Targeted gene correction of α1-antitrypsin deficiency in induced pluripotent stem cells

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent a unique opportunity for regenerative medicine because they offer the prospect of generating unlimited quantities of cells for autologous transplantation, with potential application in treatments for a broad range of disorders. However, the use of human iPSCs in the context of genetically inherited human disease will require the correction of disease-causing mutations in a manner that is fully compatible with clinical applications. The methods currently available, such as homologous recombination, lack the necessary efficiency and also leave residual sequences in the targeted genome. Therefore, the development of new approaches to edit the mammalian genome is a prerequisite to delivering the clinical promise of human iPSCs. Here we show that a combination of zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) and piggyBac technology in human iPSCs can achieve biallelic correction of a point mutation (Glu342Lys) in the α(1)-antitrypsin (A1AT, also known as SERPINA1) gene that is responsible for α(1)-antitrypsin deficiency. Genetic correction of human iPSCs restored the structure and function of A1AT in subsequently derived liver cells in vitro and in vivo. This approach is significantly more efficient than any other gene-targeting technology that is currently available and crucially prevents contamination of the host genome with residual non-human sequences. Our results provide the first proof of principle, to our knowledge, for the potential of combining human iPSCs with genetic correction to generate clinically relevant cells for autologous cell-based therapies.     

Progress of gene targeting in mouse

Gene targeting is a powerful approach of studying the gene function in vivo. Specific genetic modifications, including simple gene disruption, point mutations, large chromosomal deletions and rearrangements, targeted incorporation of foreign genes, could be introduced into the mouse genome by gene targeting. Recent studies make it possible to do the gene targeting with temporal and spatial control.     

心血管疾病的基因治疗

基因治疗在先天遗传性以及后天获得性心血管疾病治疗中均具有广阔的发展前景. 对心血管疾病致病机理的深入认识和疾病基因组学研究的发展, 进一步促进了临床前基因治疗的研究进展. 但基因治疗过程中存在的机体细胞免疫反应、外源基因表达水平不足、在体基因转导效率低下等因素都成为基因治疗临床应用转化的瓶颈. 近年来, 基因导入载体和基因组编辑技术的发展为上述问题的改善和解决提供了新的思路. 目前成族规律间隔短回文重复序列(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, CRISPR)/Cas9 基因组编辑技术已经成功应用于动物模型的在体基因编辑, 达到了显著改善血脂指标的疗效. 进一步研究体内组织特异和高效的基因导入方式, 提高基因编辑的靶向效率和特异性, 并建立全面有效的安全评估实验体系, 将推动基因治疗向临床应用的转化. 针对心血管疾病基因治疗中基因导入载体的研究以及CRISPR/Cas9 基因组编辑技术的应用展开讨论.     

利用基因打靶技术研制人类疾病小鼠模型

宏伟的人类基因组计划的顺利实施使人类真正进入了功能基因组学研究的新时代 ,与日俱增的大量遗传信息正对生物医学的研究方式和医疗模式产生巨大的影响。发展和应用针对全基因组或全系统的高通量、大规模的整体实验手段 ,利用结构基因组学提供的信息和材料研究基因的功能将成为这个时代生物医学研究的主要特征。基因功能是在由细胞组成的多层次的复杂生命体中实现的 ,因此 ,功能基因组学的研究将会在极大程度上依赖于对模式生物的研究。小鼠作为被研究的脊椎动物 ,尤其具备作为哺乳动物的模式生物具有独特的优势 :首先小鼠是具有较短世代周…     

母牦牛的繁殖力及其提高途径

系统阐述了母牦牛的繁殖力及营养、季节和遗传等因素对母牦牛初情期、发情率及犊牛成活率的影响，论述了牦牛诱导发情的研究动态及应用前景．最后提出目前能有效地提高牦牛繁殖力的途径是采用冬季补饲（青干草加少量精料）、诱导发情和防止近交等综合技术措施     

Highly efficient endogenous human gene correction using designed zinc-finger nucleases

Permanent modification of the human genome in vivo is impractical owing to the low frequency of homologous recombination in human cells, a fact that hampers biomedical research and progress towards safe and effective gene therapy. Here we report a general solution using two fundamental biological processes: DNA recognition by C2H2 zinc-finger proteins and homology-directed repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Zinc-finger proteins engineered to recognize a unique chromosomal site can be fused to a nuclease domain, and a double-strand break induced by the resulting zinc-finger nuclease can create specific sequence alterations by stimulating homologous recombination between the chromosome and an extrachromosomal DNA donor. We show that zinc-finger nucleases designed against an X-linked severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) mutation in the IL2Rgamma gene yielded more than 18% gene-modified human cells without selection. Remarkably, about 7% of the cells acquired the desired genetic modification on both X chromosomes, with cell genotype accurately reflected at the messenger RNA and protein levels. We observe comparably high frequencies in human T cells, raising the possibility of strategies based on zinc-finger nucleases for the treatment of disease.     

Targetted correction of a mutant HPRT gene in mouse embryonic stem cells

Two recent developments suggest a route to predetermined alterations in mammalian germlines. These are, first, the characterization of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells that can still enter the germline after genetic manipulation in culture and second, the demonstration that homologous recombination between a native target chromosomal gene and exogenous DAN can be used in culture to modify specifically the target locus. We here use gene targetting functionally to correct the mutant hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) gene in the ES cell line which has previously been isolated and used to produce an HPRT-deficient mouse. This modification of a chosen gene in pluripotent ES cells demonstrates the feasibility of this route to manipulating mammalian genomes in predetermined ways.     

Production of gene-targeted sheep by nuclear transfer from cultured somatic cells

It is over a decade since the first demonstration that mouse embryonic stem cells could be used to transfer a predetermined genetic modification to a whole animal. The extension of this technique to other mammalian species, particularly livestock, might bring numerous biomedical benefits, for example, ablation of xenoreactive transplantation antigens, inactivation of genes responsible for neuropathogenic disease and precise placement of transgenes designed to produce proteins for human therapy. Gene targeting has not yet been achieved in mammals other than mice, however, because functional embryonic stem cells have not been derived. Nuclear transfer from cultured somatic cells provides an alternative means of cell-mediated transgenesis. Here we describe efficient and reproducible gene targeting in fetal fibroblasts to place a therapeutic transgene at the ovine alpha1(I) procollagen (COL1A1) locus and the production of live sheep by nuclear transfer.     

PCR-based approaches for identification of multi-copy transgene integration sites in mouse genome

Transgenic mice have become one of the most im- portant resources in studying gene functions in vivo since the technology was established in the 1980s[1―3]. So far, most of the transgenic mice were generated by DNA microinjection into fertilized eggs, in…     

高效切割Hipp11 敲入位点的sgRNA 设计及活性验证

摘要: 目的设计并验证能够高效切割Hipp11 位点的sgRNA,为在Hipp11 位点定点敲入外源基因提供工作基础。方法使用预测软件对Hipp11 位点的sgRNA 进行预测并挑选脱靶效应较低的两个sgRNA。构建相应载体,通过CRISPR/Cas9 活性检测试剂盒在体外检测sgRNA 的活性。选取活性较高的sgRNA 体外转录,与Cas9 mRNA 一并注射受精卵。检测出生后小鼠Hipp11 位点切割效率,计算出sgRNA 的体内活性。结果两个sgRNA 的体外活性分别为19. 2%和51. 7%,使用体外活性高的2 号sgRNA 显微注射获得8 只新生小鼠,其中62. 5% ( 5 /8) 的小鼠中检测到Hipp11 位点周围发生碱基插入或缺失。结论获得一个能够引导高效切割的Hipp11 位点通用型sgRNA,从而为基因CRISPR 技术在Hipp11 位点定点插入外源基因奠定基础。sgRNA 体外活性能够预测sgRNA 在体内的切割活性,表明体外活性验证是筛选高活性sgRNA 的有效手段。     

通用型奶牛多位点基因打靶载体系统的构建

以奶牛为研究对象,以其重复的rRNA基因间的间隔序列为靶位点,基于BAC重组酶系统构建多位点基因打靶载体,为建立体内多位点基因打靶技术获得关键材料.首先构建BAC-TDN筛选载体,然后构建pYLVS-GD表达载体.将BAC-TDN筛选载体和pYLVS-GD表达载体共转化至大肠杆菌NS3529中,通过Cre重组酶的作用形成BAC-TDN-VS-GD质粒,采用归位内切酶I-SceI切除pYLVS载体骨架,构建奶牛多位点基因打靶载体BAC-TDN-GD,利用接头LS使之环化.BAC-TDN-GD打靶载体与pYLSV质粒组成了通用型奶牛多位点打靶载体系统.以重复序列为靶位点的多位点基因打靶技术,将部分解决目前存在的打靶效率低、安全性差等问题.     

基因组编辑植物的监管与检测技术

 基因组编辑技术是利用人工核酸酶对生物体目标基因序列进行修饰的技术。近年来,以CRISPR/Cas系统为代表的基因组编辑技术由于高效、简单的操作发展迅速,为研究动植物基因功能、疾病治疗、植物分子育种等方面提供重要的方法。同时,由于基因编辑产品的不断出现,为政府监管提出了更高的要求。通过介绍植物基因组编辑技术及其产品的种类,重点说明了主要国家、经济体在植物基因组编辑产品的安全监管的异同,概述了科学界对基因编辑作物的基本原则,并介绍了几种植物基因组编辑产品的检测方法。     

Frequent chromosomal translocations induced by DNA double-strand breaks

The faithful repair of DNA damage such as chromosomal double-strand breaks (DSBs) is crucial for genomic integrity. Aberrant repair of these lesions can result in chromosomal rearrangements, including translocations, which are associated with numerous tumours. Models predict that some translocations arise from DSB-induced recombination in differentiating lymphoid cell types or from aberrant repair of DNA damage induced by irradiation or other agents; however, a genetic system to study the aetiology of these events has been lacking. Here we use a mouse embryonic stem cell system to examine the role of DNA damage on the formation of translocations. We find that two DSBs, each on different chromosomes, are sufficient to promote frequent reciprocal translocations. The results are in striking contrast with interchromosomal repair of a single DSB in an analogous system in which translocations are not recovered. Thus, while interchromosomal DNA repair does not result in genome instability per se, the presence of two DSBs in a single cell can alter the spectrum of repair products that are recovered.     

Hepatitis B virus integration in a cyclin A gene in a hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA frequently integrates into the genome of human primary liver cancer cells, but the significance of this integration in liver carcinogenesis is still unclear. Here we report the cloning of a single HBV integration site in a human hepatocellular carcinoma at an early stage of development, and of its germline counterpart. The normal locus was found to be transcribed into two polyadenylated messenger RNA species of 1.8 and 2.7 kilobases. We have isolated a complementary DNA clone from a normal adult human liver cDNA library which has an open reading frame with a coding capacity for a protein of 432 amino acids and relative molecular mass 48,536. The strong homology of the C-terminal half of the protein to the A-type cyclins of clam and Drosophila identifies it as a human cyclin A. The cyclin A gene has several exons, and the HBV integration occurs within an intron. As cyclins are important in the control of cell division, the disruption of a cyclin A gene by viral insertion might contribute to tumorigenesis.     

RNA editing by cytidine insertion in mitochondria of Physarum polycephalum

A corollary of the central dogma of molecular biology is that genetic information passes from DNA to RNA by the continuous synthesis of RNA on a DNA template. The demonstration of RNA editing (the specific insertion, deletion or substitution of residues in RNA to create an RNA with a sequence different from its own template) raised the possibility that in some cases not all of the genetic information for a trait residues in the DNA template. Two different types of RNA editing have been identified in mitochondria: insertional editing represented by the extensive insertion (and occasional deletion) of uridine residues in mitochondrial RNAs of the kinetoplastid protozoa and the substitutional editing represented by the cytidine to uridine substitutions in some plant mitochondria. These editing types have not been shown to be present in the same organism and may have very different mechanisms. RNA editing of both types has been observed in nonmitochondrial systems but is not as extensive and may involve still different mechanisms. Here we report the discovery of extensive insertional RNA editing in mitochondria from an organism other than a kinetoplastid protozoan. The mitochondrial RNA apparently encoding the alpha subunit of ATP synthetase in the acellular slime mould, Physarum polycephalum, is edited at 54 sites by cytidine insertion.