快速构建多重sgRNA载体利用CRISPR/Cas9技术敲除拟南芥IAA2基因

IAA2(Indole Acetic Acid 2)是拟南芥Aux/IAA生长素响应基因大家族中的一员,目前还没有它的突变体的报道,阻碍了对其功能和作用机制的深入研究。在CRISPR/Cas9基因组编辑技术中,1个sgRNA只能靶向基因的1个位点,有时基因敲除的效率并不高。为了提高敲除效率,本文在Golden-Gate克隆技术的基础上,通过两轮PCR扩增,将每3个sgRNA串联到同1个入门载体中,再将入门载体与含Cas9表达框的目标载体LR反应,获得最终的表达载体。结果表明,设计的6个sgRNA有4个发挥了作用,产生了碱基插入突变和大片段缺失突变等多种可遗传的突变。与单个sgRNA相比,多重sgRNA的基因敲除效率高、种系突变多;与其他构建多重sgRNA载体的方法相比,本方法具有快速、高效等优点。本文所得到的5个突变体为后续的IAA2功能研究提供了良好的材料。     

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。     

封面说明

正miRNAs是一类长约18~22 nt的小分子非编码RNA,能调控转录后的靶基因表达。基于CRISPR/Cas系统介导的基因组定点编辑技术已广泛应用于基因敲除、单碱基编辑与基因激活和抑制表达等,该技术也能用于靶向编辑miRNA。然而,miRNA前体长度较短,在miRNA前体中,是否含有适用于不同基因组编辑核酸内切酶且特异性高的sgRNA还未被系统研究。为了依据不同miRNA前体的序列特征,灵活采用不同类型     

机器学习方法在CRISPR/Cas9系统中的应用

基于CRISPR/Cas9系统介导的第三代基因组定点编辑技术,已被广泛应用于基因编辑和基因表达调控等研究领域。如何提高该技术对基因组编辑的效率与特异性、最大限度降低脱靶风险一直是该领域的难点。近年来,机器学习为解决CRISPR/Cas9系统所面临的问题提供了新思路,基于机器学习的CRISPR/Cas9系统已逐渐成为研究热点。本文阐述了CRISPR/Cas9的作用机理,总结了现阶段该技术面临的基因组编辑效率低、存在潜在的脱靶效应、前间区序列邻近基序(PAM)限制识别序列等问题,最后对机器学习应用于优化设计高效向导RNA (sgRNA)序列、预测sgRNA的活性、脱靶效应评估、基因敲除、高通量功能基因筛选等领域的研究现状与发展前景进行了展望,以期为基因组编辑领域的研究提供参考。     

CRISPR/Cas9介导的荔枝霜疫霉基因组编辑系统的建立

参考大豆疫霉的CRISPR/Cas9基因组编辑技术体系,针对荔枝霜疫霉RXLR效应蛋白编码基因Pl Avh133设计了20 bp的sgRNA靶向序列,结合同源替换的方式对该基因进行敲除。利用聚乙二醇(PEG)介导的原生质体转化,共获得了58个具有G418抗性的转化子,通过PCR和测序分析证明其中5个转化子的Pl Avh133基因被敲除,敲除效率约为8.6%。荧光定量PCR分析证实Pl Avh133敲除突变体中该基因不表达。本研究结果为荔枝霜疫霉的基因功能研究提供了重要的技术基础。     

利用CRISPR/Cas9技术构建拟南芥多基因缺失突变体体系

CRISPR/Cas系统来源于古细菌和细菌在进化过程中逐渐形成的一种适应性免疫系统,近年来被改造成为一种新型的基因编辑技术,它能在sgRNA引导下利用Cas9核酸酶对DNA进行定点切割。然而,此系统的缺点在于一对sgRNA具有较高的脱靶率。本实验拟通过改造CRISPR/Cas9相关载体,一方面简化载体构建步骤,另一方面通过设计两对sgRNA1和sgRNA2,提高靶标识别特异性,克服较高脱靶率的问题。实验以拟南芥基因组中U-Box E3家族基因中3个高度同源基因为靶对象,利用改造后的CRISPR/Cas9载体构建拟南芥多基因缺失突变体体系。此体系的建立有助于研究拟南芥基因组中的家族基因功能,并克服拟南芥家族基因功能研究中的冗余问题。     

CRISPR/Cas9介导的水稻OsRhoGAP2基因的敲除

OsRhoGAP2是通过酵母双杂交从水稻幼穗组织分离的一种Rho GTP酶激活蛋白质编码基因,其功能尚不明确。为鉴定该基因的功能,本研究采用CRISPR/Cas9技术构建了OsRhoGAP2基因单靶标敲除载体,并转化日本晴水稻。对转基因水稻的筛选以及编辑靶点扩增和测序结果表明,在T_0代获得3种杂合突变体,在T_1代获得2种纯合突变体,命名为株系1和株系16。2个纯合敲除株系在OsRhoGAP2编辑靶点分别缺失2个和1个碱基,均导致该基因的移码突变并最终造成无义突变。序列分析显示,突变体中预期生成的OsRhoGAP2截短蛋白质丧失了保守的RhoGAP结构域及CRIB基序。抽穗期水稻的叶片扫描电镜观察结果显示,株系1的叶片表皮毛大量缺失;对抽穗期水稻的剑叶进行光合指标测量,发现突变体与野生型在净光合速率与气孔导度上存在显著差异。其中,株系1和株系16的净光合速率分别上升17.79%和7.70%,气孔导度分别上升113.10%和64.50%,提示OsRhoGAP2基因的功能可能涉及这些生物学过程。     

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.     

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.     

CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated gene knockout in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis

Knockout of genes with CRISPR/Cas9 is a newly emerged approach to investigate functions of genes in various organisms. We demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9 can mutate endogenous genes of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis, a splendid model for elucidating molecular mechanisms for constructing the chordate body plan. Short guide RNA (sgRNA) and Cas9 mRNA, when they are expressed in Ciona embryos by means of microinjection or electroporation of their expression vectors, introduced mutations in the target genes. The specificity of target choice by sgRNA is relatively high compared to the reports from some other organisms, and a single nucleotide mutation at the sgRNA dramatically reduced mutation efficiency at the on‐target site. CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated mutagenesis will be a powerful method to study gene functions in Ciona along with another genome editing approach using TALE nucleases.     

Demonstration of CRISPR/Cas9/sgRNA-mediated targeted gene modification in Arabidopsis,tobacco, sorghum and rice

The type II CRISPR/Cas system from Streptococcus pyogenes and its simplified derivative, the Cas9/single guide RNA (sgRNA) system, have emerged as potent new tools for targeted gene knockout in bacteria, yeast, fruit fly, zebrafish and human cells. Here, we describe adaptations of these systems leading to successful expression of the Cas9/sgRNA system in two dicot plant species, Arabidopsis and tobacco, and two monocot crop species, rice and sorghum. Agrobacterium tumefaciens was used for delivery of genes encoding Cas9, sgRNA and a non-fuctional, mutant green fluorescence protein (GFP) to Arabidopsis and tobacco. The mutant GFP gene contained target sites in its 5′ coding regions that were successfully cleaved by a CAS9/sgRNA complex that, along with error-prone DNA repair, resulted in creation of functional GFP genes. DNA sequencing confirmed Cas9/sgRNA-mediated mutagenesis at the target site. Rice protoplast cells transformed with Cas9/sgRNA constructs targeting the promoter region of the bacterial blight susceptibility genes, OsSWEET14 and OsSWEET11, were confirmed by DNA sequencing to contain mutated DNA sequences at the target sites. Successful demonstration of the Cas9/sgRNA system in model plant and crop species bodes well for its near-term use as a facile and powerful means of plant genetic engineering for scientific and agricultural applications.     

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.

     

CRISPR/Cas9慢病毒系统敲除胰岛β细胞PKA C-α的研究

利用CRISPR/cas9系统建立稳定敲除PKA C-α基因的INS-1细胞株,研究PKA C-α在胰岛β细胞中的功能。设计2个长25 bp且分别靶向PKA C-α基因的exon 5和exon 7的sgRNA,将其克隆至LentiCRISPRv2-sgRNA质粒并转染至293T细胞中制备sgRNA-Cas9慢病毒,慢病毒感染INS-1细胞,嘌呤霉素筛选出阳性细胞并采用有限稀释法筛选单克隆细胞,Western blotting印记法检测单克隆细胞中PKA C-α蛋白的表达水平,测序确认单克隆细胞中PKA C-α基因的突变位点。WB实验证实靶向Exon 5的sgRNA可成功敲除PKA C-α基因,得到稳定敲除PKA C-α基因的细胞株,测序结果表明该细胞株的PKA C-α基因发生1 bp碱基插入突变,并且敲除PKA C-α基因的INS-1细胞胰岛素分泌能力下降。本实验利用CRISPR/Cas9系统成功敲除INS-1细胞中的PKA C-α基因,为研究PKA C-α在胰岛β细胞中的功能奠定了基础。     

Successful Transient Expression of Cas9 and Single Guide RNA Genes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 system has become a powerful and precise tool for targeted gene modification (e.g., gene knockout and gene replacement) in numerous eukaryotic organisms. Initial attempts to apply this technology to a model, the single-cell alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, failed to yield cells containing edited genes. To determine if the Cas9 and single guide RNA (sgRNA) genes were functional in C. reinhardtii, we tested the ability of a codon-optimized Cas9 gene along with one of four different sgRNAs to cause targeted gene disruption during a 24-h period immediately following transformation. All three exogenously supplied gene targets as well as the endogenous FKB12 (rapamycin sensitivity) gene of C. reinhardtii displayed distinct Cas9/sgRNA-mediated target site modifications as determined by DNA sequencing of cloned PCR amplicons of the target site region. Success in transient expression of Cas9 and sgRNA genes contrasted with the recovery of only a single rapamycin-resistant colony bearing an appropriately modified FKB12 target site in 16 independent transformation experiments involving >10⁹ cells. Failure to recover transformants with intact or expressed Cas9 genes following transformation with the Cas9 gene alone (or even with a gene encoding a Cas9 lacking nuclease activity) provided strong suggestive evidence for Cas9 toxicity when Cas9 is produced constitutively in C. reinhardtii. The present results provide compelling evidence that Cas9 and sgRNA genes function properly in C. reinhardtii to cause targeted gene modifications and point to the need for a focus on development of methods to properly stem Cas9 production and/or activity following gene editing.     

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。     

CRISPR/Cas9高效敲除突触结合蛋白Ⅰ的电生理学研究

研究一种蛋白质在神经元中的功能,最有效的方法之一是在该基因敲除动物的神经元中确认其表型.传统的用胚胎干细胞建立基因敲除动物模型的方法虽然稳定,但是复杂、耗时.近几年来,一种新型基因组编辑技术——CRISPR/Cas9,能够在不分裂的神经元中高效特异地敲除目的基因.本文研究了用CRISPR/Cas9系统敲除突触结合蛋白Ⅰ(synaptotagminⅠ,Syt1)基因后的小鼠海马培养神经元的电生理学特性.我们设计并构建了Syt1单导向RNA(Syt1 sgRNA)的慢病毒载体质粒,并用编码Cas9和Syt1 sgRNA的慢病毒感染培养的小鼠海马神经元,急性敲除神经元中Syt1基因(Syt1 sgRNA组),并用不靶向任何基因的Scramble sgRNA感染神经元作为阴性对照(Scramble组).通过全细胞膜片钳的方法检测单动作电位诱发的兴奋性突触后电流(single AP-eEPSC)、微小兴奋性突触后电流(mEPSCs)、高糖反应测量的即刻可释放囊泡池(RRP)以及10 Hz串刺激测量的囊泡释放概率(P_r).结果显示,Syt1 sgRNA组神经元丧失了Syt1的功能,并且与Syt1敲除(Syt1 KO)小鼠神经元的突触传递表型相似,而Scramble组神经元的各参数和野生型(WT)小鼠神经元相比没有显著性差异.本文为CRISPR/Cas9技术应用于神经元中基因的急性修饰提供了依据.