scholarly journals CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Gene Replacement in the Fungal Keratitis Pathogen Fusarium solani var. petroliphilum

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge D. Lightfoot ◽  
Kevin K. Fuller
Keyword(s):  
Fusarium Solani ◽  
Reverse Genetics ◽  
Gene Replacement ◽  
Fungal Keratitis ◽  
Contact Lens Wear ◽  
Guide Rnas ◽  
Repair Template ◽  
Fusarium Petroliphilum ◽  
A Site

Fungal keratitis (FK) is a site-threatening infection of the cornea associated with ocular trauma and contact lens wear. Members of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are predominant agents of FK worldwide, but genes that support their corneal virulence are poorly understood. As a means to bolster genetic analysis in FSSC pathogens, we sought to employ a CRISPR/Cas9 system in an FK isolate identified as Fusarium petroliphilum. Briefly, this approach involves the introduction of two components into fungal protoplasts: (1) A purified Cas9 protein complexed with guide RNAs that will direct the ribonuclease to cut on either side of the gene of interest, and (2) a “repair template” comprised of a hygromycin resistance cassette flanked by 40 bp of homology outside of the Cas9 cuts. In this way, Cas9-induced double strand breaks should potentiate double homologous replacement of the repair template at the desired locus. We targeted a putative ura3 ortholog since its deletion would result in an easily discernable uracil auxotrophy. Indeed, 10% of hygromycin-resistant transformants displayed the auxotrophic phenotype, all of which harbored the expected ura3 gene deletion. By contrast, none of the transformants from the repair template control (i.e., no Cas9) displayed the auxotrophic phenotype, indicating that Cas9 cutting was indeed required to promote homologous integration. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the in vitro Cas9 system is an easy and efficient approach for reverse genetics in FSSC organisms, including clinical isolates, which should enhance virulence research in these important but understudied ocular pathogens.

scholarly journals Replacement of the F and G Proteins of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Subgroup A with Those of Subgroup B Generates Chimeric Live Attenuated RSV Subgroup B Vaccine Candidates

1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (12) ◽  
pp. 9773-9780 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Whitehead ◽  
M. G. Hill ◽  
C. Y. Firestone ◽  
M. St. Claire ◽  
W. R. Elkins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽  
Reverse Genetics ◽  
Gene Replacement ◽  
Chimeric Virus ◽  
Antigenic Determinants ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Protective Antigens ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
High Level

ABSTRACT Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) exists as two antigenic subgroups, A and B, both of which should be represented in a vaccine. The F and G glycoproteins are the major neutralization and protective antigens, and the G protein in particular is highly divergent between the subgroups. The existing system for reverse genetics is based on the A2 strain of RSV subgroup A, and most efforts to develop a live attenuated RSV vaccine have focused on strain A2 or other subgroup A viruses. In the present study, the development of a live attenuated subgroup B component was expedited by the replacement of the F and G glycoproteins of recombinant A2 virus with their counterparts from the RSV subgroup B strain B1. This gene replacement was initially done for wild-type (wt) recombinant A2 virus to create awt AB chimeric virus and then for a series of A2 derivatives which contain various combinations of A2-derived attenuating mutations located in genes other than F and G. Thewt AB virus replicated in cell culture with an efficiency which was comparable to that of the wt A2 and B1 parents. AB viruses containing temperature-sensitive mutations in the A2 background exhibited levels of temperature sensitivity in vitro which were similar to those of A2 viruses bearing the same mutations. In chimpanzees, the replication of the wt AB chimera was intermediate between that of the A2 and B1 wt viruses and was accompanied by moderate rhinorrhea, as previously seen in this species. An AB chimeric virus, rABcp248/404/1030, which was constructed to contain a mixture of attenuating mutations derived from two different biologically attenuated A2 viruses, was highly attenuated in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts of chimpanzees. This attenuated AB chimeric virus was immunogenic and conferred a high level of resistance on chimpanzees to challenge with wt AB virus. The rABcp248/404/1030 chimeric virus is a promising vaccine candidate for RSV subgroup B and will be evaluated next in humans. Furthermore, these results suggest that additional attenuating mutations derived from strain A2 can be inserted into the A2 background of the recombinant chimeric AB virus as necessary to modify the attenuation phenotype in a reasonably predictable manner to achieve an optimal balance between attenuation and immunogenicity in a virus bearing the subgroup B antigenic determinants.

scholarly journals Case Report: Molecular Diagnosis of Fungal Keratitis Associated With Contact Lenses Caused by Fusarium solani

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Trovato ◽  
Antonio Marino ◽  
Giovanni Pizzo ◽  
Salvatore Oliveri
Keyword(s):  
Fusarium Solani ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Contact Lenses ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Fungal Keratitis ◽  
Antifungal Treatment ◽  
Delay In Diagnosis ◽  
Soft Contact Lenses

Fusarium is a filamentous fungus commonly found in the environment and is the major cause of fungal keratitis. We report a case of keratomycosis caused by Fusarium solani in a patient using disposable soft contact lenses. A delay in diagnosis led to the initiation of an empirical antifungal treatment with the subsequent deterioration of the patient's clinical condition. The use of the real-time quantitative PCR assay confirmed keratitis from F. solani providing a result in <48 h and therefore giving the possibility of quickly starting targeted antifungal therapy. The patient had an improvement in eye condition after the diagnosis of keratitis by F. solani and the rapid change to targeted antifungal treatment. For the rapid identification of corneal fungal pathogens, we believe that PCR may be added for the diagnosis of mycotic keratitis pending the isolation in culture that is necessary for in vitro susceptibility testing.

DEVELOPMENT OF APPROACHES FOR DETECTION OF GENOME-INTEGRATED PROVIRAL DNA OF THE HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV-1) IN ULTRA LOW CONCENTRATIONS USING THE CRISPR/CAS SYSTEM

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Tyumentseva ◽  
◽  
A.I. Tyumentsev ◽  
V.G. Akimkin ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Biological Samples ◽  
Proviral Dna ◽  
Guide Rnas ◽  
Ribonucleoprotein Complexes ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

For the effective functioning of supervisory and health monitoring services, it is necessary to introduce modern molecular technologies into their practice. Therefore, the task of developing new effective methods for detecting pathogen, for example HIV, based on CRISPR/CAS genome editing systems, remains urgent. In the present work, guide RNAs and specific oligonucleotides were developed for preliminary amplification of highly conserved regions of the HIV-1 genome. The developed guide RNAs make it possible to detect single copies of HIV-1 proviral DNA in vitro as part of CRISPR/CAS ribonucleoprotein complexes in biological samples after preliminary amplification.

scholarly journals Internalization of Foldamer-Based DNA Mimics through a Site-Specific Antibody Conjugate to Target HER2-Positive Cancer Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 624
Author(s):  
Valentina Corvaglia ◽  
Imène Ait Mohamed Amar ◽  
Véronique Garambois ◽  
Stéphanie Letast ◽  
Aurélie Garcin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Topoisomerase I ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Antibody Drug Conjugate ◽  
Her2 Positive ◽  
Dna Topoisomerase ◽  
Antibody Conjugate ◽  
A Site

Inhibition of protein–DNA interactions represents an attractive strategy to modulate essential cellular functions. We reported the synthesis of unique oligoamide-based foldamers that adopt single helical conformations and mimic the negatively charged phosphate moieties of B-DNA. These mimics alter the activity of DNA interacting enzymes used as targets for cancer treatment, such as DNA topoisomerase I, and they are cytotoxic only in the presence of a transfection agent. The aim of our study was to improve internalization and selective delivery of these highly charged molecules to cancer cells. For this purpose, we synthesized an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) using a DNA mimic as a payload to specifically target cancer cells overexpressing HER2. We report the bioconjugation of a 16-mer DNA mimic with trastuzumab and its functional validation in breast and ovarian cancer cells expressing various levels of HER2. Binding of the ADC to HER2 increased with the expression of the receptor. The ADC was internalized into cells and was more efficient than trastuzumab at inhibiting their growth in vitro. These results provide proof of concept that it is possible to site-specifically graft high molecular weight payloads such as DNA mimics onto monoclonal antibodies to improve their selective internalization and delivery in cancer cells.

In vitro activity of olorofim against clinical isolates of the Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani species complexes

Mycoses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Badali ◽  
Connie Cañete‐Gibas ◽  
Hoja Patterson ◽  
Carmita Sanders ◽  
Barbara Mermella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fusarium Oxysporum ◽  
Fusarium Solani ◽  
Vitro Activity ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
In Vitro Activity ◽  
Species Complexes

scholarly journals Construction of adenovirus vectors simultaneously expressing four multiplex, double-nicking guide RNAs of CRISPR/Cas9 and in vivo genome editing

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoko Nakanishi ◽  
Aya Maekawa ◽  
Mariko Suzuki ◽  
Hirotaka Tabata ◽  
Kumiko Sato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Target Gene ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Adenovirus Vector ◽  
Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast ◽  
Newborn Mouse ◽  
Guide Rnas ◽  
One Step ◽  
Target Effect

AbstractSimultaneous expression of multiplex guide RNAs (gRNAs) is valuable for knockout of multiple genes and also for effective disruption of a gene by introducing multiple deletions. We developed a method of Tetraplex-guide Tandem for construction of cosmids containing four and eight multiplex gRNA-expressing units in one step utilizing lambda in vitro packaging. Using this method, we produced an adenovirus vector (AdV) containing four multiplex-gRNA units for two double-nicking sets. Unexpectedly, the AdV could stably be amplified to the scale sufficient for animal experiments with no detectable lack of the multiplex units. When the AdV containing gRNAs targeting the H2-Aa gene and an AdV expressing Cas9 nickase were mixed and doubly infected to mouse embryonic fibroblast cells, deletions were observed in more than 80% of the target gene even using double-nicking strategy. Indels were also detected in about 20% of the target gene at two sites in newborn mouse liver cells by intravenous injection. Interestingly, when one double-nicking site was disrupted, the other was simultaneously disrupted, implying that two genes in the same cell may simultaneously be disrupted in the AdV system. The AdVs expressing four multiplex gRNAs could offer simultaneous knockout of four genes or two genes by double-nicking cleavages with low off-target effect.

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