Cas9蛋白变体VQR高效识别水稻NGAC前间区序列邻近基序

成簇的规律间隔短回文重复序列及CRISPR相关蛋白(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated 9, CRISPR/Cas9)系统是近年来发展起来并被广泛应用的第三代基因组编辑工具。但是,该系统的酿脓链球菌Cas9(Streptococcus pyogenes, SpCas9)仅能识别NGG前间区序列邻近基序(protospacer adjacent motif, PAM),极大地限制了基因组编辑的范围。SpCas9变体VQR(D1135V/R1335Q/T1337R)在水稻中可识别NGAA、NGAG和NGAT PAM,但尚不清楚是否能识别NGAC PAM。本研究利用改进后的CRISPR/VQR系统对水稻中3个相对低效的VQR靶位点NAL1-Q1、NAL1-Q2和LPA1-Q进行了编辑,结果表明改进后的CRISPR/VQR系统可以高效编辑这3个靶位点,编辑效率分别为9.75%、43.90%和29.26%。为了明确改进后的CRISPR/VQR系统对NGAC PAM的识别情况,本研究选择水稻叶片宽度调控基因NARROW LEAF 1 (NAL1)中的NAL-C位点和蜡质合成基因GLOSSY1 (GL1)中的GL1-C位点进行基因编辑,并获得57株转基因水稻。靶位点PCR扩增及测序结果表明,NAL1-C和GL1-C靶标位点突变的植株分别为27株和44株,突变率分别为47.36%和77.19%;其中NAL1-C/GL1-C双突变植株为26株,双突变率为45.61%。进一步分析表明,CRISPR/VQR系统造成的突变有4种类型,分别为杂合突变、双等位突变、嵌合体突变和纯合突变,其中以杂合突变和双等位突变为主。这些结果表明,改进的CRISPR/VQR系统可以高效编辑水稻NGAC PAM位点,并产生丰富的突变类型。本研究为水稻及其他植物相关基因NGAC PAM位点的编辑提供了理论依据。     

利用CRISPR/Cas9多基因编辑系统在水稻中快速引入遗传多样性

成簇的规律间隔的短回文重复序列(CRISPR)-核酸内切酶9(CRISPR/Cas9)系统已经成为许多物种特定基因组编辑的强大工具.利用CRISPR/Cas9多基因编辑系统成功构建共敲除水稻(Oryza sativa)中8个农艺性状基因的载体.通过遗传转化实验和DNA测序,发现8个基因在T_0代有较高的突变效率,并且T_0代突变株的突变类型包括杂合突变和纯合突变.此外,还在T_0代突变株中发现了纯合的六突突变株、七突突变株、八突突变株.由于T_0代植物中获得丰富的突变体组合类型,因而,观测到靶基因多样的突变表型.该研究表明,CRISPR/Cas9系统在作物育种过程中快速引入遗传多样性方面的潜力.     

植物CRISPR/Cas9多基因编辑载体构建和突变分析的操作方法

CRISPR/Cas9基因组编辑技术是植物基因功能研究与作物改良的有效工具.为此,本实验室开发了高效的CRISPR/Cas9植物多基因编辑载体系统.本载体系统包括6个双元载体和12个含有不同U3/U6启动子的sg RNA中间载体,可满足对单子叶和双子叶植物的遗传转化以及不同抗生素筛选的要求,具有简便、高效,可同时对多基因进行编辑的特点.此外,为了能更高效地应用基因组编辑技术,还开发了一站式在线分析工具包CRISPR-GE.为方便研究人员利用CRISPR/Cas9系统进行植物基因组编辑,本文提供了从靶点选择、CRISPR/Cas9多靶点双元载体构建,以及对靶点突变序列的测序分析等详细的操作方法,以及常见的问题解答.     

利用CRISPR/Cas9核酸酶靶向细菌必需基因的特异性抗菌剂研究（英文）

CRISPR/Cas9核酸酶是一种高效和精确的基因组DNA编辑工具。目前,CRISPR/Cas9被开发成一种新型抗菌剂,通过靶向破坏目标基因,例如抗生素耐药基因来诱导细菌死亡。本研究利用CRISPR携带多靶点优势,同时靶向大肠杆菌必需基因gyrA、gyrB和folA,以达到杀菌作用。本设计针对3个内源基因的CRISPR系列载体,分别含有1个、2个或3个靶点。当IPTG诱导Cas9表达后,CRISPR RNA (crRNA)和反式作用CRISPR RNA (trans-activating CRISPR RNA, tracrRNA)复合物募集Cas9切割靶基因,导致细菌死亡。随着crRNA中靶点数量的增加,杀菌效率显著提高。当含有3个靶点的crRNA作用于细菌基因组时,杀菌效率达到99.35%。此外,在存活的大肠杆菌中,crRNA表达质粒的靶序列和直接重复序列发现碱基缺失,而内源靶基因和Cas9基因均未发生突变。最后,该CRISPR系统还应用于其他大肠杆菌实验室菌株和产肠毒素K88菌株,并表现出高效的杀菌作用。我们设计了一种基于CRISPR/Cas9核酸酶的新型抗菌剂,为抗菌剂的研发提供新策略。     

采用CELⅠ酶粗提物高效鉴定CRISPR/Cas9介导的基因突变

CRISPR/Cas9是新兴的基因组编辑技术,该技术操作简单、效率高,已成为目前最主流的基因组编辑技术。利用该技术进行突变体创制,对基因功能研究和育种应用具有重要的意义,而快速、高效、低成本的基因编辑个体鉴定是其中的重要环节。本研究对影响CELⅠ粗提物鉴定CRISPR/Cas9介导的水稻基因编辑个体的条件,包括蛋白用量及作用时间、PCR反应缓冲液等条件进行了探索,并将整个检测体系集成于一管操作。同时,采用CELⅠ粗提物检测了CRISPR/Cas9介导水稻stn1突变的T_0代植株及后代,对杂合突变、纯合突变及双等位突变的鉴定策略进行了探讨;该方法检测正确率经测序验证达100%。上述结果表明,采用CELⅠ粗提物检测突变体与已有方法比较具有廉价、快速和高效的特点。     

CRISPR/Cas9切割痘病毒DNA抑制病毒复制

当前,CRISPR/Cas9系统靶向痘苗病毒的相关研究鲜有报道。该文采用了CRISPR/Cas9基因组定点编辑技术,以痘病毒为研究对象。在重组痘病毒WR-EGFP中针对EGFP基因序列设计不同靶点g RNAs,转染Cas9/g RNA质粒,同时感染WR-EGFP痘病毒,随后观察EGFP荧光表达、提取病毒基因组,通过PCR进行切口鉴定并运用错配酶切法验证CRISPR/Cas9对痘病毒靶点DNA切割的切口修复情况。与单独感染WR-EGFP组相比,转染了Cas9/g RNA174和Cas9/g RNA175质粒的EGFP荧光强度明显降低,表明CRISPR/Cas9抑制WR-EGFP病毒中EGFP基因的表达。相对定量PCR及错配酶切实验结果显示,CRISPR/Cas9切割靶点导致WR-EGFP病毒基因组产生了切口,并且存在DNA错配修复现象。最后,通过结晶紫染色法测定痘病毒的滴度,结果显示,经CRISPR/Cas9处理组的痘病毒滴度显著下降,即CRISPR/Cas9能够使痘病毒的复制能力显著地降低。综上所述,CRISPR/Cas9切割痘病毒基因组DNA并且抑制痘病毒复制。     

利用CRISPR/Cas9技术构建定点突变小鼠品系

CRISPR/Cas9技术是新近发展起来的对细胞和动物模型进行基因编辑的重要方法。本文利用DNA双链断裂(Double-strand breaks, DSBs)引起的同源重组(Homologous recombination, HR)依赖与非依赖的修复机制,建立基于CRISPR/Cas9核酸酶技术构建定点突变小鼠品系的技术体系。针对赖氨酸特异脱甲基化酶2b(Lysine (K)-specific demethylase 2b, Kdm2b)酶活关键位点对应的基因组DNA序列设计单一导向RNA(Single-guide RNA, sgRNA),通过与Cas9 mRNA共显微注射,分别得到Kdm2b基因发生移码突变的基因失活品系及关键位点氨基酸缺失的酶活突变型小鼠品系。此外,利用HR介导的修复机理,将黄素单加氧酶3(Flavin containing monooxygenases3, Fmo3)基因的sgRNA序列及对应的点突变单链寡脱氧核苷(Single strand oligonucleotides, ssODN)修复模板共注射到小鼠受精卵雄原核。对F₀小鼠基因测序分析显示,成功构建了Fmo3基因移码突变的基因敲除和单碱基定点突变的基因敲入小鼠,这些突变能够稳定遗传给子代。本研究利用CRISPR/Cas9技术,通过同源重组依赖与非依赖两种DNA损伤修复方式,成功构建了特定位点突变的小鼠品系。     

CRISPR/Cas9的应用及脱靶效应研究进展

CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术在生命科学领域掀起了一场全新的技术革命,该技术可以对基因组特定位点进行靶向编辑,包括缺失、插入、修复等。CRISPR/Cas9比锌指核酸酶 (ZFNs)和转录激活因子样效应物核酸酶(TALENs)技术更易于操作,而且更高效。CRISPR/Cas9系统中的向导RNA(Single guide RNA, sgRNA)是一段与目标DNA片段匹配的RNA序列,指导Cas9蛋白对基因组进行识别。研究发现,设计的sgRNA会与非靶点DNA序列错配,引入非预期的基因突变,即脱靶效应(Off-target effects)。脱靶效应严重制约了CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术的广泛应用。为了避免脱靶效应,研究者对影响脱靶效应的因素进行了系统研究并提出了许多降低脱靶效应的方法。文章总结了CRISPR/Cas9系统的应用及脱靶效应研究进展,以期为相关领域的工作提供参考。     

基于CRISPR/Cas9系统在全基因组范围内筛选功能基因及调控元件研究进展

CRISPR/Cas9系统是一种近年来被广泛应用于基因组编辑的强大工具。通过将CRISPR/Cas9系统中的Cas9蛋白突变后,使其失去剪切活性而成为dCas9 (nuclease-dead Cas9),再结合基因功能丧失(loss-of-function,LOF)、基因功能激活(gain-of-function, GOF)以及非编码功能基因鉴定技术即可实现全基因组高通量的功能基因及调控元件靶向鉴定和筛选。目前,该技术已被广泛应用于疾病免疫机理、药物靶点筛选和动物遗传育种等研究,为生命医学和基础科学带来了全新高效的技术方法和研究思路。本文综述了基于CRISPR/Cas9技术在全基因组中高通量筛选功能基因及调控元件的方法及研究进展,重点阐述了CRISPR/Cas9系统在动物细胞中筛选功能性基因的方法,以期为基因编辑及相关研究领域提供参考。     

CRISPR/Cas9系统在基因组DNA片段编辑中的应用

源于细菌和古菌的Ⅱ型成簇规律间隔短回文重复系统[Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (Cas9),CRISPR/Cas9]近年被改造成为基因组定点编辑的新技术。由于它具有设计简单、操作方便、费用低廉等巨大优势,给遗传操作领域带来了一场革命性的改变。本文重点介绍了CRISPR/Cas9系统在基因组DNA片段靶向编辑方面的研究和应用,主要包括DNA片段的删除、反转、重复、插入和易位,这一有效的DNA片段编辑方法为研究基因功能、调控元件、组织发育和疾病发生发展提供了有力手段。本文最后展望了Ⅱ型CRISPR/Cas9系统的应用前景和其他类型CRISPR系统的应用潜力,为开展利用基因组DNA片段靶向编辑进行基因调控和功能研究提供参考。     

TALEN‐mediated targeted mutagenesis produces a large variety of heritable mutations in rice

CRISPR/Cas9 and TALEN are currently the two systems of choice for genome editing. We have studied the efficiency of the TALEN system in rice as well as the nature and inheritability of TALEN‐induced mutations and found important features of this technology. The N287C230 TALEN backbone resulted in low mutation rates (0–6.6%), but truncations in its C‐terminal domain dramatically increased efficiency to 25%. In most transgenic T0 plants, TALEN produced a single prevalent mutation accompanied by a variety of low‐frequency mutations. For each independent T0 plant, the prevalent mutation was present in most tissues within a single tiller as well as in all tillers examined, suggesting that TALEN‐induced mutations occurred very early in the development of the shoot apical meristem. Multigenerational analysis showed that TALEN‐induced mutations were stably transmitted to the T1 and T2 populations in a normal Mendelian fashion. In our study, the vast majority of TALEN‐induced mutations (~81%) affected multiple bases and ~70% of them were deletions. Our results contrast with published reports for the CRISPR/Cas9 system in rice, in which the predominant mutations affected single bases and deletions accounted for only 3.3% of the overall mutations.     

Genome Editing—Principles and Applications for Functional Genomics Research and Crop Improvement

Genome editing technologies are powerful tools for studying gene function and for crop improvement. The technologies rely on engineered endonucleases to generate double stranded breaks (DSBs) at target loci. The DSBs are repaired through the error-prone non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homology-directed repair (HDR) pathways in cells, resulting in mutations and sequence replacement, respectively. In the widely used CRISPR/Cas9 system, the endonuclease Cas9 is targeted by a CRISPR small RNA to DNA sequence of interest. In this review, we describe the four available types of genome editing tools, ZFN, TALEN, CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cpf1, and show their applications in functional genomics research and precision molecular breeding of crops.     

Patterns of CRISPR/Cas9 activity in plants,animals and microbes

The CRISPR/Cas9 system and related RNA‐guided endonucleases can introduce double‐strand breaks (DSBs) at specific sites in the genome, allowing the generation of targeted mutations in one or more genes as well as more complex genomic rearrangements. Modifications of the canonical CRISPR/Cas9 system from Streptococcus pyogenes and the introduction of related systems from other bacteria have increased the diversity of genomic sites that can be targeted, providing greater control over the resolution of DSBs, the targeting efficiency (frequency of on‐target mutations), the targeting accuracy (likelihood of off‐target mutations) and the type of mutations that are induced. Although much is now known about the principles of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, the likelihood of different outcomes is species‐dependent and there have been few comparative studies looking at the basis of such diversity. Here we critically analyse the activity of CRISPR/Cas9 and related systems in different plant species and compare the outcomes in animals and microbes to draw broad conclusions about the design principles required for effective genome editing in different organisms. These principles will be important for the commercial development of crops, farm animals, animal disease models and novel microbial strains using CRISPR/Cas9 and other genome‐editing tools.     

Target-specific mutations efficiency at multiple loci of CRISPR/Cas9 system using one sgRNA in soybean

Soybean has a palaeopolyploid genome with nearly 75% of the genes present in multiple copies. Although the CRISPR/Cas9 system has been employed in soybean to generate site-directed mutagenesis, a systematical assessment of mutation efficiency of the CRISPR/Cas9 system for the multiple-copy genes is still urgently needed. Here, we successfully optimize one sgRNA CRISPR/Cas9 system in soybean by testing the efficiency, pattern, specificity of the mutations at multiple loci of GmFAD2 and GmALS. The results showed that simultaneous site-directed mutagenesis of two homoeologous loci by one sgRNA, the mutation frequency in the T0 generation were 64.71% for GmPDS, 60.0% for GmFAD2 and 42.86% for GmALS, respectively. The chimeric and heterozygous mutations were dominant types. Moreover, association of phenotypes with mutation pattern at target loci of GmPDS11 and GmPDS18 could help us further demonstrate that the CRISPR/Cas9 system can efficiently generate target specific mutations at multiple loci using one sgRNA in soybean, albeit with a relatively low transformation efficiency.