利用 CRISPR／Cas9敲除大鼠胰岛素受体底物1（Ir s1）基因

目的：为研究胰岛素受体底物1（Irs1）基因与代谢病之间的关系,我们利用CRISPR/Cas9系统敲除大鼠Irs1基因,为研究代谢病提供基因敲除大鼠。方法针对Irs1第一外显子,设计CRISPR/Cas9作用靶点,构建sgRNA表达质粒。利用T7 RNA聚合酶体外转录sgRNA和Cas9。将Cas9 mRNA和sgRNA混合物注射入SD大鼠的受精卵中,实现靶基因敲除。用T7 EN1实验初步检测靶基因的修饰情况,再经过测序分析确定突变。结果获得了5个在Irs1基因突变的首建鼠,突变效率为83％。结论得到了稳定遗传的Irs1基因敲除大鼠。     

金针菇G蛋白偶联受体基因的CRISPR/Cas9基因组编辑载体构建及转化研究

通过氨基酸同源比对（Blast P）以及金针菇冷诱导前后菌丝阶段和原基阶段的转录组数据分析,获得了金针菇中的两个假定G蛋白偶联受体基因Fvgpcr1、Fvgpcr2。对获得的金针菇假定G蛋白偶联受体基因Fvgpcr1、Fvgpcr2构建了基因组编辑（CRISPR/Cas9）的pCAMBIA0390-hph-Fvcas9-Fvgpcr1- sgRNA1/sgRNA2、pCAMBIA0390-hph-Fvcas9-Fvgpcr2-sgRNA1/sgRNA2等4个表达载体。通过农杆菌介导（ATMT）将表达载体pCAMBIA0390-hph-Fvcas9-Fvgpcr-sgRNA转化金针菇菌丝体,采用潮霉素和头孢毒素低浓度初筛和高浓度复筛,经两段筛选获得金针菇拟转化子。经对拟转化子进行PCR鉴定、RT-qPCR检测和Western杂交验证,结果显示表达载体pCAMBIA0390-hph-Fvcas9-Fvgpcr-sgRNA成功整合进金针菇基因组中,FvCas9蛋白正常表达,但未得到Fvgpcr基因敲除突变体。本研究利用农杆菌介导转化法在金针菇中构建了CRISPR/Cas9敲除体系,对后续目标基因的敲除有着重要意义。     

利用CRISPR/Cas9技术构建AEG-1基因敲除U251细胞系并探讨其转移行为的特点

星形胶质细胞上调基因-1(astrocyte elevated gene-1,AEG-1)在多种肿瘤中过表达,参与肿瘤的形成、转移等过程。本实验利用CRISPR/Cas9技术敲除AEG-1基因并研究其在胶质瘤细胞转移过程中的作用。首先设计构建sgRNA/Cas9二合一表达载体并转染到人胶质瘤U251细胞中,通过TA克隆测序鉴定sgRNA的活性;然后筛选建立稳定的AEG-1敲除U251细胞系,并利用Western blot实验检测AEG-1的敲除效率;最后利用Transwell小室、划痕实验评价AEG-1敲除后对肿瘤细胞迁移能力的影响。结果显示,成功构建靶向敲除AEG-1基因的sgRNA/Cas9二合一表达载体,所构建的载体与实验设计相一致,通过TA克隆测序鉴定sgRNA有活性;成功建立稳定的AEG-1敲除U251细胞系,Western blot实验结果表明敲除效率高达98%; Transwell小室实验、划痕实验结果表明AEG-1敲除U251细胞系的转移能力明显降低。     

CRISPR/Cas9系统介导的miR-155基因敲除细胞的制备

为研究miR-155基因在猪肺泡巨噬细胞系(3D4/21)中的功能,采用CRISPR/Cas9系统构建miR-155敲除的猪肺泡巨噬细胞系。首先,采用sgRNA-cas9程序,设计4个靶向miR-155的特异性sgRNA引物序列。然后构建sgRNA表达载体,与pEGFP-C1-cas9载体共转染3D4/21细胞,进行流式分选并富集表达绿色荧光蛋白GFP的细胞。最后,采用T7E I酶酶切、Sanger测序、实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)、western blot等方法检测敲除效率,发现miR-155基因可以被以上4个sgRNA编辑,其中sgRNA39的敲除效率最高,T7E I酶酶切检测流式分选后的敲除效率有42%;Sanger测序显示sgRNA39细胞系敲除31个碱基;RT-qPCR结果显示miR-155-5p/3p表达量均有下降;western blot结果表明miR-155靶基因SHIP1的蛋白表达量升高。成功构建miR-155敲除的3D4/21细胞为进一步探讨miR-155在巨噬细胞发挥的调控功能研究提供细胞模型。     

利用CRISPR/Cas9系统在小鼠胚胎干细胞中进行miR-22的功能研究

旨在构造neomycin筛选标记的sgRNA表达载体,并利用CRISPR/Cas9技术构建miR-22缺失的小鼠胚胎干细胞,探究miR-22在小鼠胚胎干细胞中的调控作用。首先通过点突变、搭桥PCR等手段,构造neomycin筛选标记的sgRNA表达载体,并获得靶向敲除miR-22的sgRNA表达载体,电转至稳转Cas9的小鼠胚胎干细胞中;其次经药物筛选、基因型鉴定等步骤筛选miR-22纯合缺失的小鼠胚胎干细胞。RT-qPCR手段证实miR-22在小鼠胚胎干细胞中被成功敲除,纯合突变体的比例约为6.67%。此外,miR-22缺失并未影响胚胎干细胞的细胞形态以及Oct4、Sox2和Nanog等干性基因的表达。因此,miR-22对小鼠胚胎干细胞的干性维持并非必需,而对胚胎干细胞谱系分化和命运决定的影响还有待进一步研究。     

应用CRISPR/Cas9技术在杨树中高效敲除多个靶基因

CRISPR/Cas9系统是一种广泛应用于细菌、酵母、动物和植物中的基因组定点编辑技术。本课题组在前期工作中利用该系统在毛白杨(Populus tomentosa Carr.)中率先实现了对内源基因—八氢番茄红素脱氢酶(Phytoene dehydrogenase, PDS)基因的定点敲除。为研究靶点的设计和选择对该系统介导的杨树内源基因敲除效率的影响,本文分析了不同单向导RNA(Single-guide RNA, sgRNA)结合毛白杨PDS(PtPDS)靶基因DNA序列后对突变效率的影响。结果发现sgRNA与靶基因间的碱基错配会导致突变的效率降低,甚至不能突变,其中3′端的碱基配对更为重要。进一步测序分析发现,该系统能同时敲除杨树基因组上两个同源的PDS编码基因(PtPDS1和PtPDS2),突变率分别达86.4%和50%。研究证明该系统可快速高效地敲除两个以上的内源基因,获得多重突变体杨树株系。利用该技术,本课题组已获得多个杨树转录因子及结构基因的敲除突变体株系,为将来开展基因功能研究和杨树遗传改良奠定了基础。     

利用CRISPR/Cas9技术构建大鼠L2细胞α-ENaC基因敲除稳定细胞株

利用CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术构建大鼠L2细胞α-ENaC基因敲除的细胞株,研究α-ENaC基因对细胞增殖的影响。构建敲除α-ENaC基因的CRISPR/Cas9表达载体和筛选报告载体,通过转染和嘌呤霉素筛选获得单克隆细胞株,Western Blot、测序确定突变的细胞株,CCK-8检测突变细胞株的增殖活力。成功构建靶向α-ENaC基因第一外显子的CRISPR/Cas9表达载体和筛选报告载体,嘌呤霉素筛选后,挑选8个单细胞克隆中有两个单细胞克隆α-ENaC蛋白表达下降,一个单细胞克隆α-ENaC蛋白不再表达,测序结果显示3个单细胞克隆分别为2个单等位基因突变和1个双等位基因突变,且未发现脱靶现象。突变细胞株的增殖活力降低,其中双等位基因突变细胞株增殖活力降低更为显著。因此,利用CRISPR/Cas9结合SSA-RPG报告载体成功获得了α-ENaC基因敲除的L2细胞株,α-ENaC与细胞增殖有关。     

运用CRISPR/Cas9技术敲除人源黏着斑蛋白基因

目的:建立CRISPR/Cas9n系统,用于敲除人源黏着斑蛋白(VCL)基因。方法:设计一个靶向人源VCL基因第3个外显子的单向导RNA(sgRNA),分别克隆表达载体后,通过慢病毒转入人MDA-MB-231细胞,通过PCR及Western印迹检测细胞株中VCL基因的敲除效果。结果:测序结果显示靶向VCL基因CRISPR/Cas9重组质粒构建成功;PCR产物测序结果表明本次设计的Cas9/sgRNA能够对VCL基因进行编辑敲除;Western印迹显示Cas9-VCL组的MDA-MB-231细胞内VCL表达水平较对照组显著降低。结论:通过CRISPR/Cas9系统获得了靶向VCL基因的重组质粒,构建的重组质粒能有效敲除VCL。     

骨形态发生蛋白9基因敲除小鼠的构建

目的运用CRISR/Cas9技术敲除小鼠基因组中Bmp9基因片段,构建Bmp9基因敲除小鼠。方法根据Bmp9基因的外显子序列,设计一段sgRNA并合成。sgRNA体外转录后和Cas9mRNA混合后显微注射受精卵细胞,注射后的受精卵细胞移植至受体动物获得子代小鼠。提取子代小鼠基因组DNA测序鉴定其基因型。基因型鉴定正确的小鼠与野生型交配后筛选纯合子小鼠。同时取纯合子小鼠心脏、肝、脾、肺、肾,匀浆后提取总RNA和总蛋白,通过qPCR、WB和免疫组化检测BMP9在各组织中的表达。结果设计并合成20bp的sgRNA并进行体外转录,显微注射并回植后得到基因突变小鼠,连续交配后得F2代纯合子。测序结果显示,突变小鼠存在两种基因型,一种为5bp缺失突变,另一种为13bp缺失并伴有1bp插入突变。与野生型C57BL/6相比,qPCR、WB和免疫组化结果均表明基因敲除小鼠肝中BMP9表达显著降低。结论利用CRISPR/Cas9技术成功构建出了BMP9基因敲除小鼠。     

Establishing a dual knock-out cell line by lentivirus based combined CRISPR/Cas9 and Loxp/Cre system

The clustered regulatory interspersed short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) system has been widely used for gene knock-out. Lentiviral vectors have been commonly used as a delivery method for this system, however, prolonged Cas9/sgRNA expression due to lentiviral integration can lead to accumulating off-target mutations. To solve this issue in engineering a gene knock-out cell line, this study established a novel system, which was composed of two lentiviral vectors. One lentiviral vector carried simultaneously sgRNAs and CRISPR/Cas9 expression cassettes targeting single or multiple gene(s); the other lentiviral vector carried Cre that could remove excess sgRNAs and Cas9 expression cassettes in the genome after gene targeting was achieved. To prove the principle, two candidate genes, extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) and progranulin (PGRN), both highly expressed in MDA-MB-231 cells, were selected for testing the novel system. A dual knock-out of ECM1 and PGRN was successfully achieved in MDA-MB-231 cell line, with the sgRNAs and Cas9 expression cassettes being removed by Cre. This system should have great potential in applications for multiple genes knock-out in vitro.     

Generation of a multiplex mutagenesis population via pooled CRISPR‐Cas9 in soya bean

The output of genetic mutant screenings in soya bean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] has been limited by its paleopolypoid genome. CRISPR‐Cas9 can generate multiplex mutants in crops with complex genomes. Nevertheless, the transformation efficiency of soya bean remains low and, hence, remains the major obstacle in the application of CRISPR‐Cas9 as a mutant screening tool. Here, we report a pooled CRISPR‐Cas9 platform to generate soya bean multiplex mutagenesis populations. We optimized the key steps in the screening protocol, including vector construction, sgRNA assessment, pooled transformation, sgRNA identification and gene editing verification. We constructed 70 CRISPR‐Cas9 vectors to target 102 candidate genes and their paralogs which were subjected to pooled transformation in 16 batches. A population consisting of 407 T0 lines was obtained containing all sgRNAs at an average mutagenesis frequency of 59.2%, including 35.6% lines carrying multiplex mutations. The mutation frequency in the T1 progeny could be increased further despite obtaining a transgenic chimera. In this population, we characterized gmric1/gmric2 double mutants with increased nodule numbers and gmrdn1‐1/1‐2/1‐3 triple mutant lines with decreased nodulation. Our study provides an advanced strategy for the generation of a targeted multiplex mutant population to overcome the gene redundancy problem in soya bean as well as in other major crops.     

CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing in Soybean Hairy Roots

As a new technology for gene editing, the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)/Cas (CRISPR-associated) system has been rapidly and widely used for genome engineering in various organisms. In the present study, we successfully applied type II CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate and estimate genome editing in the desired target genes in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill.). The single-guide RNA (sgRNA) and Cas9 cassettes were assembled on one vector to improve transformation efficiency, and we designed a sgRNA that targeted a transgene (bar) and six sgRNAs that targeted different sites of two endogenous soybean genes (GmFEI2 and GmSHR). The targeted DNA mutations were detected in soybean hairy roots. The results demonstrated that this customized CRISPR/Cas9 system shared the same efficiency for both endogenous and exogenous genes in soybean hairy roots. We also performed experiments to detect the potential of CRISPR/Cas9 system to simultaneously edit two endogenous soybean genes using only one customized sgRNA. Overall, generating and detecting the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome modifications in target genes of soybean hairy roots could rapidly assess the efficiency of each target loci. The target sites with higher efficiencies can be used for regular soybean transformation. Furthermore, this method provides a powerful tool for root-specific functional genomics studies in soybean.     

利用CRISPR 系统介导人类mir-505基因位点的编辑

目的:通过针对人源mir-505基因,设计不同sgRNA,从而利用CRIPSR系统对mir-505基因位点进行编辑,并探讨CRISPR系统对靶点的剪切效率的影响因素。方法:针对人源mir-505基因设计两条具有不同GC%的sgRNA,随后分别将其构建入41824-sgRNA表达载体和42230-Cas9蛋白/sgRNA共表达载体,并将表达载体利用脂质体转染法转染入人类细胞,通过T7E1assay检测不同CRISPR系统对靶点剪切效率的影响。结果:对靶点的剪切与Cas9蛋白和sgRNA的剂量成正比;当sgRNA与Cas9蛋白共传递时,也能够明显提高靶点的剪切效率;而较低的sgRNA的GC%会降低其对靶点的剪切效率。结论:本研究利用CRISPR系统靶向人源细胞的mir-505基因,使得mir-505基因发生突变。CRISPR系统对靶点的剪切效率和sgRNA和Cas9蛋白的剂量、sgRNA是否和Cas9蛋白共传递以及sgRNA的GC%有关。     

Optimized paired‐sgRNA/Cas9 cloning and expression cassette triggers high‐efficiency multiplex genome editing in kiwifruit

Kiwifruit is an important fruit crop; however, technologies for its functional genomic and molecular improvement are limited. The clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR‐associated protein (Cas) system has been successfully applied to genetic improvement in many crops, but its editing capability is variable depending on the different combinations of the synthetic guide RNA (sgRNA) and Cas9 protein expression devices. Optimizing conditions for its use within a particular species is therefore needed to achieve highly efficient genome editing. In this study, we developed a new cloning strategy for generating paired‐sgRNA/Cas9 vectors containing four sgRNAs targeting the kiwifruit phytoene desaturase gene (AcPDS). Comparing to the previous method of paired‐sgRNA cloning, our strategy only requires the synthesis of two gRNA‐containing primers which largely reduces the cost. We further compared efficiencies of paired‐sgRNA/Cas9 vectors containing different sgRNA expression devices, including both the polycistronic tRNA‐sgRNA cassette (PTG) and the traditional CRISPR expression cassette. We found the mutagenesis frequency of the PTG/Cas9 system was 10‐fold higher than that of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, coinciding with the relative expressions of sgRNAs in two different expression cassettes. In particular, we identified large chromosomal fragment deletions induced by the paired‐sgRNAs of the PTG/Cas9 system. Finally, as expected, we found both systems can successfully induce the albino phenotype of kiwifruit plantlets regenerated from the G418‐resistance callus lines. We conclude that the PTG/Cas9 system is a more powerful system than the traditional CRISPR/Cas9 system for kiwifruit genome editing, which provides valuable clues for optimizing CRISPR/Cas9 editing system in other plants.     

CRISPys: Optimal sgRNA Design for Editing Multiple Members of a Gene Family Using the CRISPR System

The development of the CRISPR–Cas9 system in recent years has made eukaryotic genome editing, and specifically gene knockout for reverse genetics, a simple and effective task. The system is directed to a genomic target site by a programmed single-guide RNA (sgRNA) that base-pairs with it, subsequently leading to site-specific modifications. However, many gene families in eukaryotic genomes exhibit partially overlapping functions, and thus, the knockout of one gene might be concealed by the function of the other. In such cases, the reduced specificity of the CRISPR–Cas9 system, which may lead to the modification of genomic sites that are not identical to the sgRNA, can be harnessed for the simultaneous knockout of multiple homologous genes. We introduce CRISPys, an algorithm for the optimal design of sgRNAs that would potentially target multiple members of a given gene family. CRISPys first clusters all the potential targets in the input sequences into a hierarchical tree structure that specifies the similarity among them. Then, sgRNAs are proposed in the internal nodes of the tree by embedding mismatches where needed, such that the efficiency to edit the induced targets is maximized. We suggest several approaches for designing the optimal individual sgRNA and an approach to compute the optimal set of sgRNAs for cases when the experimental platform allows for more than one. The latter may optionally account for the homologous relationships among gene-family members. We further show that CRISPys outperforms simpler alignment-based techniques by in silico examination over all gene families in the Solanum lycopersicum genome.     

Expansion of CRISPR targeting sites in Bombyx mori

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been proven as a revolutionary genome engineering tool. In most cases, single guide RNA (sgRNA) targeting sites have been designed as GN19NGG or GGN18NGG, because of restriction of the initiation nucleotide for RNA Pol III promoters. Here, we demonstrate that the U6 promoter from a lepidopteran model insect, Bombyx mori, effectively expressed the sgRNA initiated with any nucleotide bases (adenine, thymine, guanine or cytosine), which further expands the CRISPR targeting space. A detailed expansion index in the genome was analysed when N20NGG was set as the CRISPR targeting site instead of GN19NGG, and revealed a significant increase of suitable targets, with the highest increase occurring on the Z sex chromosome. Transfection of different types of N20NGG sgRNAs targeting the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) combined with Cas9, significantly reduced EGFP expression in the BmN cells. An endogenous gene, BmBLOS2, was also disrupted by using various types of N20NGG sgRNAs, and the cleavage efficiency of N20NGG sgRNAs with different initial nucleotides and GC contents was evaluated in vitro. Furthermore, transgenic silkworms expressing Cas9 and sgRNAs targeting the BmBLOS2 gene were generated with many types of mutagenesis. The typical transparent skin phenotype in knock-out silkworms was stable and inheritable, suggesting that N20NGG sgRNAs function sufficiently in vivo. Our findings represent a renewal of CRISPR/Cas9 target design and will greatly facilitate insect functional genetics research.     

利用dCas9-FokI编辑大鼠Dnmt1基因

CRISPR/Cas9的发现为多种生物的基因编辑提供了强有力的工具。然而,该系统在提供靶向性基因修饰的同时,会产生一些不需要的突变,即脱靶现象。为提高CRISPR/Cas9的特异性,我们将野生型FokI核酸内切酶的功能结构域与催化功能区失活的Cas9蛋白(dCas9)进行融合,形成融合蛋白用于降低脱靶效应。FokⅠ是一种依赖于二聚化才能行使内切酶活性的核酸酶,在本研究中,通过将FokⅠ功能结构融合到dCas9的N端,构建表达质粒pST1374-dCas9-FokⅠ。我们前期研究中,发现一个sgRNA在介导Cas9编辑Dnmt1基因建立条件敲除大鼠时,存在显著的脱靶现象。以此为基础,我们利用dCas9-FokⅠ/sgRNA系统编辑大鼠Dnmt1基因,研究该系统是否能够进行基因编辑以及是否能够提高基因编辑特异性。将转录好的dCas9-FokⅠ mRNA和sgRNA显微注射到SD大鼠的受精卵中,用于产生基因编辑大鼠。通过显微注射以及胚胎移植,最终获得43只F0代大鼠,其中两只在靶点位置包含突变,突变效率达4.5%。对脱靶情况进行分析,结果显示,无脱靶现象存在。综上,表明dCas9-FokⅠ/sgRNA可以应用于编辑大鼠基因,并能显著提高特异性。尽管dCas9-FokⅠ/sgRNA系统相比于Cas9/sgRNA系统,基因编辑效率有所下降,但是该技术的发展为基因治疗提供了可供选择的潜在工具。