scholarly journals Coupling Cas9 to artificial inhibitory domains enhances CRISPR-Cas9 target specificity

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. eaay0187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Aschenbrenner ◽  
Stefan M. Kallenberger ◽  
Mareike D. Hoffmann ◽  
Adrian Huck ◽  
Roland Eils ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modeling ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Transient Transfection ◽  
Target Specificity ◽  
Guide Rnas ◽  
Modeling And Experiments ◽  
Fine Tune ◽  
Target Effects

The limited target specificity of CRISPR-Cas nucleases poses a challenge with respect to their application in research and therapy. Here, we present a simple and original strategy to enhance the specificity of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing by coupling Cas9 to artificial inhibitory domains. Applying a combination of mathematical modeling and experiments, we first determined how CRISPR-Cas9 activity profiles relate to Cas9 specificity. We then used artificially weakened anti-CRISPR (Acr) proteins either coexpressed with or directly fused to Cas9 to fine-tune its activity toward selected levels, thereby achieving an effective kinetic insulation of ON- and OFF-target editing events. We demonstrate highly specific genome editing in mammalian cells using diverse single-guide RNAs prone to potent OFF-targeting. Last, we show that our strategy is compatible with different modes of delivery, including transient transfection and adeno-associated viral vectors. Together, we provide a highly versatile approach to reduce CRISPR-Cas OFF-target effects via kinetic insulation.

scholarly journals kRISP-meR: A Reference-free Guide-RNA Design Tool for CRISPR/Cas9

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmudur Rahman Hera ◽  
Amatur Rahman ◽  
Atif Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Design Tool ◽  
Target Region ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
Guide Rnas ◽  
Rna Design ◽  
Reference Genomes ◽  
Target Effects

AbstractGenome editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system requires designing guide RNAs (sgRNA) that are efficient and specific. Guide RNAs are usually designed using reference genomes which limits their use in organisms with no or incomplete reference genomes. Here, we present kRISP-meR, a reference free method to design sgRNAs for CRISPR/Cas9 system. kRISP-meR takes as input a target region and sequenced reads from the organism to be edited and generates sgRNAs that are likely to minimize off-target effects. Our analysis indicates that kRISP-meR is able to identify majority of the guides identified by a widely used sgRNA designing tool, without any knowledge of the reference, while retaining specificity.

scholarly journals Simplifying plant gene silencing and genome editing logistics by a one-Agrobacterium system for simultaneous delivery of multipartite virus vectors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Verónica Aragonés ◽  
Flavio Aliaga ◽  
Fabio Pasin ◽  
José-Antonio Daròs
Keyword(s):  
Gene Silencing ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Recombinant Proteins ◽  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Tobacco Rattle Virus ◽  
Vector System ◽  
Efficient Production ◽  
Virus Induced Gene Silencing ◽  
Guide Rnas ◽  
One Step

Genome editing and gene expression engineering using CRISPR-Cas systems in plants usually rely on labor-intensive tissue culture approaches to generate stably transformed plants that express the components of the reaction. Viral vectors have demonstrated to be a quick and effective alternative to express multiple guide RNAs, DNA templates for homologous recombination, and even Cas nucleases. Here we have developed an improved vector system based on tobacco rattle virus (TRV) to simplify logistics in genome editing and gene silencing approaches. The new system consists in a single Agrobacterium tumefaciens clone co-transformed with two compatible mini binary vectors from which TRV RNA1 and an engineered version of TRV RNA2 are expressed. Sequences of recombinant proteins, gene fragments for virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) or guide RNAs can be easily inserted by one-step digestion-ligation and homology-based cloning methods in the RNA2 plasmid to produce vectors with a size substantially smaller than usual. Using this new one-Agrobacterium TRV mini vector system, we show robust VIGS of an endogenous host gene after infiltration of bacterial suspensions at low optical densities, and efficient production of recombinant proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana. Most importantly, we also show highly efficient heritable genome editing in more than half of the seedling originating from inoculated N. benthamiana plants that express Cas9.

scholarly journals Stimulus-Responsive Smart Nanoparticles-Based CRISPR-Cas Delivery for Therapeutic Genome Editing

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (20) ◽  
pp. 11300
Author(s):  
Muhammad Naeem ◽  
Mubasher Zahir Hoque ◽  
Muhammad Ovais ◽  
Chanbasha Basheer ◽  
Irshad Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Light Stimulus ◽  
Light Sensitivity ◽  
Redox Species ◽  
New Era ◽  
Efficient Delivery ◽  
Therapeutic Tools ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Target Effects

The innovative research in genome editing domains such as CRISPR-Cas technology has enabled genetic engineers to manipulate the genomes of living organisms effectively in order to develop the next generation of therapeutic tools. This technique has started the new era of “genome surgery”. Despite these advances, the barriers of CRISPR-Cas9 techniques in clinical applications include efficient delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 and risk of off-target effects. Various types of viral and non-viral vectors are designed to deliver the CRISPR/Cas9 machinery into the desired cell. These methods still suffer difficulties such as immune response, lack of specificity, and efficiency. The extracellular and intracellular environments of cells and tissues differ in pH, redox species, enzyme activity, and light sensitivity. Recently, smart nanoparticles have been synthesized for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery to cells based on endogenous (pH, enzyme, redox specie, ATP) and exogenous (magnetic, ultrasound, temperature, light) stimulus signals. These methodologies can leverage genome editing through biological signals found within disease cells with less off-target effects. Here, we review the recent advances in stimulus-based smart nanoparticles to deliver the CRISPR/Cas9 machinery into the desired cell. This review article will provide extensive information to cautiously utilize smart nanoparticles for basic biomedical applications and therapeutic genome editing.

scholarly journals Efficient multiplex genome editing using CRISPR-Mb3Cas12a in mice

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhuqing Wang ◽  
Yue Wang ◽  
Shawn Wang ◽  
Andrew J Gorzalski ◽  
Hayden McSwiggin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Editing Efficiency ◽  
Protospacer Adjacent Motif ◽  
Summary Statement ◽  
Strict Requirement ◽  
Moraxella Bovoculi ◽  
Target Effects

AbstractDespite many advantages over Cas9, Cas12a has not been widely used in genome editing in mammalian cells largely due to its strict requirement of the TTTV protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequence. Here, we report that Mb3Cas12a (Moraxella bovoculi AAX11_00205) could edit the genome in murine zygotes independent of TTTV PAM sequences and with minimal on-target mutations and close to 100% editing efficiency when crRNAs of 23nt spacers were used.Summary statementCRISPR-Mb3Cas12a can target a broader range of sequences in murine zygotes compared to AsCas12a and LbCas12a, and has lower on-target effects than Cas9 and high overall knock-in efficiency.

scholarly journals Quantifying CRISPR off-target effects

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soragia Athina Gkazi
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Insertional Mutagenesis ◽  
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency ◽  
Gene Therapies ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Large Indels ◽  
Target Effects

Abstract Recent advances in the era of genetic engineering have significantly improved our ability to make precise changes in the genomes of human cells. Throughout the years, clinical trials based on gene therapies have led to the cure of diseases such as X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1), adenosine deaminase deficiency (ADA-SCID) and Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome. Despite the success gene therapy has had, there is still the risk of genotoxicity due to the potential oncogenesis introduced by utilising viral vectors. Research has focused on alternative strategies like genome editing without viral vectors as a means to reduce genotoxicity introduced by the viral vectors. Although there is an extensive use of RNA-guided genome editing via the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and associated protein-9 (Cas9) technology for biomedical research, its genome-wide target specificity and its genotoxic side effects remain controversial. There have been reports of on- and off-target effects created by CRISPR–Cas9 that can include small and large indels and inversions, highlighting the potential risk of insertional mutagenesis. In the last few years, a plethora of in silico, in vitro and in vivo genome-wide assays have been introduced with the sole purpose of profiling these effects. Here, we are going to discuss the genotoxic obstacles in gene therapies and give an up-to-date overview of methodologies for quantifying CRISPR–Cas9 effects.

scholarly journals Using Synthetically Engineered Guide RNAs to Enhance CRISPR Genome Editing Systems in Mammalian Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Allen ◽  
Michael Rosenberg ◽  
Ayal Hendel
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Nuclear Staining ◽  
Two Component System ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
Homology Directed Repair ◽  
Guide Rnas ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Cas9 Protein

CRISPR-Cas9 is quickly revolutionizing the way we approach gene therapy. CRISPR-Cas9 is a complexed, two-component system using a short guide RNA (gRNA) sequence to direct the Cas9 endonuclease to the target site. Modifying the gRNA independent of the Cas9 protein confers ease and flexibility to improve the CRISPR-Cas9 system as a genome-editing tool. gRNAs have been engineered to improve the CRISPR system's overall stability, specificity, safety, and versatility. gRNAs have been modified to increase their stability to guard against nuclease degradation, thereby enhancing their efficiency. Additionally, guide specificity has been improved by limiting off-target editing. Synthetic gRNA has been shown to ameliorate inflammatory signaling caused by the CRISPR system, thereby limiting immunogenicity and toxicity in edited mammalian cells. Furthermore, through conjugation with exogenous donor DNA, engineered gRNAs have been shown to improve homology-directed repair (HDR) efficiency by ensuring donor proximity to the edited site. Lastly, synthetic gRNAs attached to fluorescent labels have been developed to enable highly specific nuclear staining and imaging, enabling mechanistic studies of chromosomal dynamics and genomic mapping. Continued work on chemical modification and optimization of synthetic gRNAs will undoubtedly lead to clinical and therapeutic benefits and, ultimately, routinely performed CRISPR-based therapies.

scholarly journals Direct Delivery of Cas9-sgRNA Ribonucleoproteins into Cells Using a Nanoneedle Array

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 965 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayana Yamagishi ◽  
Daisuke Matsumoto ◽  
Yoshio Kato ◽  
Yuki Honda ◽  
Mone Morikawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspect Ratio ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Nanoneedle Array ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Direct Delivery ◽  
Target Effects ◽  
2D Array

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system is a powerful and widely used tool for genome editing. Recently, it was reported that direct delivery of Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) reduced off-target effects. Therefore, non-invasive, high-throughput methods are needed for direct delivery of RNPs into cells. Here, we report a novel method for direct delivery of RNPs into cells using a nanostructure with a high-aspect-ratio and uniform nanoneedles. This nanostructure is composed of tens of thousands of nanoneedles laid across a 2D array. Through insertion of the nanoneedle array previously adsorbed with Cas9-sgRNA, it was possible to deliver RNPs directly into mammalian cells for genome editing.

scholarly journals Exosome/Liposome-like Nanoparticles: New Carriers for CRISPR Genome Editing in Plants

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7456
Author(s):  
Mousa A. Alghuthaymi ◽  
Aftab Ahmad ◽  
Zulqurnain Khan ◽  
Sultan Habibullah Khan ◽  
Farah K. Ahmed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Polymeric Materials ◽  
Inorganic Nanoparticles ◽  
Plant Genome ◽  
Delivery Methods ◽  
Detailed Consideration ◽  
Crispr System ◽  
Efficient Delivery ◽  
Low Cytotoxicity

Rapid developments in the field of plant genome editing using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) systems necessitate more detailed consideration of the delivery of the CRISPR system into plants. Successful and safe editing of plant genomes is partly based on efficient delivery of the CRISPR system. Along with the use of plasmids and viral vectors as cargo material for genome editing, non-viral vectors have also been considered for delivery purposes. These non-viral vectors can be made of a variety of materials, including inorganic nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, liposomes, and protein- and peptide-based nanoparticles, as well as nanoscale polymeric materials. They have a decreased immune response, an advantage over viral vectors, and offer additional flexibility in their design, allowing them to be functionalized and targeted to specific sites in a biological system with low cytotoxicity. This review is dedicated to describing the delivery methods of CRISPR system into plants with emphasis on the use of non-viral vectors.

scholarly journals An improved method for precise genome editing in zebrafish using CRISPR-Cas9 technique

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene V. Gasanov ◽  
Justyna Jędrychowska ◽  
Michal Pastor ◽  
Malgorzata Wiweger ◽  
Axel Methner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Target Site ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Intervention Site ◽  
End Joining ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
Guide Rnas ◽  
Cas9 Nuclease ◽  
Non Homologous End Joining

AbstractCurrent methods of CRISPR-Cas9-mediated site-specific mutagenesis create deletions and small insertions at the target site which are repaired by imprecise non-homologous end-joining. Targeting of the Cas9 nuclease relies on a short guide RNA (gRNA) corresponding to the genome sequence approximately at the intended site of intervention. We here propose an improved version of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing that relies on two complementary guide RNAs instead of one. Two guide RNAs delimit the intervention site and allow the precise deletion of several nucleotides at the target site. As proof of concept, we generated heterozygous deletion mutants of the kcng4b, gdap1, and ghitm genes in the zebrafish Danio rerio using this method. A further analysis by high-resolution DNA melting demonstrated a high efficiency and a low background of unpredicted mutations. The use of two complementary gRNAs improves CRISPR-Cas9 specificity and allows the creation of predictable and precise mutations in the genome of D. rerio.

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