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Journal ArticleDOI

TALEN-based Gene Correction for Epidermolysis Bullosa

TL;DR: This study provides proof-of-concept for TALen-mediated in situ correction of an endogenous patient-specific gene mutation and used an unbiased screen for comprehensive TALEN target mapping that will cooperatively facilitate translational application.
About: This article is published in Molecular Therapy.The article was published on 2013-06-01 and is currently open access. It has received 286 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Transcription activator-like effector nuclease & Gene mutation.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The experiments define the most rigorous framework for genome-wide identification of RGN off-target effects to date and provide a method for evaluating the safety of these nucleases before clinical use.
Abstract: CRISPR RNA-guided nucleases (RGNs) are widely used genome-editing reagents, but methods to delineate their genome-wide, off-target cleavage activities have been lacking. Here we describe an approach for global detection of DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) introduced by RGNs and potentially other nucleases. This method, called genome-wide, unbiased identification of DSBs enabled by sequencing (GUIDE-seq), relies on capture of double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides into DSBs. Application of GUIDE-seq to 13 RGNs in two human cell lines revealed wide variability in RGN off-target activities and unappreciated characteristics of off-target sequences. The majority of identified sites were not detected by existing computational methods or chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq). GUIDE-seq also identified RGN-independent genomic breakpoint 'hotspots'. Finally, GUIDE-seq revealed that truncated guide RNAs exhibit substantially reduced RGN-induced, off-target DSBs. Our experiments define the most rigorous framework for genome-wide identification of RGN off-target effects to date and provide a method for evaluating the safety of these nucleases before clinical use.

1,759 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Known nuclease-specific features are essential for researchers to choose the most appropriate tool for a range of applications, including their composition, targetable sites, specificities and mutation signatures, among other characteristics.
Abstract: Programmable nucleases — including zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and RNA-guided engineered nucleases (RGENs) derived from the bacterial clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-Cas (CRISPR-associated) system — enable targeted genetic modifications in cultured cells, as well as in whole animals and plants. The value of these enzymes in research, medicine and biotechnology arises from their ability to induce site-specific DNA cleavage in the genome, the repair (through endogenous mechanisms) of which allows high-precision genome editing. However, these nucleases differ in several respects, including their composition, targetable sites, specificities and mutation signatures, among other characteristics. Knowledge of nuclease-specific features, as well as of their pros and cons, is essential for researchers to choose the most appropriate tool for a range of applications.

1,018 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The improvement off-target specificity in the CRISPR/Cas9 system will provide solid genotype–phenotype correlations, and thus enable faithful interpretation of genome-editing data, which will certainly facilitate the basic and clinical application of this technology.
Abstract: CRISPR/Cas9 is a versatile genome-editing technology that is widely used for studying the functionality of genetic elements, creating genetically modified organisms as well as preclinical research of genetic disorders. However, the high frequency of off-target activity (≥50%)—RGEN (RNA-guided endonuclease)-induced mutations at sites other than the intended on-target site—is one major concern, especially for therapeutic and clinical applications. Here, we review the basic mechanisms underlying off-target cutting in the CRISPR/Cas9 system, methods for detecting off-target mutations, and strategies for minimizing off-target cleavage. The improvement off-target specificity in the CRISPR/Cas9 system will provide solid genotype–phenotype correlations, and thus enable faithful interpretation of genome-editing data, which will certainly facilitate the basic and clinical application of this technology.

812 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
05 Sep 2014-Science
TL;DR: A mutation that causes muscular dystrophy in mice can be corrected by genome editing, which prevents the disease from developing, and this proof of concept sets the stage for applying genome editing to specific cell types involved in the disease.
Abstract: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an inherited X-linked disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding dystrophin, a protein required for muscle fiber integrity. DMD is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and a shortened life span, and there is no effective treatment. We used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/Cas9 (CRISPR/Cas9)-mediated genome editing to correct the dystrophin gene (Dmd) mutation in the germ line of mdx mice, a model for DMD, and then monitored muscle structure and function. Genome editing produced genetically mosaic animals containing 2 to 100% correction of the Dmd gene. The degree of muscle phenotypic rescue in mosaic mice exceeded the efficiency of gene correction, likely reflecting an advantage of the corrected cells and their contribution to regenerating muscle. With the anticipated technological advances that will facilitate genome editing of postnatal somatic cells, this strategy may one day allow correction of disease-causing mutations in the muscle tissue of patients with DMD.

586 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The mechanisms of different genome-editing strategies are presented and each of the common nuclease-based platforms, including zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), meganucleases, and the CRISPR/Cas9 system are described.

515 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
15 Feb 2013-Science
TL;DR: The type II prokaryotic CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas adaptive immune system has been shown to facilitate RNA-guided site-specific DNA cleavage as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Functional elucidation of causal genetic variants and elements requires precise genome editing technologies. The type II prokaryotic CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas adaptive immune system has been shown to facilitate RNA-guided site-specific DNA cleavage. We engineered two different type II CRISPR/Cas systems and demonstrate that Cas9 nucleases can be directed by short RNAs to induce precise cleavage at endogenous genomic loci in human and mouse cells. Cas9 can also be converted into a nicking enzyme to facilitate homology-directed repair with minimal mutagenic activity. Lastly, multiple guide sequences can be encoded into a single CRISPR array to enable simultaneous editing of several sites within the mammalian genome, demonstrating easy programmability and wide applicability of the RNA-guided nuclease technology.

12,265 citations

01 Feb 2013
TL;DR: Two different type II CRISPR/Cas systems are engineered and it is demonstrated that Cas9 nucleases can be directed by short RNAs to induce precise cleavage at endogenous genomic loci in human and mouse cells, demonstrating easy programmability and wide applicability of the RNA-guided nuclease technology.
Abstract: Genome Editing Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) function as part of an adaptive immune system in a range of prokaryotes: Invading phage and plasmid DNA is targeted for cleavage by complementary CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) bound to a CRISPR-associated endonuclease (see the Perspective by van der Oost). Cong et al. (p. 819, published online 3 January) and Mali et al. (p. 823, published online 3 January) adapted this defense system to function as a genome editing tool in eukaryotic cells. A bacterial genome defense system is adapted to function as a genome-editing tool in mammalian cells. [Also see Perspective by van der Oost] Functional elucidation of causal genetic variants and elements requires precise genome editing technologies. The type II prokaryotic CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas adaptive immune system has been shown to facilitate RNA-guided site-specific DNA cleavage. We engineered two different type II CRISPR/Cas systems and demonstrate that Cas9 nucleases can be directed by short RNAs to induce precise cleavage at endogenous genomic loci in human and mouse cells. Cas9 can also be converted into a nicking enzyme to facilitate homology-directed repair with minimal mutagenic activity. Lastly, multiple guide sequences can be encoded into a single CRISPR array to enable simultaneous editing of several sites within the mammalian genome, demonstrating easy programmability and wide applicability of the RNA-guided nuclease technology.

10,746 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
15 Feb 2013-Science
TL;DR: The type II bacterial CRISPR system is engineer to function with custom guide RNA (gRNA) in human cells to establish an RNA-guided editing tool for facile, robust, and multiplexable human genome engineering.
Abstract: Bacteria and archaea have evolved adaptive immune defenses, termed clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems, that use short RNA to direct degradation of foreign nucleic acids. Here, we engineer the type II bacterial CRISPR system to function with custom guide RNA (gRNA) in human cells. For the endogenous AAVS1 locus, we obtained targeting rates of 10 to 25% in 293T cells, 13 to 8% in K562 cells, and 2 to 4% in induced pluripotent stem cells. We show that this process relies on CRISPR components; is sequence-specific; and, upon simultaneous introduction of multiple gRNAs, can effect multiplex editing of target loci. We also compute a genome-wide resource of ~190 K unique gRNAs targeting ~40.5% of human exons. Our results establish an RNA-guided editing tool for facile, robust, and multiplexable human genome engineering.

8,197 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An isothermal, single-reaction method for assembling multiple overlapping DNA molecules by the concerted action of a 5′ exonuclease, a DNA polymerase and a DNA ligase is described.
Abstract: We describe an isothermal, single-reaction method for assembling multiple overlapping DNA molecules by the concerted action of a 5' exonuclease, a DNA polymerase and a DNA ligase. First we recessed DNA fragments, yielding single-stranded DNA overhangs that specifically annealed, and then covalently joined them. This assembly method can be used to seamlessly construct synthetic and natural genes, genetic pathways and entire genomes, and could be a useful molecular engineering tool.

8,117 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
17 Oct 2003-Science
TL;DR: Retrovirus vector insertion can trigger deregulated premalignant cell proliferation with unexpected frequency, most likely driven by retrovirus enhancer activity on the LMO2 gene promoter.
Abstract: We have previously shown correction of X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency [SCID-X1, also known as gamma chain (gamma(c)) deficiency] in 9 out of 10 patients by retrovirus-mediated gamma(c) gene transfer into autologous CD34 bone marrow cells. However, almost 3 years after gene therapy, uncontrolled exponential clonal proliferation of mature T cells (with gammadelta+ or alphabeta+ T cell receptors) has occurred in the two youngest patients. Both patients' clones showed retrovirus vector integration in proximity to the LMO2 proto-oncogene promoter, leading to aberrant transcription and expression of LMO2. Thus, retrovirus vector insertion can trigger deregulated premalignant cell proliferation with unexpected frequency, most likely driven by retrovirus enhancer activity on the LMO2 gene promoter.

3,514 citations