Engineering genomics. RNA antagonists--a new class of antisense drugs.
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Plastid transformation offers the unique advantages of high-level transgene expression and increased transgene containment compared with conventional transgenic technologies. The process relies on the homologous recombination machinery of the plastid incorporating foreign DNA into the plastome, which restricts the method to species where this type of incorporation works well. However, Pal Maliga and colleagues have recently reported a novel approach for integrating foreign DNA into the plastid genome that works independently of homologous recombination.
Biological discovery in the postgenomic era requires a systematic and high-throughput experimental approach. To this end, a versatile PCR-based tandem epitope tagging system is described, which inserts a tandem epitope coding sequence into any desired position of the Escherichia coli chromosome. Template plasmids were constructed that carry tandem copies of the epitope encoding sequence, Flp recombinase target (FRT) sites, and antibiotic resistance genes. The linear DNA fragment, amplified from the template plasmid with extensions homologous to the end of the target gene and part of its downstream region, was transformed into E. coli K-12 MG1655 harboring the bacteriophage gamma Red recombination system. The antibiotic resistance gene was then removed from the inserted heterologous PCR fragment using Flp recombinase. This epitope tagging system was applied to global transcription factors of E. coli to obtain proteins fused with tandem c-myc epitope tags. The tandem myc epitope-fused transcription factors were successfully detected by Western blot analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation with increased detection sensitivity and higher yield. Higher copy numbers of the epitope molecule allowed the use of more stringent experimental conditions to increase the signal-to-noise ratio in subsequent experimental applications. Furthermore, judging from the measurement of gene expression using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), the epitope-fused transcription factors retained their normal function for gene regulation in vivo.
Advances in our understanding of the complex, dynamic interactions that exist among the gastrointestinal microflora, the epithelium of the gastrointestinal mucosae, and the immune system have been facilitated by powerful new genetic tools. Recent understanding that the gastrointestinal epithelium performs not only a barrier function but is also an active sensor of the microflora and an important intermediary in regulating and integrating cross-talk between it and cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems provides one of the most fertile and challenging areas for application of these technologies. The intestinal epithelium also represents an important model system for study of programs of cell lineage commitment and differentiation, given its continual and rapid regeneration throughout life and the regional differences in these programs that exist along the gastrocolonic and crypt-villous axes. This review will highlight current and emerging technologies that are available in the mouse model for identification and manipulation of genetic elements that regulate the normal and pathological physiology of the intestinal tissues in the post-genomic era.
Bacterial conjugation is a mechanism for horizontal DNA transfer with potential for universal DNA delivery. The conjugal machinery can be separated into three functional modules: the relaxosome, the coupling protein, and a type IV protein secretion system. Module interchangeability among different conjugative systems opens up the possibility of "a la carte" engineering of DNA delivery into virtually any cell type.
Shewanella oneidensis is an important model organism for bioremediation studies because of its diverse respiratory capabilities, conferred in part by multicomponent, branched electron transport systems. Here we report the sequencing of the S. oneidensis genome, which consists of a 4,969,803-base pair circular chromosome with 4,758 predicted protein-encoding open reading frames (CDS) and a 161,613-base pair plasmid with 173 CDSs. We identified the first Shewanella lambda-like phage, providing a potential tool for further genome engineering. Genome analysis revealed 39 c-type cytochromes, including 32 previously unidentified in S. oneidensis, and a novel periplasmic [Fe] hydrogenase, which are integral members of the electron transport system. This genome sequence represents a critical step in the elucidation of the pathways for reduction (and bioremediation) of pollutants such as uranium (U) and chromium (Cr), and offers a starting point for defining this organism's complex electron transport systems and metal ion-reducing capabilities.
Inverse metabolic engineering (IME) is a powerful framework for engineering cellular phenotypes. Progress in this field has been limited by a lack of comprehensive methods for efficiently identifying the genetic basis of relevant phenotypes. Advances in genomics technologies, including DNA microarrays and gene sequencing, have dramatically improved our ability to relate changes in phenotype with associated changes in genotype. When applied in the context of IME, these tools should enable the integration of "evolutionary" and "direct" approaches to engineering cell physiology, which should improve our understanding of the complex interactions affecting the expression, evolution and engineering of traits in natural and industrial hosts.
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Due to advances in genomics and tissue engineering, new tools and methods are available for use in voice research. Microarray analysis, a method for examining the expression levels of thousand of genes within 24-48 hours, is a very powerful research tool and has greatly hastened the development of biochips for medical application. The use of microarray analysis in voice research will be discussed and the feasibility of a biochip for voice is presented. Gene expression profiles, a fundamental part of biochip development, are now commonly performed in some voice laboratories. Tissue engineering initiatives have led to the ability to grow and work with laryngeal fibroblasts, Because of the extreme conditions (intense vibration, exposure to inhalants, etc.) that vocal fold fibroblasts tolerate, engineering living lamina propria of vocal folds is complex and challenging. Research efforts to explore these conditions in-vitro and their effect on fibroblast growth is detailed. In summary, applying tools from genomic and tissue engineering fields to vocal science is fruitful and holds great clinical promise.
Although the complete sequence of a mammalian genome defines the information content of each cell, understanding the selective usage of this information during the development of specific cell types is limited. The fundamental questions that remain to be answered includes, which are the gene subsets that define the pluripotential self-renewing state of embryonic stem (ES) cells, partially and terminally differentiated developmental states, and how are transitions between these states regulated (lineage commitment)? The FunGenES consortium has been formed to address this challenge by mapping the gene subsets involved in pluripotent, lineage committed, and selected differentiated cell types using gene expression profiling and functional screens. They create an atlas of mammalian genome participating in early and late developmental processes. To fulfil the aim, mouse ES cells were used as an in vitro developmental model system that is very close to the human as they are pluripotent. They can be differentiated through the three major developmental pathways ecto-, meso-, and endoderm into many committed cell types and can be genetically engineered with relative ease. Knowledge of genetic pathways in mouse ES cell differentiation and development might be translated to human ES cells and the potential development of stem cell-based therapies.
Inherited genodermatoses are a heterogeneous group of rare monogenic disorders. Among these, epidermolysis bullosa (EB) and ichthyoses represent paradigmatic disorders characterized by severe skin fragility and hyperkeratosis, respectively, and impaired barrier function, often with profound effects on quality of life and systemic health. Current management remains largely palliative, underscoring the urgent need for disease-modifying therapies. Over the past 2 decades, advances in epithelial stem cell biology, vector engineering and genome editing technologies have transformed the therapeutic landscape for genodermatoses. Ex vivo gene therapy has provided the first proof that genetically corrected epidermal stem cells can achieve long-term tissue regeneration in EB skin patients, establishing a new paradigm for regenerative medicine. In parallel, the emergence of programmable genome engineering platforms, including CRISPR/Cas nucleases, base editors and prime editors, have enabled increasingly precise strategies for mutation-specific correction in both recessive and dominant disorders. Furthermore, the development of in vivo topical approaches is expanding the possibility of directly targeting the skin. Despite these advances, substantial translational barriers continue to limit broad clinical implementation. Efficient and durable targeting of epidermal stem cells within a highly regenerative tissue, together with safe delivery across the skin barrier, stringent control of off-target activity, scalable manufacturing and demonstration of long-term safety, remain major challenges for the clinical translation of these approaches. In this Review, we discuss the current state of gene therapy for genodermatoses, highlighting key clinical milestones, emerging genome editing technologies and next-generation delivery systems. We further examine the biological and regulatory challenges that need to be overcome to bridge the gap between experimental innovation and clinically accessible therapies for patients with inherited skin diseases.
A precise and scarless genome excision method, employing the Cre/loxP system in concert with double-strand break (DSB)-stimulated intramolecular recombination was developed. The DSBs were mediated by the restriction endonuclease, I-SceI. It permitted multiple deletions of independent 14-, 43-, and 10-kb-long genomic regions on the Corynebacterium glutamicum genome. Accuracy of deletion was confirmed by the loss of marker genes, PCR, and sequencing of new genome joints. Eleven, 58, and 4 genes were predicted on the 14-, 43-, and 10-kb deleted regions, respectively. Although the resultant mutant lost a total of 67 kb encoding 73 genes, it still exhibited normal growth under standard laboratory conditions. Such a large segment deletion method in which multiple, successive deletions are possible is useful for genome engineering.
The mechanisms and frequencies of various types of homologous recombination (HR) have been studied in plants for several years. However, the application of techniques involving HR for precise genome modification is still not routine. The low frequency of HR remains the major obstacle but recent progress in gene targeting in Arabidopsis and rice, as well as accumulating knowledge on the regulation of recombination levels, is an encouraging sign of the further development of HR-based approaches for genome engineering in plants.
Targeted insertion of large DNA fragments has promising applications for genome engineering and gene therapy1,2. Twin prime-editing guide RNAs have enabled relatively large insertions, but the efficiency remains low for insertions greater than 400 base pairs3-6. Here we describe a prime assembly (PA) approach for the insertion of large DNA donor fragments, of which the ends are designed to overlap with the flaps generated by twin prime editing (twinPE). We used PA to insert one or multiple overlapping DNA fragments, with total insertion sizes ranging from 0.1 kb to 11 kb. An inhibitor of non-homologous end joining enhanced both the efficiency and precision of insertions. PA relies on DNA templates that are easily produced, does not require co-delivery of exogenous DNA-dependent DNA polymerases and proceeds in non-cycling cells, suggesting independence from canonical homology-directed repair pathways. Our study demonstrates that PA can initiate Gibson-like assembly in cells to generate gene insertions without double-stranded DNA breaks, recombinases or homology-directed repair.
We have devised a strategy (called recombinase-mediated genomic replacement, RMGR) to allow the replacement of large segments (>100 kb) of the mouse genome with the equivalent human syntenic region. The technique involves modifying a mouse ES cell chromosome and a human BAC by inserting heterotypic lox sites to flank the proposed exchange interval and then using Cre recombinase to achieve segmental exchange. We have demonstrated the feasibility of this approach by replacing the mouse alpha globin regulatory domain with the human syntenic region and generating homozygous mice that produce only human alpha globin chains. Furthermore, modified ES cells can be used iteratively for functional studies, and here, as an example, we have used RMGR to produce an accurate mouse model of human alpha thalassemia. RMGR has general applicability and will overcome limitations inherent in current transgenic technology when studying the expression of human genes and modeling human genetic diseases.
Engineered mutants of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) and poliovirus having altered spacing between the oligopyrimidine and AUG moieties of a translational control element are known to generate pseudorevertants with deletions or insertions that tend to restore the wild-type structure of this element. The primary structure of the rearranged region of these pseudorevertants suggests that short direct repeats are strongly preferred as parting and anchoring sites during the jumps of the nascent strand 3' end. When the parting and anchoring sites are separated by a long RNA segment, they can be brought in close proximity by an appropriate folding of the template strand. On the basis of evidence derived from the analysis of the pseudorevertant genomes, it is proposed that a class of RNA rearrangements (some recombinations, deletions, insertions) proceed through the following steps: (i) pausing of the nascent strand caused by misincorporations (or other reasons); (ii) dissociation of the RNA polymerase together with the 3' end of the nascent strand (a kind proof-reading); and (iii) re-annealing of the nascent and template strands (precise or imprecise, but with the 3' base paired) and resumption of the synthesis.
Grapevine virus A (GVA), a species of the genus Vitivirus, consists of a approximately 7.4 kb single-stranded RNA genome of positive polarity, organized into five open reading frames (ORFs). In addition to grape varieties, GVA infects Nicotiana benthamiana plants and protoplasts. We engineered the genome of GVA as a vector that includes duplication of homologous sequences that contain the promoter of the movement protein (MP) sgRNA, supplemented by enzymatic restriction sites to be used as a convenient tool for transient expression of foreign genes from an individual sgRNA. The resulting vector was able to infect and to move in N. benthamiana plants in a manner similar to the wild-type GVA, but it was not stable and the inserted sequence was lost from the genome. Replacing the duplicated promoter with a GVA-MP promoter derived from a distantly related isolate of GVA improved the stability of the inserted sequence. The resulting vector was successfully used to express the reporter gene beta-glucuronidase (GUS) and the coat protein gene of Citrus tristeza virus in inoculated N. benthamiana plants. Development of a useful GVA vector is expected to find a use as a biotechnological tool for improvement of grapevines and it may enable vine breeders to bypass obstacles involved in genetic manipulation of perennial and fruiting plants.
Genetic mapping and determination of the organization of the wheat genome are changing the wheat-breeding process. New initiatives to analyze the expressed portion of the wheat genome and structural analysis of the genomes of Arabidopsis and rice are increasing our knowledge of the genes that are linked to key agronomically important traits.