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.
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: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:Techniques for exclusion of exons from mature transcripts have been applied as gene therapies for treating many different diseases. Since exon skipping has been traditionally accomplished using technologies that have a transient effect, it is particularly important to develop new techniques that enable permanent exon skipping. We have recently demonstrated that this can be accomplished using cytidine base editors for permanently disabling the splice acceptor of target exons. We now demonstrate the application of adenine-deaminase base editors to disrupt the conserved adenosine within splice acceptor sites for programmable exon skipping. We also demonstrate that by altering the amino acid sequence of the linker between the adenosine deaminase domain and the Cas9 nickase or by coupling the adenine base editor with a uracil glycosylase inhibitor, the DNA editing efficiency and exon skipping rates improve significantly. Finally, we developed a split base editor architecture compatible with adeno-associated viral packaging. Collectively, these results represent significant progress towards permanent in vivo exon skipping through base editing and, ultimately, a new modality of gene therapy for the treatment of genetic diseases.
Project description:Adenine and cytosine base editors (ABEs and CBEs) represent a new genome editing technology that allows the programmable installation of A-to-G or C-to-T alterations on DNA. We engineered Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9-based adenine and cytosine base editor (SpACE) that enables efficient simultaneous introduction of A-to-G and C-to-T substitutions in the same base editing window on DNA.
Project description:The majority of known pathogenic point mutations in the human genome are C•G to T•A substitutions. Adenine base editors (ABEs), comprised of nuclease-impaired Cas9 fused to adenine deaminases, enable direct repair of these mutations, making them promising tools for precision in vivo genome editing therapies. However, prior to application in patients, thorough safety and efficacy studies in relevant model organisms are needed. Here, we apply adenine base editing in vivo in the liver of mice and cynomolgus macaques to install a splice site mutation in PCSK9 and reduce blood low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Intravenous delivery of ABE-encoding mRNA and a locus-specific single guide (sg)RNA utilizing lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology induce up to 67% editing in the liver of mice and up to 34% editing in the liver of macaques, leading to a reduction of plasma PCSK9 and LDL levels. We observed rapid clearance of ABE mRNA after LNP-mediated delivery, and neither sgRNA-dependent nor sgRNA-independent off-target mutations are detected in genomic DNA. Together, our findings support safety and feasibility of adenine base editing to treat patients with monogenetic liver diseases.
Project description:The majority of known pathogenic point mutations in the human genome are C•G to T•A substitutions. Adenine base editors (ABEs), comprised of nuclease-impaired Cas9 fused to adenine deaminases, enable direct repair of these mutations, making them promising tools for precision in vivo genome editing therapies. However, prior to application in patients, thorough safety and efficacy studies in relevant model organisms are needed. Here, we apply adenine base editing in vivo in the liver of mice and cynomolgus macaques to install a splice site mutation in PCSK9 and reduce blood low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Intravenous delivery of ABE-encoding mRNA and a locus-specific single guide (sg)RNA utilizing lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology induce up to 67% editing in the liver of mice and up to 34% editing in the liver of macaques, leading to a reduction of plasma PCSK9 and LDL levels. We observed rapid clearance of ABE mRNA after LNP-mediated delivery, and neither sgRNA-dependent nor sgRNA-independent off-target mutations are detected in genomic DNA. Together, our findings support safety and feasibility of adenine base editing to treat patients with monogenetic liver diseases.
Project description:Current base editors use DNA deaminases, including cytidine deaminase in cytidine base editor (CBE) or adenine deaminase in adenine base editor (ABE), to facilitate transition nucleotide substitutions. Combining CBE or ABE with glycosylase enzymes can induce limited transversion mutations. Nonetheless, a critical demand remains for base editors capable of generating alternative mutation types, such as T>G corrections. In this study, we leveraged pre-trained protein language models to optimize a uracil-N-glycosylase (UNG) variant with altered specificity for thymines (eTDG). Notably, after two rounds of testing fewer than 50 top-ranking variants, more than 50% exhibited over 1.5-fold enhancement in enzymatic activities. When eTDG was fused with nCas9, it induced programmable T-to-S (G/C) substitutions and corrected db/db diabetic mutation in mice (up to 55%). Our findings not only establish orthogonal strategies for developing novel base editors, but also demonstrate the capacities of protein language models for optimizing enzymes without extensive task-specific training data.