Benchmarking of SpCas9 variants enables deeper base editor screens of BRCA1 and BCL2
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Numerous rationally-designed and directed-evolution variants of SpCas9 have been reported to expand the utility of CRISPR technology. Here, we benchmark PAM preferences, on-target activity, and off-target susceptibility of 11 variants of SpCas9 in cell culture assays with thousands of guides targeting endogenous genes. To enhance the coverage and thus utility of base editing screens, we demonstrate that the SpCas9-NG and SpG variants are compatible with both A>G and C>T base editors, more than tripling the number of guides and assayable residues. We demonstrate the performance of these technologies by screening for loss-of-function mutations in BRCA1 and Venetoclax-resistant mutations of BCL2, identifying both known and new insights into these clinically-relevant genes. We anticipate that the tools and methodologies described here will facilitate the investigation of genetic variants at a finer and deeper resolution for any locus of interest.
Project description:We identified robust cleavage by non-canonically-targeted SpCas9 that target protospacer with a few bases from the canonical NGG PAM in biochemistry assay. To determine whether this spaced SpCas9 cleavage exists in human cells, we employed high-throughput genome-wide translocation sequencing (LAM-HTGTS) using SpCas9 with three independent canonical sgRNAs served as bait (bait-A, bait-L and bait-D) to compared the cleavage activities of canonically-targeted and non-canonically-targeted SpCas9 in eight locus (RAG1B-D, RAG1K-O) in chromosome 11. We found that almost all 1bp-target shifted SpCas9 generated substantial DSBs as the canonical controls. While detected less frequently, 2bp-targeted shifted SpCas9 generated significant amounts of DSBs in RAG1D and RAG1L locus. These findings underscore the spaced PAM-mediated DSBs occurred in living cells.
Project description:In this study, we used a surrogate lentivirus library to capture CRISPR editing outcome in HEK cells. The dataset include quantification of indel frequencies for SpCas9 gRNAs in 12,000 surrogate sites. After filtering low quality sites, the high quality SpCas9 gRNA activities from a total of 10592 sites have been used to develop an improved deep learning-based prediction model CRISPRon (https://rth.dk/resources/crispr/.).
Project description:Optimization of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering has resulted in base editors that hold promise for mutation repair and disease modeling. Here, we demonstrate the application of base editors for the generation of complex tumor models in human ASC-derived organoids. First we show Efficacy of cytosine and adenine base editors in modelingCTNNB1hot-spot mutations in hepatocyte organoids. Next, we use C>T base editors to insert nonsense mutations inPTENin endometrial organoids and demonstrate tumorigenicity even in the heterozygous state. Moreover, drug screening assays on organoids harboring eitherPTENorPTENandPIK3CAmutations reveal the mechanism underlying the initial stages of endometrial tumorigenesis. To further increase the scope of base editing we combine SpCas9 and SaCas9 for simultaneous C>T and A>G editing at individual target sites. Finally, we show that base editor multiplexing allow modeling of colorectal tumorigenesis in a single step by simultaneously transfecting sgRNAs targeting five cancer genes.
Project description:CRISPR-Cas is an RNA-based defense system that enables prokaryotes to recognize invading foreign DNA by cognate crRNA guides and destroy it by CRISPR-associated Cas nucleases 1,2 . Elucidation of the interference mechanism of the Streptococcus pyogenes Type II CRISPR- Cas9 system has allowed for the successful repurposing of SpCas9 as a generic genome editing tool, with great promise for human gene therapy 3 . However, especially for therapeutic applications, some caution seems appropriate, because Cas9 systems from some human pathogens may induce a cytotoxic response via an unknown mechanism 4 . Here we show that when released in human cells, Cas9 nucleases from the pathogenic bacteria Campylobacter jejuni and S. pyogenes have the potential to cause severe DNA damage. In the absence of a CRISPR RNA guide, native Cas9 nucleases from both pathogens enter the host nucleus, where their presence leads to promiscuous double stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) and induction of cell death. DSB induction can be reduced to background levels either by saturation of CjCas9 and SpCas9 with crRNA guides or by inactivating their nuclease activity. Our results demonstrate that guide-free Cas9 of bacterial pathogens might play an important role in pathogenicity. Furthermore, we propose that saturating Cas9 with appropriate guide RNAs is crucial for efficient and safe therapeutic applications.
Project description:Base editors are RNA-guided deaminases that enable site-specific nucleotide transitions. The targeting scope of these Cas-deaminase fusion proteins critically depends on the availability of a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) at the selected genomic locus, and is limited to a window within the CRISPR-Cas R-loop where single stranded (ss)DNA is accessible to the deaminase. Here, we reason that the Cas9-HNH nuclease domain sterically constrains ssDNA accessibility, and demonstrate that omission of this domain expands the editing window. By exchanging the HNH nuclease domain with an adenosine deaminase, we furthermore engineer adenine base editor variants (HNHx-ABE) with PAM-proximally shifted editing windows. HNHx-ABEs are substantially reduced in size, and expand the targeting scope of base editors. Our finding that the HNH domain is replaceable could moreover benefit future protein engineering efforts, where Cas9 operates together with other enzyme domains.
Project description:Base editors are RNA-guided deaminases that enable site-specific nucleotide transitions. The targeting scope of these Cas-deaminase fusion proteins critically depends on the availability of a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) at the selected genomic locus, and is limited to a window within the CRISPR-Cas R-loop where single stranded (ss)DNA is accessible to the deaminase. Here, we reason that the Cas9-HNH nuclease domain sterically constrains ssDNA accessibility, and demonstrate that omission of this domain expands the editing window. By exchanging the HNH nuclease domain with an adenosine deaminase, we furthermore engineer adenine base editor variants (HNHx-ABE) with PAM-proximally shifted editing windows. HNHx-ABEs are substantially reduced in size, and expand the targeting scope of base editors. Our finding that the HNH domain is replaceable could moreover benefit future protein engineering efforts, where Cas9 operates together with other enzyme domains.