Cationic polymeric nanoformulation: Recent advances in material design for CRISPR/Cas9 gene therapy

CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat associated proteins 9) gene editing platform is a promising therapeutic tool for genetic disorders, due to its ability to manipulate the pathogenic gene in genomic level and to easily target specific gene by manipulating single-guide RNA. However, its successful delivery remains a challenge. Up to now, great efforts have been made to explore an effective strategy for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery. But among those delivery methods, physical methods are mainly operated on cultured cells thus limited to laboratorial use; viral vectors are hindered by fetal immunogenic and carcinogenic effects thus dubious in clinical application. Therefore, cationic polymeric vectors, with the ability to interact with CRISPR/Cas9 system to form a nanoformulation as a non-viral approach, are attracting increasing attentions, due to advantages such as well protection of cargos, less limitation in payload size, low immunogenicity or carcinogenicity, potential modifications for further functions, and ease in mass production. In this review, the recent discoveries on polymeric vectors utilized in delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 system will be summarized. With emphasis on advanced features of those polymeric vectors or their nanoformulations to meet the demands of different CRISPR/Cas9 delivery forms (plasmid, mRNA or protein), the detailed illustrations on their disease treatment applications, such as cancer, diabetes or antibiotic-resistant infections, will also be reviewed.     

基因编辑技术在花卉育种中应用的研究进展

相较传统育种,基因编辑育种能够更精准、高效地改变植物的性状,获得优良的品种.目前应用基因编辑技术于花卉育种研究的报道相对较少.该文综述了基因编辑技术,特别是规律成簇的间隔短回文重复/CRISPR-关联核酸内切酶9(CRISPR/Cas 9)在花卉中的研究进展及其局限性,同时还就花卉基因编辑育种的发展方向进行了讨论,希望...     

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.     

CRISPR-Cas 系统在生物学研究中的应用

摘要: 成簇的规律间隔的短回文重复序列( clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats,简称为 CRISPR) 系统是一种新的基因修饰技术,具有制作周期短、成本低和作用高效等优点。本文从结构、研究历史、分类和分布、作 用机制和其在生物学研究中的应用等方面介绍 CRISPR-Cas 系统。     

RNA-guided genetic silencing systems in bacteria and archaea

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) are essential components of nucleic-acid-based adaptive immune systems that are widespread in bacteria and archaea. Similar to RNA interference (RNAi) pathways in eukaryotes, CRISPR-mediated immune systems rely on small RNAs for sequence-specific detection and silencing of foreign nucleic acids, including viruses and plasmids. However, the mechanism of RNA-based bacterial immunity is distinct from RNAi. Understanding how small RNAs are used to find and destroy foreign nucleic acids will provide new insights into the diverse mechanisms of RNA-controlled genetic silencing systems.     

Preferential DNA secondary structure mutagenesis in the lagging strand of replication in E. coli

When present in single-stranded DNA, palindromic or quasi-palindromic sequences have the potential to form complex secondary structures, including hairpins, which may facilitate interstrand misalignment of direct repeats and be responsible for diverse types of replication-based mutations, including deletions, additions, frameshifts and duplications. In regions of palindromic symmetry, specific deletion events may involve the formation of a hairpin or other DNA secondary structures which can stabilize the misalignment of direct repeats. One model suggests that these deletions occur during DNA replication by slippage of the template strand and misalignment with the progeny strand. The concurrent DNA replication model, involving an asymmetric dimeric DNA polymerase III complex which replicates the leading and lagging strands, has significant implications for mutagenesis. The intermittent looping of the lagging strand template, and the fact that the lagging strand template may contain a region of single-stranded DNA the length of an Okazaki fragment, provides an opportunity for DNA secondary-structure formation and misalignment. Here we report our design of a palindromic fragment to create an 'asymmetric palindromic insert' in the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene of plasmid pBR325. The frequency with which the insert was deleted in Escherichia coli depends on the orientation of the gene in the plasmid. Our results suggest that replication-dependent deletion between direct repeats may occur preferentially in the lagging strand.     

原代小鼠卵巢上皮细胞TP53基因敲除及其生物学特征变化

目的 利用CRISPR/Cas9慢病毒载体系统建立小鼠原代卵巢上皮细胞TP53基因稳定敲除细胞系,分析细胞增殖、细胞周期、克隆形成以及细胞转移侵袭能力的变化。方法 构建LentiCRISPRv2-sgRNA TP53基因敲除质粒,用293FT细胞进行慢病毒包装,转导小鼠原代卵巢上皮细胞,嘌呤霉素筛选出稳定敲除细胞系,进行PCR、蛋白免疫印迹以及免疫荧光鉴定。细胞增殖、细胞周期变化、克隆形成、细胞迁移侵袭能力分别用MTT、流式细胞分析、单层培养以及Transwell小室进行测定。结果 TP53基因敲除小鼠原代卵巢上皮细胞中P53表达缺失;TP53敲除引起细胞迅速增殖,DNA合成加速,克隆形成以及迁移侵袭能力增强。结论 获得了原代小鼠卵巢上皮细胞TP53基因稳定敲除细胞系,细胞生物学特征明显改变。     

Induction of core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder by in vivo CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing in the brain of adolescent rhesus monkeys

Although CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing is widely applied to mimic human disorders,whether acute manipulation of disease-causing genes in the brain leads to ...     

利用CRISPR/Cas9慢病毒系统敲除人源HOIP基因

泛素化修饰是一种能调节诸多细胞功能的重要蛋白质翻译后修饰,近几年研究发现了一种新的泛素化修饰即线性泛素化修饰,LUBAC(linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex)是目前已知唯一的导致蛋白质发生线性泛素化修饰的E3酶。目前LUBAC复合物的底物和功能所知甚少。为了探索LUBAC复合物新的底物和功能,利用CRISPR/Cas9慢病毒系统构建稳定敲除LUBAC核心组分HOIP基因的HeLa细胞系,通过质谱鉴定此细胞系和对照细胞的差异泛素化修饰蛋白质,即可能是LUBAC新的底物。首先将靶向HOIP基因的不同CRISPR序列插入lenti CRISPRv2载体中,制备慢病毒质粒感染He La细胞,然后使用嘌呤霉素压力筛选,用Western Blot方法检测HOIP基因的敲除效果,最后成功地构建HOIP基因稳定敲除HeLa细胞系。此稳定细胞系的构建为日后深入研究LUBAC的功能提供一个人类细胞模型。     

CRISPR/Cas9基因转录激活技术的建立及其应用

建立基于CRISPR/Cas9的基因转录激活技术,实现在HEK293细胞中激活cGAS基因的转录。首先利用慢病毒载体构建稳定表达Cas9的HEK293细胞;并采用Real-time PCR和western blot方法鉴定Cas9蛋白质表达效果。再选取不同靶序列,分别构建用于激活cGAS基因转录的sgRNA载体,将构建好的序列载体与CRISPR体系工具质粒共转染至稳定表达Cas9的HEK293细胞中。采用Real-time PCR方法检测细胞中内源cGAS的转录激活效果。成功建立了基于CRISPR/Cas9的基因转录激活技术,并在c GAS基因阴性表达的细胞中激活基因的转录。     

CRISPR/Cas技术在木本植物改良中的应用

木本植物育种周期长、种质资源匮乏,已成为限制木本植物种质创新的主要因素。CRISPR/Cas系统是近年来发展起来的能够实现对基因组进行精准定点编辑的技术,具有操作简单、周期短、效率高等优点,可实现基因的敲除、插入、替换等目的,从而精确地引入目标性状。目前,该技术已在多种家畜、昆虫、作物中得到了成功应用,对大量性状进行了改良,实现了种质资源的原始创新,大大缩短了育种年限。CRISPR/Cas技术的产生为木本植物的遗传改良提供了契机。笔者对CRISPR/Cas技术在杨树(Populus spp.)、苹果(Malus spp.)、柑橘(Citrus spp.)、葡萄(Vitis vinifera)、木薯(Cassava spp.)等木本植物育种中的应用进行了总结,该技术实现了T0代木本植物优良基因型的固定,在生长、材性、抗病性、抗旱性等性状上得到了明显改善,加快了木本植物育种进程,提高了育种效率。但该技术在木本植物中的应用尚处于起步阶段,还存在脱靶率高、编辑效率低、纯合突变少等问题。基于此,对CRISPR/Cas技术在木本植物中的应用前景进行了展望,以期为木本植物基因功能研究及品种改良提供有益参考。     

基于 CRISPR / Cas9 技术构建点突变小鼠概述

摘要:2013 年 CRISPR( Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) / Cas( CRISPR-associated) 系统证实能够对人的细胞和其他真核细胞进行基因组编辑,现已广泛应用于生物医学领域。 本文对 CRISPR 在点突变小鼠构建中的应 用 进 行 概 述,为 单 向 导 RNA ( single guide RNA, sgRNA) 和 修 复 模 板 单 链 寡 聚 核 苷 酸 ( single-strand oligonucleotide,ssODN)的设计及体外转录、受精卵显微注射、子代鼠的鉴定等提供理论参考。     

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。     

基于金钗石斛EST的短串联重复序列的挖掘

利用计算机程序搜索了金钗石斛EST上的短串联重复位点,共获得2122个基序长度2～7 bp,SIR长度不小于12 bp且重复次数不小于3的SIR位点.其中,3 bp-SIR最为丰富,而2 bp和6 bp基序的STR位点在可表达基因中富集.金钗石斛基因组存在439个基因特异分布的STR位点,暗示这些STR位点可能与特定的...     

CpG DNA enhances the immune responses elicited by the DNA vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease virus in guinea pigs

CpG DNA is DNA sequence that has immune stimulatory effects. Several lines of investigation over the past few years indicate that CpG DNA plays an important role in the induction of immune responses to DNA vaccines. In this study, CpG DNA-containing synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) was cloned into the eukaryotic expression plasmid encoding a fusion protein containing b- galactosidase from E. coli and immunogenic epitopes of foot- and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) type O, and the immune responses induced by the plasmid were assayed. The results showed that guinea pigs immunized with the recombinant plasmid containing CpG-ODN generated a higher level of FMDV-neutralizing antibody and a stronger T cell proliferative response and protection against viral challenge than those receiving the plasmid containing no CpG-ODN. Our study demonstrated that it is an effective route to enhance the efficacy of DNA vaccines by inserting exogenous CpG DNA into the plasmids, and the DNA vaccine developed here is a promising candidate to prevent FMDV infection.     

Genomic rearrangements correlated with antigenic variation in Trypanosoma brucei

The capacity of African trypanosomes to express sequentially a large repertoire of different surface antigens during an infection enables the parasite to evade the immune response of its host, and makes attempts to produce a vaccine against the disease difficult. It is evident that point mutations cannot account for antigen diversity. Variable antigens like immunoglobulins are derived from an extensive family of genes of which only one is expressed in a given cell. As somatic tic recombination is involved in the immunoglobulin gene system, this similarity prompted us to search for somatic rearrangements in trypanosome variable antigen genes. We have constructed a recombinant plasmid containing approximately half the DNA sequence coding for a Trypanosoma brucei variable antigen and hybridised the inserted sequences to various restriction enzyme digests of nuclear DNA from different trypanosome clones. Differences in the sizes of restriction tion fragments hybridising to the inserted variable antigen coding sequence show altered positions of enzyme sites relative to this sequence, indicating different arrangements of DNA sequences around this gene in different trypanosome clones.