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Optimization of a multiplex CRISPR/Cas system for use as an antiviral therapeutic.

ABSTRACT: RNA-guided endonucleases or CRISPR/Cas systems have been widely employed for gene engineering/DNA editing applications, and have recently been used against a variety of dsDNA viruses as a potential therapeutic. However, in vivo delivery to specific tissue reservoirs using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors is problematic due to the large coding requirement for the principal effector commonly used in these applications, Streptococcus pyogenes (Spy) Cas9. Here we describe design of a minimal CRISPR/Cas system that is capable of multiplexing and can be packaged into a single AAV vector. This system consists of the small Type II Cas9 protein from Staphylococcus aureus (Sau) driven by a truncated CMV promoter/enhancer, and flanked 3' by a poly(A) addition signal, as well as two sgRNA expression cassettes driven by either U6 or ?70-bp tRNA-derived Pol III promoters. Specific protocols for construction of these AAV vector scaffolds, shuttle cloning of their contents into AAV and lentiviral backbones, and a quantitative luciferase assay capable of screening for optimal sgRNAs, are detailed. These protocols can facilitate construction of AAV vectors that have optimal multiplexed sgRNA expression and function. These will have potential utility in multiplex applications, including in antiviral therapy in tissues chronically infected with a pathogenic DNA virus.

SUBMITTER: Kennedy EM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4684739 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Optimization of a multiplex CRISPR/Cas system for use as an antiviral therapeutic.

Kennedy Edward M EM Kornepati Anand V R AVR Mefferd Adam L AL Marshall Joy B JB Tsai Kevin K Bogerd Hal P HP Cullen Bryan R BR

Methods (San Diego, Calif.) 20150817

RNA-guided endonucleases or CRISPR/Cas systems have been widely employed for gene engineering/DNA editing applications, and have recently been used against a variety of dsDNA viruses as a potential therapeutic. However, in vivo delivery to specific tissue reservoirs using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors is problematic due to the large coding requirement for the principal effector commonly used in these applications, Streptococcus pyogenes (Spy) Cas9. Here we describe design of a minimal CRI ...[more]

PMID: 26291065

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Project description:BACKGROUND:The presence and activity of CRISPR-Cas defense systems is a hallmark of many prokaryotic microorganisms. Here, the distribution of sequences related to the highly iterated palindrome 1 (HIP1) element and the DNA methylation of CGATCG motifs embedded within HIP1 as a vital part of the CRISPR1 repeat sequence was analyzed in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Previously suggested functions of HIP1 include organization of chromosomal structure, DNA recombination or gene regulation, all of which could be relevant in CRISPR-Cas functionality. RESULTS:The CRISPR1 repeat-spacer array contains more than 50 CGATCG elements that are double-methylated (5mCG6mATCG) by the enzymes M.Ssp6803I and M.Ssp6803III. Hence, more than 200 possible methylation events cluster over a stretch of 3600 bp of double-stranded DNA. Bisulfite sequencing showed that these motifs were highly methylated at the m5CGATCG positions whereas specific motifs within the CRISPR1 cas genes were hypomethylated suggesting a lowered accessibility for the DNA methylase to these regions. Assays for conjugation and CRISPR1-mediated DNA interference revealed a 50% drop in conjugation efficiency in the mutant lacking the 5mC methylation of CGATCG motifs, while the highly efficient DNA interference activity was not affected by the lack of m5CGATCG DNA-methylation, nor was the capability to differentiate between self and non-self targets based on the protospacer adjacent motifs (PAMs) GTA and GTC versus the non-PAM AGC. A third DNA methylation mediated by M.Ssp6803II modifies the first cytosine in the motif GGCC yielding GGm4CC. We found a remarkable absence of GGCC motifs and hence the corresponding methylation over an 11 kb stretch encompassing all the cas genes involved in interference and crRNA maturation but not adaptation of the CRISPR1 system. CONCLUSIONS:The lack of GGCC tetranucleotides along the CRISPR1 interference and maturation genes supports the reported hybrid character of subtype I-D CRISPR-Cas systems. We report tight and very high 5mC methylation of the CRISPR1 repeat sequences. Nevertheless, cells lacking the 5mC methylation activity were unaffected in their CRISPR1-mediated interference response but the efficiency of conjugation was reduced by 50%. These results point to an unknown role of m5CGATCG DNA-methylation marks in conjugation and DNA transformation.

Dataset Information

Optimization of a multiplex CRISPR/Cas system for use as an antiviral therapeutic.

Publications

Optimization of a multiplex CRISPR/Cas system for use as an antiviral therapeutic.

Similar Datasets

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