea, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Virginijus Siksnys
- CasZyme, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Kiana Aran
- Keck Graduate Institute, The Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA.
- Cardea, San Diego, CA, USA.
- University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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