1
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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2
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Becker HJ, Yamazaki S. Understanding genetic heterogeneity in gene-edited hematopoietic stem cell products. Exp Hematol 2024; 129:104133. [PMID: 38036097 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2023.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas gene editing has transformed genetic research and is poised to drive the next generation of gene therapies targeting hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). However, the installation of the "desired" edit is most often only achieved in a minor subset of alleles. The array of cellular pathways triggered by gene editing tools produces a broad spectrum of "undesired" editing outcomes, including short insertions and deletions (indels) and chromosome rearrangements, leading to considerable genetic heterogeneity in gene-edited HSC populations. This heterogeneity may undermine the effect of the genetic intervention since only a subset of cells will carry the intended modification. Also, undesired mutations represent a potential safety concern as gene editing advances toward broader clinical use. Here, we will review the different sources of "undesired" edits and will discuss strategies for their mitigation and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Jiro Becker
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Tsukuba University, Tsukuba, Japan; Division of Cell Regulation, Center of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Yamazaki
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Tsukuba University, Tsukuba, Japan; Division of Cell Regulation, Center of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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3
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O’Brien A, Bauer DC, Burgio G. Predicting CRISPR-Cas12a guide efficiency for targeting using machine learning. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292924. [PMID: 37847697 PMCID: PMC10581463 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome editing through the development of CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat)-Cas technology has revolutionized many fields in biology. Beyond Cas9 nucleases, Cas12a (formerly Cpf1) has emerged as a promising alternative to Cas9 for editing AT-rich genomes. Despite the promises, guide RNA efficiency prediction through computational tools search still lacks accuracy. Through a computational meta-analysis, here we report that Cas12a target and off-target cleavage behavior are a factor of nucleotide bias combined with nucleotide mismatches relative to the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) site. These features helped to train a Random Forest machine learning model to improve the accuracy by at least 15% over existing algorithms to predict guide RNA efficiency for the Cas12a enzyme. Despite the progresses, our report underscores the need for more representative datasets and further benchmarking to reliably and accurately predict guide RNA efficiency and off-target effects for Cas12a enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan O’Brien
- Division of Genome Science and Cancer and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIRO) Health and Biosecurity, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Denis C. Bauer
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIRO) Health and Biosecurity, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, Australia
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, Australia
| | - Gaetan Burgio
- Division of Genome Science and Cancer and The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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4
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Duarte F, Vachey G, Caron NS, Sipion M, Rey M, Perrier AL, Hayden MR, Déglon N. Limitations of Dual-Single Guide RNA CRISPR Strategies for the Treatment of Central Nervous System Genetic Disorders. Hum Gene Ther 2023; 34:958-974. [PMID: 37658843 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2023.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a toxic gain-of-function CAG expansion in the first exon of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The monogenic nature of HD makes mutant HTT (mHTT) inactivation a promising therapeutic strategy. Single nucleotide polymorphisms frequently associated with CAG expansion have been explored to selectively inactivate mHTT allele using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. One of such allele-selective approaches consists of excising a region flanking the first exon of mHTT by inducing simultaneous double-strand breaks at upstream and downstream positions of the mHTT exon 1. The removal of the first exon of mHTT deletes the CAG expansion and important transcription regulatory sites, leading to mHTT inactivation. However, the frequency of deletion events is yet to be quantified either in vitro or in vivo. Here, we developed accurate quantitative digital polymerase chain reaction-based assays to assess HTT exon 1 deletion in vitro and in fully humanized HU97/18 mice. Our results demonstrate that dual-single guide RNA (sgRNA) strategies are efficient and that 67% of HTT editing events are leading to exon 1 deletion in HEK293T cells. In contrast, these sgRNA actively cleaved HTT in HU97/18 mice, but most editing events do not lead to exon 1 deletion (10% exon 1 deletion). We also showed that the in vivo editing pattern is not affected by CAG expansion but may potentially be due to the presence of multiple copies of wildtype (wt)/mHTT genes HU97/18 mice as well as the slow kinetics of AAV-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio Duarte
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies, Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC)
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN); Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gabriel Vachey
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies, Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC)
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN); Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicholas S Caron
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children's Hospital and Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Melanie Sipion
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies, Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC)
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN); Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maria Rey
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies, Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC)
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN); Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anselme L Perrier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Michael R Hayden
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children's Hospital and Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicole Déglon
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies, Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC)
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN); Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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5
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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 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [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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6
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Li ZH, Wang J, Xu JP, Wang J, Yang X. Recent advances in CRISPR-based genome editing technology and its applications in cardiovascular research. Mil Med Res 2023; 10:12. [PMID: 36895064 PMCID: PMC9999643 DOI: 10.1186/s40779-023-00447-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid development of genome editing technology has brought major breakthroughs in the fields of life science and medicine. In recent years, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based genome editing toolbox has been greatly expanded, not only with emerging CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) nucleases, but also novel applications through combination with diverse effectors. Recently, transposon-associated programmable RNA-guided genome editing systems have been uncovered, adding myriads of potential new tools to the genome editing toolbox. CRISPR-based genome editing technology has also revolutionized cardiovascular research. Here we first summarize the advances involving newly identified Cas orthologs, engineered variants and novel genome editing systems, and then discuss the applications of the CRISPR-Cas systems in precise genome editing, such as base editing and prime editing. We also highlight recent progress in cardiovascular research using CRISPR-based genome editing technologies, including the generation of genetically modified in vitro and animal models of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) as well as the applications in treating different types of CVD. Finally, the current limitations and future prospects of genome editing technologies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Hua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Jing-Ping Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 100071, China.,Yaneng BIOScience (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, 518102, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Xiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 100071, China.
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7
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Collias D, Vialetto E, Yu J, Co K, Almási ÉDH, Rüttiger AS, Achmedov T, Strowig T, Beisel CL. Systematically attenuating DNA targeting enables CRISPR-driven editing in bacteria. Nat Commun 2023; 14:680. [PMID: 36754958 PMCID: PMC9908933 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36283-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial genome editing commonly relies on chromosomal cleavage with Cas nucleases to counter-select against unedited cells. However, editing normally requires efficient recombination and high transformation efficiencies, which are unavailable in most strains. Here, we show that systematically attenuating DNA targeting activity enables RecA-mediated repair in different bacteria, allowing chromosomal cleavage to drive genome editing. Attenuation can be achieved by altering the format or expression strength of guide (g)RNAs; using nucleases with reduced cleavage activity; or engineering attenuated gRNAs (atgRNAs) with disruptive hairpins, perturbed nuclease-binding scaffolds, non-canonical PAMs, or guide mismatches. These modifications greatly increase cell counts and even improve the efficiency of different types of edits for Cas9 and Cas12a in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella oxytoca. We further apply atgRNAs to restore ampicillin sensitivity in Klebsiella pneumoniae, establishing a resistance marker for genetic studies. Attenuating DNA targeting thus offers a counterintuitive means to achieve CRISPR-driven editing across bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne Collias
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 27695, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Elena Vialetto
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jiaqi Yu
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Khoa Co
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Éva D H Almási
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ann-Sophie Rüttiger
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tatjana Achmedov
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Till Strowig
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 38124, Braunschweig, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Chase L Beisel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080, Würzburg, Germany. .,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 27695, Raleigh, NC, USA. .,Medical Faculty, University of Würzburg, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
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8
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Karpov DS, Demidova NA, Kulagin KA, Shuvalova AI, Kovalev MA, Simonov RA, Karpov VL, Snezhkina AV, Kudryavtseva AV, Klimova RR, Kushch AA. Complete and Prolonged Inhibition of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infection In Vitro by CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/CasX Systems. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314847. [PMID: 36499174 PMCID: PMC9738314 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Almost all people become infected with herpes viruses, including herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), during their lifetime. Typically, these viruses persist in a latent form that is resistant to all available antiviral medications. Under certain conditions, such as immunosuppression, the latent forms reactivate and cause disease. Moreover, strains of herpesviruses that are drug-resistant have rapidly emerged. Therefore, it is important to develop alternative methods capable of eradicating herpesvirus infections. One promising direction is the development of CRISPR/Cas systems for the therapy of herpesvirus infections. We aimed to design a CRISPR/Cas system for relatively effective long-term and safe control of HSV-1 infection. Here, we show that plasmids encoding the CRISPR/Cas9 system from Streptococcus pyogenes with a single sgRNA targeting the UL30 gene can completely suppress HSV-1 infection of the Vero cell line within 6 days and provide substantial protection within 9 days. For the first time, we show that CRISPR/CasX from Deltaproteobacteria with a single guide RNA against UL30 almost completely suppresses HSV-1 infection of the Vero cell line for 3 days and provides substantial protection for 6 days. We also found that the Cas9 protein without sgRNAs attenuates HSV-1 infection. Our results show that the developed CRISPR/Cas systems are promising therapeutic approaches to control HSV-1 infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry S. Karpov
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-(499)-135-98-01
| | - Natalia A. Demidova
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Gamaleya Str., 18, 123098 Moscow, Russia
| | - Kirill A. Kulagin
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasija I. Shuvalova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Maxim A. Kovalev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ruslan A. Simonov
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Gamaleya Str., 18, 123098 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vadim L. Karpov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasiya V. Snezhkina
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna V. Kudryavtseva
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str., 32, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Regina R. Klimova
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Gamaleya Str., 18, 123098 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alla A. Kushch
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Gamaleya Str., 18, 123098 Moscow, Russia
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9
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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: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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10
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Abstract
Cas9 is a CRISPR-associated endonuclease capable of RNA-guided, site-specific DNA cleavage1-3. The programmable activity of Cas9 has been widely utilized for genome editing applications4-6, yet its precise mechanisms of target DNA binding and off-target discrimination remain incompletely understood. Here we report a series of cryo-electron microscopy structures of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 capturing the directional process of target DNA hybridization. In the early phase of R-loop formation, the Cas9 REC2 and REC3 domains form a positively charged cleft that accommodates the distal end of the target DNA duplex. Guide-target hybridization past the seed region induces rearrangements of the REC2 and REC3 domains and relocation of the HNH nuclease domain to assume a catalytically incompetent checkpoint conformation. Completion of the guide-target heteroduplex triggers conformational activation of the HNH nuclease domain, enabled by distortion of the guide-target heteroduplex, and complementary REC2 and REC3 domain rearrangements. Together, these results establish a structural framework for target DNA-dependent activation of Cas9 that sheds light on its conformational checkpoint mechanism and may facilitate the development of novel Cas9 variants and guide RNA designs with enhanced specificity and activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Pacesa
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luuk Loeff
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Irma Querques
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lena M Muckenfuss
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marta Sawicka
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Jinek
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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11
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Patel A, Iannello G, Garcia Diaz A, Sirabella D, Thaker V, Corneo B. Efficient Cas9-based Genome Editing Using CRISPR Analysis Webtools in Severe Early-onset-obesity Patient-derived iPSCs. Curr Protoc 2022; 2:e519. [PMID: 35950852 PMCID: PMC9377717 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The CRISPR system is an adaptive defense mechanism used by bacteria and archaea against viruses and plasmids. The discovery of the CRISPR-associated protein Cas9 and its RNA-guided cleavage mechanism marked the beginning of a new era in genomic engineering by enabling the editing of a target region in the genome. Gene-edited cells or mice can be used as models for understanding human diseases. Given its high impact in functional genomic experiments on different model systems, several CRISPR/Cas9 protocols have been generated in the past years. The technique uses a straightforward "cut and stitch" mechanism, but requires an accurate step-by-step design. One of the key points is the use of an efficient programmable guide RNA to increase the rate of success in obtaining gene-specific edited clones. Here, we describe an efficient editing protocol using a ribonucleotide protein (RNP) complex for homology-directed repair (HDR)-based correction of a point mutation in an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line generated from a 14-year-old patient with severe early-onset obesity carrying a de novo variant of ARNT2. The resulting isogenic iPSC line, named CUIMCi003-A-1, has a normal karyotype, expresses stemness markers, and can be differentiated into progenies from all three germ layers. We provide a detailed workflow for designing a single guide RNA and donor DNA, and for isolating clonal human iPSCs edited with the desired modification. This article also focuses on parameters to consider when selecting reagents for CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing after testing their efficiency with in silico tools. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Design of sgRNAs and PCR primers Basic Protocol 2: Testing the efficiency of sgRNAs Basic Protocol 3: Design of template or donor DNA Basic Protocol 4: Targeted gene editing Basic Protocol 5: Selection of positive clones Basic Protocol 6: Freezing, thawing, and expansion of cells Basic Protocol 7: Characterization of edited cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achchhe Patel
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Stem Cell Core, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Grazia Iannello
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Stem Cell Core, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Dario Sirabella
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Stem Cell Core, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vidhu Thaker
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Barbara Corneo
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Stem Cell Core, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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12
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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: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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13
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Tsuchida CA, Zhang S, Doost MS, Zhao Y, Wang J, O'Brien E, Fang H, Li CP, Li D, Hai ZY, Chuck J, Brötzmann J, Vartoumian A, Burstein D, Chen XW, Nogales E, Doudna JA, Liu JJG. Chimeric CRISPR-CasX enzymes and guide RNAs for improved genome editing activity. Mol Cell 2022; 82:1199-1209.e6. [PMID: 35219382 PMCID: PMC9189900 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A compact protein with a size of <1,000 amino acids, the CRISPR-associated protein CasX is a fundamentally distinct RNA-guided nuclease when compared to Cas9 and Cas12a. Although it can induce RNA-guided genome editing in mammalian cells, the activity of CasX is less robust than that of the widely used S. pyogenes Cas9. Here, we show that structural features of two CasX homologs and their guide RNAs affect the R-loop complex assembly and DNA cleavage activity. Cryo-EM-based structural engineering of either the CasX protein or the guide RNA produced two new CasX genome editors (DpbCasX-R3-v2 and PlmCasX-R1-v2) with significantly improved DNA manipulation efficacy. These results advance both the mechanistic understanding of CasX and its application as a genome-editing tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor A Tsuchida
- University of California, Berkeley-University of California, San Francisco Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Shouyue Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mohammad Saffari Doost
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Yuqian Zhao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Elizabeth O'Brien
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Huan Fang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Cheng-Ping Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Danyuan Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhuo-Yan Hai
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jonathan Chuck
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, USA
| | - Julian Brötzmann
- Department of Structural Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Araz Vartoumian
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - David Burstein
- School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Xiao-Wei Chen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Eva Nogales
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Molecular Biophysics & Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Jennifer A Doudna
- University of California, Berkeley-University of California, San Francisco Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Molecular Biophysics & Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology. Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California 94158, USA.
| | - Jun-Jie Gogo Liu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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14
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Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been widely used for gene editing in zebrafish. However, the required NGG protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) notably restricts the editable range of the zebrafish genome. Recently, Cas9 from S. canis (ScCas9), which has a more relaxed 5'-NNG-3' PAM, was reported to have activities in human cells and plants. However, the editing ability of ScCas9 has not been tested in zebrafish. Here we characterized and optimized the activity of ScCas9 in zebrafish. Delivered as a ribonucleoprotein complex, ScCas9 can induce mutations in zebrafish. Using the synthetic modified crRNA:tracrRNA duplex instead of in vitro-transcribed single guide RNA, the low activity at some loci were dramatically improved in zebrafish. As far as we know, our work is the first report on the evaluation of ScCas9 in animals. Our work optimized ScCas9 as a new nuclease for targeting relaxed NNG PAMs for zebrafish genome editing, which will further improve genome editing in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China;
| | - Fang Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Healthy and Safe Aquaculture, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Environmentally-Friendly Aquaculture, Institute of Modern Aquaculture Science and Engineering, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (F.L.); (Z.D.)
| | - Zijiong Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Healthy and Safe Aquaculture, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Environmentally-Friendly Aquaculture, Institute of Modern Aquaculture Science and Engineering, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (F.L.); (Z.D.)
| | - Song Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China;
| | - Jianmin Ye
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Healthy and Safe Aquaculture, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Environmentally-Friendly Aquaculture, Institute of Modern Aquaculture Science and Engineering, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (F.L.); (Z.D.)
| | - Wei Qin
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
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15
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Cortijo-Gutiérrez M, Sánchez-Hernández S, Tristán-Manzano M, Maldonado-Pérez N, Lopez-Onieva L, Real PJ, Herrera C, Marchal JA, Martin F, Benabdellah K. Improved Functionality of Integration-Deficient Lentiviral Vectors (IDLVs) by the Inclusion of IS 2 Protein Docks. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13081217. [PMID: 34452178 PMCID: PMC8401568 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13081217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Integration-deficient lentiviral vectors (IDLVs) have recently generated increasing interest, not only as a tool for transient gene delivery, but also as a technique for detecting off-target cleavage in gene-editing methodologies which rely on customized endonucleases (ENs). Despite their broad potential applications, the efficacy of IDLVs has historically been limited by low transgene expression and by the reduced sensitivity to detect low-frequency off-target events. We have previously reported that the incorporation of the chimeric sequence element IS2 into the long terminal repeat (LTR) of IDLVs increases gene expression levels, while also reducing the episome yield inside transduced cells. Our study demonstrates that the effectiveness of IDLVs relies on the balance between two parameters which can be modulated by the inclusion of IS2 sequences. In the present study, we explore new IDLV configurations harboring several elements based on IS2 modifications engineered to mediate more efficient transgene expression without affecting the targeted cell load. Of all the insulators and configurations analysed, the insertion of the IS2 into the 3′LTR produced the best results. After demonstrating a DAPI-low nuclear gene repositioning of IS2-containing episomes, we determined whether, in addition to a positive effect on transcription, the IS2 could improve the capture of IDLVs on double strand breaks (DSBs). Thus, DSBs were randomly generated, using the etoposide or locus-specific CRISPR-Cas9. Our results show that the IS2 element improved the efficacy of IDLV DSB detection. Altogether, our data indicate that the insertion of IS2 into the LTR of IDLVs improved, not only their transgene expression levels, but also their ability to be inserted into existing DSBs. This could have significant implications for the development of an unbiased detection tool for off-target cleavage sites from different specific nucleases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Cortijo-Gutiérrez
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Sabina Sánchez-Hernández
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - María Tristán-Manzano
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Noelia Maldonado-Pérez
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Lourdes Lopez-Onieva
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Molecular Oncology Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (L.L.-O.); (P.J.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Avenida Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Pedro J. Real
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Molecular Oncology Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (L.L.-O.); (P.J.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Avenida Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
- Personalized Oncology Group, Bio-Health Research Institute (ibs Granada), 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Concha Herrera
- Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research in Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Cordoba, Spain;
- Department of Haematology, Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14004 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Marchal
- Biomedical Research Institute (ibs. Granada), 18012 Granada, Spain;
- Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Excellence Research Unit: Modeling Nature (MNat), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Francisco Martin
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Karim Benabdellah
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-958-715-500
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16
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Zhang L, Zuris JA, Viswanathan R, Edelstein JN, Turk R, Thommandru B, Rube HT, Glenn SE, Collingwood MA, Bode NM, Beaudoin SF, Lele S, Scott SN, Wasko KM, Sexton S, Borges CM, Schubert MS, Kurgan GL, McNeill MS, Fernandez CA, Myer VE, Morgan RA, Behlke MA, Vakulskas CA. AsCas12a ultra nuclease facilitates the rapid generation of therapeutic cell medicines. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3908. [PMID: 34162850 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24017-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Though AsCas12a fills a crucial gap in the current genome editing toolbox, it exhibits relatively poor editing efficiency, restricting its overall utility. Here we isolate an engineered variant, "AsCas12a Ultra", that increased editing efficiency to nearly 100% at all sites examined in HSPCs, iPSCs, T cells, and NK cells. We show that AsCas12a Ultra maintains high on-target specificity thereby mitigating the risk for off-target editing and making it ideal for complex therapeutic genome editing applications. We achieved simultaneous targeting of three clinically relevant genes in T cells at >90% efficiency and demonstrated transgene knock-in efficiencies of up to 60%. We demonstrate site-specific knock-in of a CAR in NK cells, which afforded enhanced anti-tumor NK cell recognition, potentially enabling the next generation of allogeneic cell-based therapies in oncology. AsCas12a Ultra is an advanced CRISPR nuclease with significant advantages in basic research and in the production of gene edited cell medicines.
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17
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Murugan K, Suresh SK, Seetharam AS, Severin AJ, Sashital DG. Systematic in vitro specificity profiling reveals nicking defects in natural and engineered CRISPR-Cas9 variants. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:4037-4053. [PMID: 33744974 PMCID: PMC8053117 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cas9 is an RNA-guided endonuclease in the bacterial CRISPR-Cas immune system and a popular tool for genome editing. The commonly used Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) is relatively non-specific and prone to off-target genome editing. Other Cas9 orthologs and engineered variants of SpCas9 have been reported to be more specific. However, previous studies have focused on specificity of double-strand break (DSB) or indel formation, potentially overlooking alternative cleavage activities of these Cas9 variants. In this study, we employed in vitro cleavage assays of target libraries coupled with high-throughput sequencing to systematically compare cleavage activities and specificities of two natural Cas9 variants (SpCas9 and Staphylococcus aureus Cas9) and three engineered SpCas9 variants (SpCas9 HF1, HypaCas9 and HiFi Cas9). We observed that all Cas9s tested could cleave target sequences with up to five mismatches. However, the rate of cleavage of both on-target and off-target sequences varied based on target sequence and Cas9 variant. In addition, SaCas9 and engineered SpCas9 variants nick targets with multiple mismatches but have a defect in generating a DSB, while SpCas9 creates DSBs at these targets. Overall, these differences in cleavage rates and DSB formation may contribute to varied specificities observed in genome editing studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthik Murugan
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Interdepartmental Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Shravanti K Suresh
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Arun S Seetharam
- Genome Informatics Facility, Office of Biotechnology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Andrew J Severin
- Genome Informatics Facility, Office of Biotechnology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Dipali G Sashital
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Interdepartmental Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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18
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Ke Y, Huang S, Ghalandari B, Li S, Warden AR, Dang J, Kang L, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Sun Y, Wang J, Cui D, Zhi X, Ding X. Hairpin-Spacer crRNA-Enhanced CRISPR/Cas13a System Promotes the Specificity of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Identification. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2021; 8:2003611. [PMID: 33747742 PMCID: PMC7967054 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202003611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Cas13a system has great potential in RNA interference and molecular diagnostic fields. However, lacking guidelines for crRNA design hinders practical applications of the Cas13a system in RNA editing and single nucleotide polymorphism identification. This study posits that crRNAs with hairpin spacers improve the specificity of CRISPR/Cas13a system (termed hs-CRISPR). Gibbs free energy analysis suggests that the hairpin-spacer crRNAs (hs-crRNAs) suppress Cas13a's affinity to off-target RNA. A hepatitis B virus DNA genotyping platform is established to further validate the high-specificity of hs-CRISPR/Cas13a system. Compared to ordinary crRNA, hs-crRNAs increase the specificity by threefold without sacrificing the sensitivity of the CRISPR/Cas13a system. Furthermore, the mechanism of the Cas13a/hs-crRNA/target RNA composition is elucidated with theoretical simulations. This work builds on the fundamental understanding of Cas13a activation and offers significant improvements for the rational design of crRNA for the CRISPR/Cas13a system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Shiyi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Behafarid Ghalandari
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Sijie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Antony R. Warden
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Jingqi Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Lin Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and BiosecurityInstitute of Microbiology and EpidemiologyBeijing100071China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Yunqing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Yiqing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Jinglin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Daxiang Cui
- Shanghai Engineering Centre for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment InstrumentSchool of Electronic Information and Electrical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200240China
| | - Xiao Zhi
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
| | - Xianting Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesInstitute for Personalized MedicineSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200030China
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19
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Bao XR, Pan Y, Lee CM, Davis TH, Bao G. Tools for experimental and computational analyses of off-target editing by programmable nucleases. Nat Protoc 2021; 16:10-26. [PMID: 33288953 PMCID: PMC8049448 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-020-00431-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Genome editing using programmable nucleases is revolutionizing life science and medicine. Off-target editing by these nucleases remains a considerable concern, especially in therapeutic applications. Here we review tools developed for identifying potential off-target editing sites and compare the ability of these tools to properly analyze off-target effects. Recent advances in both in silico and experimental tools for off-target analysis have generated remarkably concordant results for sites with high off-target editing activity. However, no single tool is able to accurately predict low-frequency off-target editing, presenting a bottleneck in therapeutic genome editing, because even a small number of cells with off-target editing can be detrimental. Therefore, we recommend that at least one in silico tool and one experimental tool should be used together to identify potential off-target sites, and amplicon-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) should be used as the gold standard assay for assessing the true off-target effects at these candidate sites. Future work to improve off-target analysis includes expanding the true off-target editing dataset to evaluate new experimental techniques and to train machine learning algorithms; performing analysis using the particular genome of the cells in question rather than the reference genome; and applying novel NGS techniques to improve the sensitivity of amplicon-based off-target editing quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Robert Bao
- ILISATech, Houston, TX, USA
- Arsenal Biosciences, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yidan Pan
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ciaran M Lee
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Timothy H Davis
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gang Bao
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
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