scholarly journals Screening for functional circular RNAs using the CRISPR-Cas13 system

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siqi Li ◽  
Xiang Li ◽  
Wei Xue ◽  
Lin Zhang ◽  
Shi-Meng Cao ◽  
...  

SummaryCircular RNAs (circRNAs) produced from back-spliced exons are widely expressed, but individual circRNA functions remain poorly understood due to inadequate methods, such as RNAi and genome engineering, in distinguishing overlapped exons in circRNAs from those in linear cognate mRNAs1,2. Here we report that the programable RNA-guided, RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13, RfxCas13d, effectively and specifically discriminates circRNAs from mRNAs, using guide (g)RNAs targeting sequences spanning the back-splicing junction (BSJ) sites featured in RNA circles. Using a lentiviral library that targets sequences across BSJ sites of highly expressed human circRNAs, we show that a group of circRNAs are important for cell growth mostly in a cell-type specific manner and that a common oncogenic circRNA, circFAM120A, promotes cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo by preventing FAM120A mRNA from binding the translation inhibitor IGF2BP2 for efficient translation. Application of RfxCas13d/BSJ-gRNA screening has also uncovered circMan1a2 with regulatory potential in mouse embryo preimplantation development. Together, these results establish CRISPR-RfxCas13d as a useful tool for the discovery and functional study of circRNAs at both individual and large-scale levels.

1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 1870-1878 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Grayson ◽  
R S Williams ◽  
Y T Yu ◽  
R Bassel-Duby

Previous investigations have defined three upstream activation elements--CCAC, A/T, and TATA sequences--necessary for muscle-specific transcription of the myoglobin gene. In the present study, we demonstrate that these three sequences elements, prepared as synthetic oligonucleotide cassettes, function synergistically to constitute a cell-type-specific transcription unit. Previously, cognate binding factors that recognize the CCAC and TATA elements were identified. In this study we determine that the A/T element binds two nuclear factors, including myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF-2) and an apparently unknown factor we provisionally termed ATF35 (A/T-binding factor, 35 kDa). Mutations that alter in vitro binding of either MEF-2 or ATF35 to this site diminish promoter function in vivo. Functional synergism between factors binding the CCAC and A/T elements is sensitive to subtle mutations in the TATA sequence, recapitulating the unusual preference for specific TATA variants exhibited by the native myoglobin promoter. These results provide new insights into mechanisms that underlie the distinctive pattern of myoglobin gene regulation in mammalian muscle development and lay a foundation for further studies to elucidate general principles of transcriptional control of complex mammalian promoters through combinatorial actions of heterologous transcriptional factors.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenqiang Li ◽  
Shuntang Li ◽  
Jie Qiao ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
...  

AbstractCRISPR-Cas9 is a versatile and powerful genome engineering tool. Recently, Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes have been used as promising biological tools with plenty of in vivo and in vitro applications, but there are by far no efficient methods to produce Cas9 RNP at large scale and low cost. Here, we describe a simple and effective approach for direct preparation of Cas9 RNP from E. coli by co-expressing Cas9 and target specific single guided RNAs. The purified RNP showed in vivo genome editing ability, as well as in vitro endonuclease activity that combines with an unexpected superior stability to enable routine uses in molecular cloning instead of restriction enzymes. We further develop a RNP-based PCR-free method termed Cas-Brick in a one-step or cyclic way for seamless assembly of multiple DNA fragments with high fidelity up to 99%. Altogether, our findings provide a general strategy to prepare Cas9 RNP and supply a convenient and cost-effective DNA assembly method as an invaluable addition to synthetic biological toolboxes.


1996 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 719-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Neubauer ◽  
Thomas Knittel ◽  
Sabine Aurisch ◽  
Peter Fellmer ◽  
Giuliano Ramadori

2001 ◽  
Vol 152 (6) ◽  
pp. 1247-1254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Troyanovsky ◽  
Tetyana Levchenko ◽  
Göran Månsson ◽  
Olga Matvijenko ◽  
Lars Holmgren

Angiostatin, a circulating inhibitor of angiogenesis, was identified by its ability to maintain dormancy of established metastases in vivo. In vitro, angiostatin inhibits endothelial cell migration, proliferation, and tube formation, and induces apoptosis in a cell type–specific manner. We have used a construct encoding the kringle domains 1–4 of angiostatin to screen a placenta yeast two-hybrid cDNA library for angiostatin-binding peptides. Here we report the identification of angiomotin, a novel protein that mediates angiostatin inhibition of migration and tube formation of endothelial cells. In vivo, angiomotin is expressed in the endothelial cells of capillaries as well as larger vessels of the human placenta. Upon expression of angiomotin in HeLa cells, angiomotin bound and internalized fluorescein-labeled angiostatin. Transfected angiomotin as well as endogenous angiomotin protein were localized to the leading edge of migrating endothelial cells. Expression of angiomotin in endothelial cells resulted in increased cell migration, suggesting a stimulatory role of angiomotin in cell motility. However, treatment with angiostatin inhibited migration and tube formation in angiomotin-expressing cells but not in control cells. These findings indicate that angiostatin inhibits cell migration by interfering with angiomotin activity in endothelial cells.


Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 519-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangwei Liu ◽  
Xuelian Hu ◽  
Bo Sun ◽  
Tao Yang ◽  
Jianfeng Shi ◽  
...  

Abstract Neutrophils are critically involved in host defense and tissue damage. Intrinsic molecular mechanisms controlling neutrophil differentiation and activities are poorly defined. Herein we found that p53-induced phosphatase 1(Wip1) is preferentially expressed in neutrophils among immune cells. The Wip1 expression is gradually up-regulated during the differentiation of myeloid precursors into mature neutrophils. Wip1-deficient mice and chimera mice with Wip1−/− hematopoietic cells had an expanded pool of neutrophils with hypermature phenotypes in the periphery. The in vivo and in vitro studies showed that Wip1 deficiency mainly impaired the developing process of myeloid progenitors to neutrophils in an intrinsic manner. Mechanism studies showed that the enhanced development and maturation of neutrophils caused by Wip1 deficiency were mediated by p38 MAPK-STAT1 but not p53-dependent pathways. Thus, our findings identify a previously unrecognized p53-independent function of Wip1 as a cell type-specific negative regulator of neutrophil generation and homeostasis through limiting the p38 MAPK-STAT1 pathway.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoru Iwata ◽  
Hitomi Nakadai ◽  
Daisuke Fukushi ◽  
Mami Jose ◽  
Miki Nagahara ◽  
...  

Abstract The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system has facilitated dramatic progress in the field of genome engineering. Whilst microinjection of the Cas9 protein and a single guide RNA (sgRNA) into mouse zygotes is a widespread method for producing genetically engineered mice, in vitro and in vivo electroporation (which are much more convenient strategies) have recently been developed. However, it remains unknown whether these electroporation methods are able to manipulate genomes at the chromosome level. In the present study, we used these techniques to introduce chromosomal inversions of several megabases (Mb) in length in mouse zygotes. Using in vitro electroporation, we successfully introduced a 7.67 Mb inversion, which is longer than any previously reported inversion produced using microinjection-based methods. Additionally, using in vivo electroporation, we also introduced a long chromosomal inversion by targeting an allele in F1 hybrid mice. To our knowledge, the present study is the first report of target-specific chromosomal inversions in mammalian zygotes using electroporation.


Author(s):  
Raul I. Garcia ◽  
Evelyn A. Flynn ◽  
George Szabo

Skin pigmentation in mammals involves the interaction of epidermal melanocytes and keratinocytes in the structural and functional unit known as the Epidermal Melanin Unit. Melanocytes(M) synthesize melanin within specialized membrane-bound organelles, the melanosome or pigment granule. These are subsequently transferred by way of M dendrites to keratinocytes(K) by a mechanism still to be clearly defined. Three different, though not necessarily mutually exclusive, mechanisms of melanosome transfer have been proposed: cytophagocytosis by K of M dendrite tips containing melanosomes, direct injection of melanosomes into the K cytoplasm through a cell-to-cell pore or communicating channel formed by localized fusion of M and K cell membranes, release of melanosomes into the extracellular space(ECS) by exocytosis followed by K uptake using conventional phagocytosis. Variability in methods of transfer has been noted both in vivo and in vitro and there is evidence in support of each transfer mechanism. We Have previously studied M-K interactions in vitro using time-lapse cinemicrography and in vivo at the ultrastructural level using lanthanum tracer and freeze-fracture.


1969 ◽  
Vol 22 (03) ◽  
pp. 577-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M.P Paulssen ◽  
A.C.M.G.B Wouterlood ◽  
H.L.M.A Scheffers

SummaryFactor VIII can be isolated from plasma proteins, including fibrinogen by chromatography on agarose. The best results were obtained with Sepharose 6B. Large scale preparation is also possible when cryoprecipitate is separated by chromatography. In most fractions containing factor VIII a turbidity is observed which may be due to the presence of chylomicrons.The purified factor VIII was active in vivo as well as in vitro.


1981 ◽  
Vol 45 (03) ◽  
pp. 285-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
J P Allain ◽  
A Gaillandre ◽  
D Frommel

SummaryFactor VIII complex and its interaction with antibodies to factor VIII have been studied in 17 non-haemophilic patients with factor VIII inhibitor. Low VIII:C and high VIIIR.Ag levels were found in all patients. VIII:WF levels were 50% of those of VTIIRrAg, possibly related to an increase of poorly aggregated and electrophoretically fast moving VIIIR:Ag oligomers.Antibody function has been characterized by kinetics of VIII :C inactivation, saturability by normal plasma and the slope of the affinity curve. Two major patterns were observed:1) Antibodies from 6 patients behaved similarly to those from haemophiliacs by showing second order inhibition kinetics, easy saturability and steep affinity slope (> 1).2) Antibodies from other patients, usually with lower titres, inactivated VIII :C according to complex order kinetics, were not saturable, and had a less steep affinity slope (< 0.7). In native plasma, or after mixing with factor VIII concentrate, antibodies of the second group did not form immune complexes with the whole factor VIII molecular complex. However, dissociation procedures did release some antibodies from apparently low molecular weight complexes formed in vivo or in vitro. For appropriate management of non-haemophilic patients with factor VIII inhibitor, it is important to determine the functional properties of their antibodies to factor VIII.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 87-90
Author(s):  
S.V. Nikulin ◽  
V.A. Petrov ◽  
D.A. Sakharov

The real-time monitoring of electric capacitance (impedance spectroscopy) allowed obtaining evidence that structures which look like intestinal villi can be formed during the cultivation under static conditions as well as during the cultivation in microfluidic chips. It was shown in this work via transcriptome analysis that the Hh signaling pathway is involved in the formation of villus-like structures in vitro, which was previously shown for their formation in vivo. impedance spectroscopy, intestine, villi, electric capacitance, Hh The study was funded by the Russian Science Foundation (Project 16-19-10597).


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