scholarly journals Single Nucleotide Substitutions Effectively Block Cas9 and Allow for Scarless Genome Editing in Caenorhabditis elegans

Genetics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey C Medley ◽  
Shilpa Hebbar ◽  
Joel T Sydzyik ◽  
Anna Y Zinovyeva
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Dna Breaks ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Paternal Genome ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Homology Directed Repair ◽  
Maternal Genome ◽  
Guide Sequence

Abstract In Caenorhabditis elegans, germline injection of Cas9 complexes is reliably used to achieve genome editing through homology-directed repair of Cas9-generated DNA breaks. To prevent Cas9 from targeting repaired DNA, additional blocking mutations are often incorporated into homologous repair templates. Cas9 can be blocked either by mutating the PAM sequence that is essential for Cas9 activity or by mutating the guide sequence that targets Cas9 to a specific genomic location. However, it is unclear how many nucleotides within the guide sequence should be mutated, since Cas9 can recognize “off-target” sequences that are imperfectly paired to its guide. In this study, we examined whether single-nucleotide substitutions within the guide sequence are sufficient to block Cas9 and allow for efficient genome editing. We show that a single mismatch within the guide sequence effectively blocks Cas9 and allows for recovery of edited animals. Surprisingly, we found that a low rate of edited animals can be recovered without introducing any blocking mutations, suggesting a temporal block to Cas9 activity in C. elegans. Furthermore, we show that the maternal genome of hermaphrodite animals is preferentially edited over the paternal genome. We demonstrate that maternally provided haplotypes can be selected using balancer chromosomes and propose a method of mutant isolation that greatly reduces screening efforts post-injection. Collectively, our findings expand the repertoire of genome editing strategies in C. elegans and demonstrate that extraneous blocking mutations are not required to recover edited animals when the desired mutation is located within the guide sequence.

Single Nucleotide Substitutions Effectively Block Cas9 and Allow for Scarless Genome Editing in Caenorhabditis elegans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey C Medley ◽  
Shilpa Hebbar ◽  
Joel T Sydzyik ◽  
Anna Y. Zinovyeva
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Dna Breaks ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Paternal Genome ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Homology Directed Repair ◽  
Maternal Genome ◽  
Guide Sequence

In Caenorhabditis elegans, germline injection of Cas9 complexes is reliably used to achieve genome editing through homology-directed repair of Cas9-generated DNA breaks. To prevent Cas9 from targeting repaired DNA, additional blocking mutations are often incorporated into homologous repair templates. Cas9 can be blocked either by mutating the PAM sequence that is essential for Cas9 activity or by mutating the guide sequence that targets Cas9 to a specific genomic location. However, it is unclear how many nucleotides within the guide sequence should be mutated, since Cas9 can recognize off-target sequences that are imperfectly paired to its guide. In this study, we examined whether single-nucleotide substitutions within the guide sequence are sufficient to block Cas9 and allow for efficient genome editing. We show that a single mismatch within the guide sequence effectively blocks Cas9 and allows for recovery of edited animals. Surprisingly, we found that a low rate of edited animals can be recovered without introducing any blocking mutations, suggesting a temporal block to Cas9 activity in C. elegans. Furthermore, we show that the maternal genome of hermaphrodite animals is preferentially edited over the paternal genome. We demonstrate that maternally provided haplotypes can be selected using balancer chromosomes and propose a method of mutant isolation that greatly reduces screening efforts post-injection. Collectively, our findings expand the repertoire of genome editing strategies in C. elegans and demonstrate that extraneous blocking mutations are not required to recover edited animals when the desired mutation is located within the guide sequence.

scholarly journals Improving the Precision of Base Editing by Bubble Hairpin Single Guide RNA

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiwei Hu ◽  
Yannan Wang ◽  
Qian Liu ◽  
Yan Qiu ◽  
Zhiyu Zhong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Dna Breaks ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Base Editing ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
Guide Rnas ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Target Sites ◽  
Guide Sequence ◽  
Sgrna Design

ABSTRACT Base editing is a powerful genome editing approach that enables single-nucleotide changes without double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs). However, off-target effects as well as other undesired editings at on-target sites remain obstacles for its application. Here, we report that bubble hairpin single guide RNAs (BH-sgRNAs), which contain a hairpin structure with a bubble region on the 5′ end of the guide sequence, can be efficiently applied to both cytosine base editor (CBE) and adenine base editor (ABE) and significantly decrease off-target editing without sacrificing on-target editing efficiency. Meanwhile, such a design also improves the purity of C-to-T conversions induced by base editor 3 (BE3) at on-target sites. Our results present a distinctive and effective strategy to improve the specificity of base editing. IMPORTANCE Base editors are DSB-free genome editing tools and have been widely used in diverse living systems. However, it is reported that these tools can cause substantial off-target editings. To meet this challenge, we developed a new approach to improve the specificity of base editors by using hairpin sgRNAs with a bubble. Furthermore, our sgRNA design also dramatically reduced indels and unwanted base substitutions at on-target sites. We believe that the BH-sgRNA design is a significant improvement over existing sgRNAs of base editors, and our design promises to be adaptable to various base editors. We expect that it will make contributions to improving the safety of gene therapy.

Melting dsDNA donor molecules potentiates precision genome editing in C. elegans

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna S. Ghanta ◽  
Craig C. Mello
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Germ Cells ◽  
Multiple Injections ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Homology Directed Repair ◽  
Selection Strategies ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Adult Hermaphrodite

ABSTRACTCRISPR genome editing has revolutionized genetics in many organisms. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans one injection into each of the two gonad arms of an adult hermaphrodite exposes hundreds of meiotic germ cells to editing mixtures, permitting the recovery of multiple indels or small precision edits from each successfully injected animal. Unfortunately, particularly for long insertions, editing efficiencies can vary widely, necessitating multiple injections, and often requiring co-selection strategies. Here we show that melting double stranded DNA (dsDNA) donor molecules prior to injection increases the frequency of precise homology-directed repair (HDR) by several fold for longer edits. We describe troubleshooting strategies that enable consistently high editing efficiencies resulting, for example, in up to 100 independent GFP knock-ins from a single injected animal. These efficiencies make C. elegans by far the easiest metazoan to genome edit, removing barriers to the use and adoption of this facile system as a model for understanding animal biology.

scholarly journals Melting dsDNA Donor Molecules Greatly Improves Precision Genome Editing in Caenorhabditis elegans

Genetics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 216 (3) ◽  
pp. 643-650
Author(s):  
Krishna S. Ghanta ◽  
Craig C. Mello
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Germ Cells ◽  
Multiple Injections ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Homology Directed Repair ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Adult Hermaphrodite

CRISPR genome editing has revolutionized genetics in many organisms. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, one injection into each of the two gonad arms of an adult hermaphrodite exposes hundreds of meiotic germ cells to editing mixtures, permitting the recovery of multiple indels or small precision edits from each successfully injected animal. Unfortunately, particularly for long insertions, editing efficiencies can vary widely, necessitating multiple injections, and often requiring coselection strategies. Here, we show that melting double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) donor molecules prior to injection increases the frequency of precise homology-directed repair (HDR) by several fold for longer edits. We describe troubleshooting strategies that enable consistently high editing efficiencies resulting, for example, in up to 100 independent GFP knock-ins from a single injected animal. These efficiencies make C. elegans by far the easiest metazoan to genome edit, removing barriers to the use and adoption of this facile system as a model for understanding animal biology.

scholarly journals Automated and customizable quantitative image analysis of whole Caenorhabditis elegans germlines

Genetics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Toraason ◽  
Victoria L Adler ◽  
Nicole A Kurhanewicz ◽  
Acadia DiNardo ◽  
Adam M Saunders ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Image Analysis ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Germ Cell ◽  
Meiotic Prophase ◽  
Quantitative Image Analysis ◽  
Dna Breaks ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Quantitative Image ◽  
Cytological Features ◽  
Single Nucleus

Abstract Arranged in a spatial-temporal gradient for germ cell development, the adult germline of Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent system for understanding the generation, differentiation, function, and maintenance of germ cells. Imaging whole C. elegans germlines along the distal-proximal axis enables powerful cytological analyses of germ cell nuclei as they progress from the pre-meiotic tip through all the stages of meiotic prophase I. To enable high-content image analysis of whole C. elegans gonads, we developed a custom algorithm and pipelines to function with image processing software that enables: (1) quantification of cytological features at single nucleus resolution from immunofluorescence images; and (2) assessment of these individual nuclei based on their position within the germline. We show the capability of our quantitative image analysis approach by analyzing multiple cytological features of meiotic nuclei in whole C. elegans germlines. First, we quantify double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) per nucleus by analyzing DNA-associated foci of the recombinase RAD-51 at single-nucleus resolution in the context of whole germline progression. Second, we quantify the DSBs that are licensed for crossover repair by analyzing foci of MSH-5 and COSA-1 when they associate with the synaptonemal complex during meiotic prophase progression. Finally, we quantify P-granule composition across the whole germline by analyzing the colocalization of PGL-1 and ZNFX-1 foci. Our image analysis pipeline is an adaptable and useful method for researchers spanning multiple fields using the C. elegans germline as a model system.

scholarly journals In vivo analysis of FANCD2 recruitment at meiotic DNA breaks in Caenorhabditis elegans

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello Germoglio ◽  
Anna Valenti ◽  
Ines Gallo ◽  
Chiara Forenza ◽  
Pamela Santonicola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Repair ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Genome Stability ◽  
Genetic Interaction ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Dna Breaks ◽  
Strand Breaks ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
In Vivo Analysis

AbstractFanconi Anemia is a rare genetic disease associated with DNA repair defects, congenital abnormalities and infertility. Most of FA pathway is evolutionary conserved, allowing dissection and mechanistic studies in simpler model systems such as Caenorhabditis elegans. In the present study, we employed C. elegans to better understand the role of FA group D2 (FANCD2) protein in vivo, a key player in promoting genome stability. We report that localization of FCD-2/FANCD2 is dynamic during meiotic prophase I and requires its heterodimeric partner FNCI-1/FANCI. Strikingly, we found that FCD-2 recruitment depends on SPO-11-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs) but not RAD-51-mediated strand invasion. Furthermore, exposure to DNA damage-inducing agents boosts FCD-2 recruitment on the chromatin. Finally, analysis of genetic interaction between FCD-2 and BRC-1 (the C. elegans orthologue of mammalian BRCA1) supports a role for these proteins in different DSB repair pathways. Collectively, we showed a direct involvement of FCD-2 at DSBs and speculate on its function in driving meiotic DNA repair.

scholarly journals The Solanum tuberosum GBSSI gene: a target for assessing gene and base editing in tetraploid potato

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Veillet ◽  
Laura Chauvin ◽  
Marie-Paule Kermarrec ◽  
François Sevestre ◽  
Mathilde Merrer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solanum Tuberosum ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Genome Engineering ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Dna Breaks ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Discrete Variation ◽  
Tetraploid Potato ◽  
Base Editing

AbstractGenome editing has recently become a method of choice for basic research and functional genomics, and holds great potential for molecular plant breeding applications. The powerful CRISPR-Cas9 system that typically produces double-strand DNA breaks is mainly used to generate knockout mutants. Recently, the development of base editors has broadened the scope of genome editing, allowing precise and efficient nucleotide substitutions. In this study, we produced mutants in two cultivated elite cultivars of the tetraploid potato (Solanum tuberosum) using stable or transient expression of the CRISPR-Cas9 components to knockout the amylose-producing StGBSSI gene. We set up a rapid, highly sensitive and cost-effective screening strategy based on high-resolution melting analysis followed by direct Sanger sequencing and trace chromatogram analysis. Most mutations consisted of small indels, but unwanted insertions of plasmid DNA were also observed. We successfully created tetra-allelic mutants with impaired amylose biosynthesis, confirming the loss-of-function of the StGBSSI protein. The second main objective of this work was to demonstrate the proof of concept of CRISPR-Cas9 base editing in the tetraploid potato by targeting two loci encoding catalytic motifs of the StGBSSI enzyme. Using a cytidine base editor (CBE), we efficiently and precisely induced DNA substitutions in the KTGGL-encoding locus, leading to discrete variation in the amino acid sequence and generating a loss-of-function allele. The successful application of base editing in the tetraploid potato opens up new avenues for genome engineering in this species.Key MessageThe StGBSSI gene was successfully and precisely edited in the tetraploid potato using gene and base editing strategies, leading to plants with impaired amylose biosynthesis.

scholarly journals An efficient genome editing strategy to generate putative null mutants in Caenorhabditis elegans using CRISPR/Cas9

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han Wang ◽  
Heenam Park ◽  
Jonathan Liu ◽  
Paul W. Sternberg
Keyword(s):  
Dna Repair ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Gene Function ◽  
Unique Sequence ◽  
Target Site ◽  
Null Alleles ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Null Mutants

AbstractNull mutants are essential for analyzing gene function. Here, we describe a simple and efficient method to generate Caenorhabditis elegans null mutants using CRISPR/Cas9 and short single stranded DNA oligo repair templates to insert a universal 43-nucleotide-long stop knock-in (STOP-IN) cassette into the early exons of target genes. This cassette has stop codons in all three reading frames and leads to frameshifts, which will generate putative null mutations regardless of the reading frame of the insertion position in exons. The STOP-IN cassette also contains an exogenous Cas9 target site that allows further genome editing and provides a unique sequence that simplifies the identification of successful insertion events via PCR. As a proof of concept, we inserted the STOP-IN cassette right at a Cas9 target site in aex-2 to generate new putative null alleles by injecting preassembled Cas9 ribonucleoprotein and a short synthetic single stranded DNA repair template containing the STOP-IN cassette and two 35-nucleotide-long homology arms identical to the sequences flanking the Cas9 cut site. We showed that these new aex-2 alleles phenocopied an existing loss-of-function allele of aex-2. We further showed that the new aex-2 null alleles could be reverted back to the wild-type sequence by targeting exogenous Cas9 cut site included in the STOP-IN cassette and providing a single stranded wild-type DNA repair oligo. We applied our STOP-IN method to generate new putative null mutants for additional 20 genes, including three pharyngeal muscle-specific genes (clik-1, clik-2, and clik-3), and reported a high insertion rate (46%) based on the animals we screened. We showed that null mutations of clik-2 cause recessive lethality with a severe pumping defect and clik-3 null mutants have a mild pumping defect, while clik-1 is dispensable for pumping. We expect that the knock-in method using the STOP-IN cassette will facilitate the generation of new null mutants to understand gene function in C. elegans and other genetic model organisms.SummaryWe report a simple and efficient CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing strategy to generate putative null C. elegans mutants by inserting a small universal stop knock-in (STOP-IN) cassette with stop codons in three frames and frameshifts. The strategy is cloning-free, with the mixture consisting of preassembled Cas9 ribonucleoprotein and single stranded repair DNA oligos directly injected into gonads of adult C. elegans. The universal STOP-IN cassette also contains a unique sequence that simplifies detection of successful knock-in events via PCR and an exogenous Cas9 target sequence that allows further genome editing.

scholarly journals Simultaneous precise editing of multiple genes in human cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (19) ◽  
pp. e116-e116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Riesenberg ◽  
Manjusha Chintalapati ◽  
Dominik Macak ◽  
Philipp Kanis ◽  
Tomislav Maricic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Kinase Inhibitor ◽  
Double Strand Breaks ◽  
End Joining ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Strand Breaks ◽  
Homology Directed Repair ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Dependent Protein ◽  
Non Homologous End Joining

Abstract When double-strand breaks are introduced in a genome by CRISPR they are repaired either by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), which often results in insertions or deletions (indels), or by homology-directed repair (HDR), which allows precise nucleotide substitutions to be introduced if a donor oligonucleotide is provided. Because NHEJ is more efficient than HDR, the frequency with which precise genome editing can be achieved is so low that simultaneous editing of more than one gene has hitherto not been possible. Here, we introduced a mutation in the human PRKDC gene that eliminates the kinase activity of the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs). This results in an increase in HDR irrespective of cell type and CRISPR enzyme used, sometimes allowing 87% of chromosomes in a population of cells to be precisely edited. It also allows for precise editing of up to four genes simultaneously (8 chromosomes) in the same cell. Transient inhibition of DNA-PKcs by the kinase inhibitor M3814 is similarly able to enhance precise genome editing.

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