CRISPR-Cas9 effectors facilitate generation of single-sex litters and sex-specific phenotypes.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Douglas C
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8642469 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:There is currently a requirement for single-sex litters for many applications, including agriculture, pest control, and reducing animal culling in line with the 3Rs principles: Reduction, Replacement, and Refinement. The advent of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing presents a new opportunity with which to potentially generate all-female or all-male litters. We review some of the historical nongenetic strategies employed to generate single-sex litters and investigate how genetic and genome editing techniques are currently being used to produce all-male or all-female progeny. Lastly, we speculate on future technologies for generating single-sex litters and the possible associated challenges.
| S-EPMC7377362 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The Streptococcus pyogenes CRISPR/Cas9 (SpCas9) system is now widely utilized to generate genome engineered mice; however, some studies raised issues related to off-target mutations with this system. Herein, we utilized the Campylobacter jejuni Cas9 (CjCas9) system to generate knockout mice. We designed sgRNAs targeting mouse Tyr or Foxn1 and microinjected into zygotes along with CjCas9 mRNA. We obtained newborn mice from the microinjected embryos and confirmed that 50% (Tyr) and 38.5% (Foxn1) of the newborn mice have biallelic mutation on the intended target sequences, indicating efficient genome targeting by CjCas9. In addition, we analyzed off-target mutations in founder mutant mice by targeted deep sequencing and whole genome sequencing. Both analyses revealed no off-target mutations at potential off-target sites predicted in silico and no unexpected random mutations in analyzed founder animals. In conclusion, the CjCas9 system can be utilized to generate genome edited mice in a precise manner.
| S-EPMC7118303 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Genome editing with the CRISPR/Cas9 technology has emerged recently as a potential strategy for therapy in genetic diseases. For dominant mutations linked to gain-of-function effects, allele-specific correction may be the most suitable approach. In this study, we tested allele-specific inactivation or correction of a heterozygous mutation in the Dynamin 2 (DNM2) gene that causes the autosomal dominant form of centronuclear myopathies (CNMs), a rare muscle disorder belonging to the large group of congenital myopathies. Truncated single-guide RNAs targeting specifically the mutated allele were tested on cells derived from a mouse model and patients. The mutated allele was successfully targeted in patient fibroblasts and Dnm2R465W/+ mouse myoblasts, and clones were obtained with precise genome correction or inactivation. Dnm2R465W/+ myoblasts showed an alteration in transferrin uptake and autophagy. Specific inactivation or correction of the mutated allele rescued these phenotypes. These findings illustrate the potential of CRISPR/Cas9 to target and correct in an allele-specific manner heterozygous point mutations leading to a gain-of-function effect, and to rescue autosomal dominant CNM-related phenotypes. This strategy may be suitable for a large number of diseases caused by germline or somatic mutations resulting in a gain-of-function mechanism.
| S-EPMC6439232 | biostudies-literature
Project description:High-content imaging using automated microscopy and computer vision allows multivariate profiling of single-cell phenotypes. Here, we present methods for the application of the CISPR-Cas9 system in large-scale, image-based, gene perturbation experiments. We show that CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene perturbation can be achieved in human tissue culture cells in a timeframe that is compatible with image-based phenotyping. We developed a pipeline to construct a large-scale arrayed library of 2,281 sequence-verified CRISPR-Cas9 targeting plasmids and profiled this library for genes affecting cellular morphology and the subcellular localization of components of the nuclear pore complex (NPC). We conceived a machine-learning method that harnesses genetic heterogeneity to score gene perturbations and identify phenotypically perturbed cells for in-depth characterization of gene perturbation effects. This approach enables genome-scale image-based multivariate gene perturbation profiling using CRISPR-Cas9.
| S-EPMC5787707 | biostudies-literature
Project description:CRISPR/Cas9 has become a powerful tool for genome editing in zebrafish that permits the rapid generation of loss of function mutations and the knock-in of specific alleles using DNA templates and homology directed repair (HDR). We examined the efficiency of synthetic, chemically modified gRNAs and demonstrate induction of indels and large genomic deletions in combination with recombinant Cas9 protein. We developed an in vivo genetic assay to measure HDR efficiency and we utilized this assay to test the effect of altering template design on HDR. Utilizing synthetic gRNAs and linear dsDNA templates, we successfully performed knock-in of fluorophores at multiple genomic loci and demonstrate transmission through the germline at high efficiency. We demonstrate that synthetic HDR templates can be used to knock-in bacterial nitroreductase (ntr) to facilitate lineage ablation of specific cell types. Collectively, our data demonstrate the utility of combining synthetic gRNAs and dsDNA templates to perform homology directed repair and genome editing in vivo.
| S-EPMC7144937 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundDesminopathy is a clinically heterogeneous muscle disease caused by over 60 different mutations in desmin. The most common mutation with a clinical phenotype in humans is an exchange of arginine to proline at position 350 of desmin leading to p.R350P. We created the first CRISPR-Cas9 engineered rat model for a muscle disease by mirroring the R350P mutation in humans.MethodsUsing CRISPR-Cas9 technology, Des c.1045-1046 (AGG > CCG) was introduced into exon 6 of the rat genome causing p.R349P. The genotype of each animal was confirmed via quantitative PCR. Six male rats with a mutation in desmin (n = 6) between the age of 120-150 days and an equal number of wild type littermates (n = 6) were used for experiments. Maximal plantar flexion force was measured in vivo and combined with the collection of muscle weights, immunoblotting, and histological analysis. In addition to the baseline phenotyping, we performed a synergist ablation study in the same animals.ResultsWe found a difference in the number of central nuclei between desmin mutants (1 ± 0.4%) and wild type littermates (0.2 ± 0.1%; P < 0.05). While muscle weights did not differ, we found the levels of many structural proteins to be altered in mutant animals. Dystrophin and syntrophin were increased 54% and 45% in desmin mutants, respectively (P < 0.05). Dysferlin and Annexin A2, proteins associated with membrane repair, were increased two-fold and 32%, respectively, in mutants (P < 0.05). Synergist ablation caused similar increases in muscle weight between mutant and wild type animals, but changes in fibre diameter revealed that fibre hypertrophy in desmin mutants was hampered compared with wild type animals (P < 0.05).ConclusionsWe created a novel animal model for desminopathy that will be a useful tool in furthering our understanding of the disease. While mutant animals at an age corresponding to a preclinical age in humans show no macroscopic differences, microscopic and molecular changes are already present. Future studies should aim to further decipher those biological changes that precede the clinical progression of disease and test therapeutic approaches to delay disease progression.
| S-EPMC7567154 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Knockdown mouse models, where gene dosages can be modulated, provide valuable insights into gene function. Typically, such models are generated by embryonic stem (ES) cell-based targeted insertion, or pronuclear injection, of the knockdown expression cassette. However, these methods are associated with laborious and time-consuming steps, such as the generation of large constructs with elements needed for expression of a functional RNAi-cassette, ES-cell handling, or screening for mice with the desired knockdown effect. Here, we demonstrate that reliable knockdown models can be generated by targeted insertion of artificial microRNA (amiRNA) sequences into a specific locus in the genome [such as intronic regions of endogenous eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2 (eEF-2) gene] using the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/Crispr associated 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system. We used in vitro synthesized single-stranded DNAs (about 0.5-kb long) that code for amiRNA sequences as repair templates in CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis. Using this approach we demonstrate that amiRNA cassettes against exogenous (eGFP) or endogenous [orthodenticle homeobox 2 (Otx2)] genes can be efficiently targeted to a predetermined locus in the genome and result in knockdown of gene expression. We also provide a strategy to establish conditional knockdown models with this method.
| S-EPMC4525291 | biostudies-other
Project description:Several pathways and/or genes have been shown to be dysregulated in obesity-induced insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). We previously showed, for the first time, impaired expression of DNAJB3 mRNA and protein in subjects with obesity, which was concomitant with increased metabolic stress. Restoring the normal expression of DNAJB3 attenuated metabolic stress and improved insulin signaling both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting a protective role of DNAJB3 against obesity and T2D. The precise underlying mechanisms remained, however, unclear. This study was designed to confirm the human studies in a mouse model of dietary obesity-induced insulin resistance, and, if validated, to understand the underlying mechanisms. We hypothesized that mice lacking DNAJB3 would be more prone to high-fat (HF)-diet-induced increase in body weight and body fat, inflammation, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance as compared with wild-type (WT) littermates. Three DNAJB3 knockout (KO) lines were generated (KO 30, 44 and 47), using CRISPR-Cas9. Male and female KO and WT mice were fed a HF diet (45% kcal fat) for 16 weeks. Body weight was measured biweekly, and a glucose tolerance test (GTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT) were conducted at week 13 and 14, respectively. Body composition was determined monthly by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Following euthanasia, white adipose tissue (WAT) and skeletal muscle were harvested for further analyses. Compared with WT mice, male and female KO 47 mice demonstrated higher body weight and fat mass. Similarly, KO 47 mice also showed a slower rate of glucose clearance in GTT that was consistent with decreased mRNA expression of the GLUT4 gene in WAT but not in the muscle. Both male and female KO 47 mice exhibited higher mRNA levels of the pro-inflammatory marker TNF-a in WAT only, whereas increased mRNA levels of MCP1 chemokine and the ER stress marker BiP/Grp78 were observed in male but not in female KO 47 mice. However, we did not observe the same changes in the other KO lines. Taken together, the phenotype of the DNAJB3 KO 47 mice was consistent with the metabolic changes and low levels of DNAJB3 reported in human subjects. These findings suggest that DNAJB3 may play an important role in metabolic functions and glucose homeostasis, which warrants further phenotyping and intervention studies in other KO 47 and other KO mice, as well as investigating this protein as a potential therapeutic target for obesity and T2D.
| S-EPMC10606339 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Targeted genome editing of nonrodent mammalian species has provided the potential for highly accurate interventions into gene function in humans and the generation of useful animal models of human diseases. Here we show successful clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas)-mediated gene targeting via circular plasmid injection in rabbits. The rabbit tyrosinase gene (TYR) was effectively disrupted, and we confirmed germline transmission by pronuclear injection of a circular plasmid expressing humanized Cas9 (hCas9) and single-guide RNA. Direct injection into pronuclear stage zygotes was possible following an in vitro validation assay. Neither off-target mutagenesis nor hCas9 transgenesis was detected in any of the genetically targeted pups and embryos examined. Gene targeting with this rapid and simplified strategy will help accelerate the development of translational research using other nonrodent mammalian species.
| S-EPMC4329513 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundGene manipulation strategies including gene knockout and editing are becoming more sophisticated in terms of mechanism of action, efficacy and ease of use. In classical molecular methods of gene knockout, homologous arms are designed for induction of crossing over event in double strand DNA. Recently, CRISPR/Cas9 system has been emerged as a precise and powerful tool for gene targeting. In this effort, we aimed to generate a CRISPR/Cas9-based vector specific for targeting genes in Leishmania parasites.MethodsU6 and DHFR promoters and neomycin-resistance gene were amplified from genome of L. major (MHRO/IR/75/ER) and pEGFP-N1, respectively. U6 promoter was cloned in pX330 vector which is named as pX330-U6. DHFR promoter and neo resistance gene sequence fragments were fused using a combination of SOE (Splicing by overlap extension)-PCR and T/A cloning techniques. To generate pX-leish, fused fragments su-bcloned into the pX330-U6. Two sgRNAs were designed to target the gp63 gene and cloned in pX-leish.ResultsThe pX-leish vector was designed for simultaneous expression of cas9 and G418 resistance proteins along with a self-cleaving 2A peptide for efficient separation of the two proteins. In this study pX-leish was designed with 3 features: 1) Compatible promoters with Leishmania parasites. 2) Insertion of antibiotic selection marker 3) Designing an all-in-one vector containing all components required for CRISPR/Cas9 system.ConclusionThis modified system would be valuable in genome manipulation studies in Leishmania for vaccine research in future.
| S-EPMC6511583 | biostudies-literature