CRISPR-CAS COMPONENT SYSTEMS, METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR SEQUENCE MANIPULATION
The invention provides for systems, methods, and compositions for manipulation of sequences and/or activities of target sequences. Provided are vectors and vector systems, some of which encode one or more components of a CRISPR complex, as well as methods for the design and use of such vectors. Also provided are methods of directing CRISPR complex formation in eukaryotic cells and methods for selecting specific cells by introducing precise mutations utilizing the CRISPR/Cas system.
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This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/535,043, filed Aug. 7, 2019, which is continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/230,161, filed Aug. 5, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/105,035, filed Dec. 12, 2013, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applications 61/736,527, 61/748,427, 61/768,959, 61/791,409 and 61/835,931, all entitled SYSTEMS METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR SEQUENCE MANIPULATION, filed on Dec. 12, 2012, Jan. 2, 2013, Feb. 25, 2013, Mar. 15, 2013, and Jun. 17, 2013, respectively.
Reference is made to U.S. provisional patent applications 61/758,468; 61/769,046; 61/802,174; 61/806,375; 61/814,263; 61/819,803 and 61/828,130, each entitled ENGINEERING AND OPTIMIZATION OF SYSTEMS, METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR SEQUENCE MANIPULATION, filed on Jan. 30, 2013; Feb. 25, 2013; Mar. 15, 2013; Mar. 28, 2013; Apr. 20, 2013; May 6, 2013 and May 28, 2013 respectively. Reference is also made to U.S. provisional patent applications 61/835,936, 61/836,127, 61/836,101, 61/836,080, 61/836,123 and 61/835,973 each filed Jun. 17, 2013. Reference is also made to U.S. provisional patent application 61/842,322 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/054,414, each having Broad reference BI-2011/008A, entitled CRISPR-CAS SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ALTERING EXPRESSION OF GENE PRODUCTS filed on Jul. 2, 2013 and Oct. 15, 2013 respectively.
The foregoing applications, and all documents cited therein or during their prosecution (“appln cited documents”) and all documents cited or referenced in the appln cited documents, and all documents cited or referenced herein (“herein cited documents”), and all documents cited or referenced in herein cited documents, together with any manufacturer's instructions, descriptions, product specifications, and product sheets for any products mentioned herein or in any document incorporated by reference herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and may be employed in the practice of the invention. More specifically, all referenced documents are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual document was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
STATEMENT AS TO FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCHThis invention was made with government support under Grant No. MH100706, awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The government has certain rights in the invention.
SEQUENCE LISTINGThe instant application contains a Sequence Listing which has been submitted electronically in XML format and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Said XML copy, created on Jul. 12, 2023, is named 114203-6073_SL.xml and is 716,302 bytes in size.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention generally relates to systems, methods and compositions used for the control of gene expression involving sequence targeting, such as genome perturbation or gene-editing, that may use vector systems related to Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and components thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONRecent advances in genome sequencing techniques and analysis methods have significantly accelerated the ability to catalog and map genetic factors associated with a diverse range of biological functions and diseases. Precise genome targeting technologies are needed to enable systematic reverse engineering of causal genetic variations by allowing selective perturbation of individual genetic elements, as well as to advance synthetic biology, biotechnological, and medical applications. Although genome-editing techniques such as designer zinc fingers, transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs), or homing meganucleases are available for producing targeted genome perturbations, there remains a need for new genome engineering technologies that are affordable, easy to set up, scalable, and amenable to targeting multiple positions within the eukaryotic genome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThere exists a pressing need for alternative and robust systems and techniques for sequence targeting with a wide array of applications. This invention addresses this need and provides related advantages. The CRISPR/Cas or the CRISPR-Cas system (both terms are used interchangeably throughout this application) does not require the generation of customized proteins to target specific sequences but rather a single Cas enzyme can be programmed by a short RNA molecule to recognize a specific DNA target, in other words the Cas enzyme can be recruited to a specific DNA target using said short RNA molecule. Adding the CRISPR-Cas system to the repertoire of genome sequencing techniques and analysis methods may significantly simplify the methodology and accelerate the ability to catalog and map genetic factors associated with a diverse range of biological functions and diseases. To utilize the CRISPR-Cas system effectively for genome editing without deleterious effects, it is critical to understand aspects of engineering and optimization of these genome engineering tools, which are aspects of the claimed invention.
In one aspect, the invention provides a vector system comprising one or more vectors. In some embodiments, the system comprises: (a) a first regulatory element operably linked to a tracr mate sequence and one or more insertion sites for inserting one or more guide sequences upstream of the tracr mate sequence, wherein when expressed, the guide sequence directs sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a target sequence in a eukaryotic cell, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with (1) the guide sequence that is hybridized to the target sequence, and (2) the tracr mate sequence that is hybridized to the tracr sequence; and (b) a second regulatory element operably linked to an enzyme-coding sequence encoding said CRISPR enzyme comprising a nuclear localization sequence; wherein components (a) and (b) are located on the same or different vectors of the system. In some embodiments, component (a) further comprises the tracr sequence downstream of the tracr mate sequence under the control of the first regulatory element. In some embodiments, component (a) further comprises two or more guide sequences operably linked to the first regulatory element, wherein when expressed, each of the two or more guide sequences direct sequence specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a different target sequence in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the system comprises the tracr sequence under the control of a third regulatory element, such as a polymerase III promoter. In some embodiments, the tracr sequence exhibits at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or 99% of sequence complementarity along the length of the tracr mate sequence when optimally aligned. Determining optimal alignment is within the purview of one of skill in the art. For example, there are publically and commercially available alignment algorithms and programs such as, but not limited to, ClustalW, Smith-Waterman in matlab, Bowtie, Geneious, Biopython and SeqMan. In some embodiments, the CRISPR complex comprises one or more nuclear localization sequences of sufficient strength to drive accumulation of said CRISPR complex in a detectable amount in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that a nuclear localization sequence is not necessary for CRISPR complex activity in eukaryotes, but that including such sequences enhances activity of the system, especially as to targeting nucleic acid molecules in the nucleus. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is a type II CRISPR system enzyme. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is a Cas9 enzyme. In some embodiments, the Cas9 enzyme is S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, or S. thermophilus Cas9, and may include mutated Cas9 derived from these organisms. The enzyme may be a Cas9 homolog or ortholog. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is codon-optimized for expression in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme directs cleavage of one or two strands at the location of the target sequence. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme lacks DNA strand cleavage activity. In some embodiments, the first regulatory element is a polymerase III promoter. In some embodiments, the second regulatory element is a polymerase II promoter. In some embodiments, the guide sequence is at least 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25 nucleotides, or between 10-30, or between 15-25, or between 15-20 nucleotides in length. In general, and throughout this specification, the term “vector” refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. Vectors include, but are not limited to, nucleic acid molecules that are single-stranded, double-stranded, or partially double-stranded; nucleic acid molecules that comprise one or more free ends, no free ends (e.g. circular); nucleic acid molecules that comprise DNA, RNA, or both; and other varieties of polynucleotides known in the art. One type of vector is a “plasmid,” which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be inserted, such as by standard molecular cloning techniques. Another type of vector is a viral vector, wherein virally-derived DNA or RNA sequences are present in the vector for packaging into a virus (e.g. retroviruses, replication defective retroviruses, adenoviruses, replication defective adenoviruses, and adeno-associated viruses). Viral vectors also include polynucleotides carried by a virus for transfection into a host cell. Certain vectors are capable of autonomous replication in a host cell into which they are introduced (e.g. bacterial vectors having a bacterial origin of replication and episomal mammalian vectors). Other vectors (e.g., non-episomal mammalian vectors) are integrated into the genome of a host cell upon introduction into the host cell, and thereby are replicated along with the host genome. Moreover, certain vectors are capable of directing the expression of genes to which they are operatively-linked. Such vectors are referred to herein as “expression vectors.” Common expression vectors of utility in recombinant DNA techniques are often in the form of plasmids.
Recombinant expression vectors can comprise a nucleic acid of the invention in a form suitable for expression of the nucleic acid in a host cell, which means that the recombinant expression vectors include one or more regulatory elements, which may be selected on the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, that is operatively-linked to the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Within a recombinant expression vector, “operably linked” is intended to mean that the nucleotide sequence of interest is linked to the regulatory element(s) in a manner that allows for expression of the nucleotide sequence (e.g. in an in vitro transcription/translation system or in a host cell when the vector is introduced into the host cell).
The term “regulatory element” is intended to include promoters, enhancers, internal ribosomal entry sites (IRES), and other expression control elements (e.g. transcription termination signals, such as polyadenylation signals and poly-U sequences). Such regulatory elements are described, for example, in Goeddel, GENE EXPRESSION TECHNOLOGY: METHODS IN ENZYMOLOGY 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Regulatory elements include those that direct constitutive expression of a nucleotide sequence in many types of host cell and those that direct expression of the nucleotide sequence only in certain host cells (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory sequences). A tissue-specific promoter may direct expression primarily in a desired tissue of interest, such as muscle, neuron, bone, skin, blood, specific organs (e.g. liver, pancreas), or particular cell types (e.g. lymphocytes). Regulatory elements may also direct expression in a temporal-dependent manner, such as in a cell-cycle dependent or developmental stage-dependent manner, which may or may not also be tissue or cell-type specific. In some embodiments, a vector comprises one or more pol III promoter (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more pol III promoters), one or more pol II promoters (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more pol II promoters), one or more pol I promoters (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more pol I promoters), or combinations thereof. Examples of pol III promoters include, but are not limited to, U6 and H1 promoters. Examples of pol II promoters include, but are not limited to, the retroviral Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) LTR promoter (optionally with the RSV enhancer), the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter (optionally with the CMV enhancer) [see, e.g., Boshart et al, Cell, 41:521-530 (1985)], the SV40 promoter, the dihydrofolate reductase promoter, the β-actin promoter, the phosphoglycerol kinase (PGK) promoter, and the EF1α promoter. Also encompassed by the term “regulatory element” are enhancer elements, such as WPRE; CMV enhancers; the R-U5′ segment in LTR of HTLV-I (Mol. Cell. Biol., Vol. 8(1), p. 466-472, 1988); SV40 enhancer; and the intron sequence between exons 2 and 3 of rabbit β-globin (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., Vol. 78(3), p. 1527-31, 1981). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the expression vector can depend on such factors as the choice of the host cell to be transformed, the level of expression desired, etc. A vector can be introduced into host cells to thereby produce transcripts, proteins, or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides, encoded by nucleic acids as described herein (e.g., clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) transcripts, proteins, enzymes, mutant forms thereof, fusion proteins thereof, etc.).
Advantageous vectors include lentiviruses and adeno-associated viruses, and types of such vectors can also be selected for targeting particular types of cells.
In one aspect, the invention provides a vector comprising a regulatory element operably linked to an enzyme-coding sequence encoding a CRISPR enzyme comprising one or more nuclear localization sequences. In some embodiments, said regulatory element drives transcription of the CRISPR enzyme in a eukaryotic cell such that said CRISPR enzyme accumulates in a detectable amount in the nucleus of the eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the regulatory element is a polymerase II promoter. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is a type II CRISPR system enzyme. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is a Cas9 enzyme. In some embodiments, the Cas9 enzyme is S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes or S. thermophilus Cas9, and may include mutated Cas9 derived from these organisms. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is codon-optimized for expression in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme directs cleavage of one or two strands at the location of the target sequence. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme lacks DNA strand cleavage activity.
In one aspect, the invention provides a CRISPR enzyme comprising one or more nuclear localization sequences of sufficient strength to drive accumulation of said CRISPR enzyme in a detectable amount in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is a type II CRISPR system enzyme. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is a Cas9 enzyme. In some embodiments, the Cas9 enzyme is S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes or S. thermophilus Cas9, and may include mutated Cas9 derived from these organisms. The enzyme may be a Cas9 homolog or ortholog. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme lacks the ability to cleave one or more strands of a target sequence to which it binds.
In one aspect, the invention provides a eukaryotic host cell comprising (a) a first regulatory element operably linked to a tracr mate sequence and one or more insertion sites for inserting one or more guide sequences upstream of the tracr mate sequence, wherein when expressed, the guide sequence directs sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a target sequence in a eukaryotic cell, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with (1) the guide sequence that is hybridized to the target sequence, and (2) the tracr mate sequence that is hybridized to the tracr sequence; and/or (b) a second regulatory element operably linked to an enzyme-coding sequence encoding said CRISPR enzyme comprising a nuclear localization sequence. In some embodiments, the host cell comprises components (a) and (b). In some embodiments, component (a), component (b), or components (a) and (b) are stably integrated into a genome of the host eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, component (a) further comprises the tracr sequence downstream of the tracr mate sequence under the control of the first regulatory element. In some embodiments, component (a) further comprises two or more guide sequences operably linked to the first regulatory element, wherein when expressed, each of the two or more guide sequences direct sequence specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a different target sequence in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the eukaryotic host cell further comprises a third regulatory element, such as a polymerase III promoter, operably linked to said tracr sequence. In some embodiments, the tracr sequence exhibits at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or 99% of sequence complementarity along the length of the tracr mate sequence when optimally aligned. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme comprises one or more nuclear localization sequences of sufficient strength to drive accumulation of said CRISPR enzyme in a detectable amount in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is a type II CRISPR system enzyme. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is a Cas9 enzyme. In some embodiments, the Cas9 enzyme is S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes or S. thermophilus Cas9, and may include mutated Cas9 derived from these organisms. The enzyme may be a Cas9 homolog or ortholog. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is codon-optimized for expression in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme directs cleavage of one or two strands at the location of the target sequence. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme lacks DNA strand cleavage activity. In some embodiments, the first regulatory element is a polymerase III promoter. In some embodiments, the second regulatory element is a polymerase II promoter. In some embodiments, the guide sequence is at least 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25 nucleotides, or between 10-30, or between 15-25, or between 15-20 nucleotides in length. In an aspect, the invention provides a non-human eukaryotic organism; preferably a multicellular eukaryotic organism, comprising a eukaryotic host cell according to any of the described embodiments. In other aspects, the invention provides a eukaryotic organism; preferably a multicellular eukaryotic organism, comprising a eukaryotic host cell according to any of the described embodiments. The organism in some embodiments of these aspects may be an animal; for example a mammal. Also, the organism may be an arthropod such as an insect. The organism also may be a plant. Further, the organism may be a fungus.
In one aspect, the invention provides a kit comprising one or more of the components described herein. In some embodiments, the kit comprises a vector system and instructions for using the kit. In some embodiments, the vector system comprises (a) a first regulatory element operably linked to a tracr mate sequence and one or more insertion sites for inserting one or more guide sequences upstream of the tracr mate sequence, wherein when expressed, the guide sequence directs sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a target sequence in a eukaryotic cell, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with (1) the guide sequence that is hybridized to the target sequence, and (2) the tracr mate sequence that is hybridized to the tracr sequence; and/or (b) a second regulatory element operably linked to an enzyme-coding sequence encoding said CRISPR enzyme comprising a nuclear localization sequence. In some embodiments, the kit comprises components (a) and (b) located on the same or different vectors of the system. In some embodiments, component (a) further comprises the tracr sequence downstream of the tracr mate sequence under the control of the first regulatory element. In some embodiments, component (a) further comprises two or more guide sequences operably linked to the first regulatory element, wherein when expressed, each of the two or more guide sequences direct sequence specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a different target sequence in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the system further comprises a third regulatory element, such as a polymerase III promoter, operably linked to said tracr sequence. In some embodiments, the tracr sequence exhibits at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or 99% of sequence complementarity along the length of the tracr mate sequence when optimally aligned. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme comprises one or more nuclear localization sequences of sufficient strength to drive accumulation of said CRISPR enzyme in a detectable amount in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is a type II CRISPR system enzyme. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is a Cas9 enzyme. In some embodiments, the Cas9 enzyme is S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes or S. thermophilus Cas9, and may include mutated Cas9 derived from these organisms. The enzyme may be a Cas9 homolog or ortholog. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is codon-optimized for expression in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme directs cleavage of one or two strands at the location of the target sequence. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme lacks DNA strand cleavage activity. In some embodiments, the first regulatory element is a polymerase III promoter. In some embodiments, the second regulatory element is a polymerase II promoter. In some embodiments, the guide sequence is at least 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25 nucleotides, or between 10-30, or between 15-25, or between 15-20 nucleotides in length.
In one aspect, the invention provides a method of modifying a target polynucleotide in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the method comprises allowing a CRISPR complex to bind to the target polynucleotide to effect cleavage of said target polynucleotide thereby modifying the target polynucleotide, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with a guide sequence hybridized to a target sequence within said target polynucleotide, wherein said guide sequence is linked to a tracr mate sequence which in turn hybridizes to a tracr sequence. In some embodiments, said cleavage comprises cleaving one or two strands at the location of the target sequence by said CRISPR enzyme. In some embodiments, said cleavage results in decreased transcription of a target gene. In some embodiments, the method further comprises repairing said cleaved target polynucleotide by homologous recombination with an exogenous template polynucleotide, wherein said repair results in a mutation comprising an insertion, deletion, or substitution of one or more nucleotides of said target polynucleotide. In some embodiments, said mutation results in one or more amino acid changes in a protein expressed from a gene comprising the target sequence. In some embodiments, the method further comprises delivering one or more vectors to said eukaryotic cell, wherein the one or more vectors drive expression of one or more of: the CRISPR enzyme, the guide sequence linked to the tracr mate sequence, and the tracr sequence. In some embodiments, said vectors are delivered to the eukaryotic cell in a subject. In some embodiments, said modifying takes place in said eukaryotic cell in a cell culture. In some embodiments, the method further comprises isolating said eukaryotic cell from a subject prior to said modifying. In some embodiments, the method further comprises returning said eukaryotic cell and/or cells derived therefrom to said subject.
In one aspect, the invention provides a method of modifying expression of a polynucleotide in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the method comprises allowing a CRISPR complex to bind to the polynucleotide such that said binding results in increased or decreased expression of said polynucleotide; wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with a guide sequence hybridized to a target sequence within said polynucleotide, wherein said guide sequence is linked to a tracr mate sequence which in turn hybridizes to a tracr sequence. In some embodiments, the method further comprises delivering one or more vectors to said eukaryotic cells, wherein the one or more vectors drive expression of one or more of: the CRISPR enzyme, the guide sequence linked to the tracr mate sequence, and the tracr sequence.
In one aspect, the invention provides a method of generating a model eukaryotic cell comprising a mutated disease gene. In some embodiments, a disease gene is any gene associated an increase in the risk of having or developing a disease. In some embodiments, the method comprises (a) introducing one or more vectors into a eukaryotic cell, wherein the one or more vectors drive expression of one or more of: a CRISPR enzyme, a guide sequence linked to a tracr mate sequence, and a tracr sequence; and (b) allowing a CRISPR complex to bind to a target polynucleotide to effect cleavage of the target polynucleotide within said disease gene, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises the CRISPR enzyme complexed with (1) the guide sequence that is hybridized to the target sequence within the target polynucleotide, and (2) the tracr mate sequence that is hybridized to the tracr sequence, thereby generating a model eukaryotic cell comprising a mutated disease gene. In some embodiments, said cleavage comprises cleaving one or two strands at the location of the target sequence by said CRISPR enzyme. In some embodiments, said cleavage results in decreased transcription of a target gene. In some embodiments, the method further comprises repairing said cleaved target polynucleotide by homologous recombination with an exogenous template polynucleotide, wherein said repair results in a mutation comprising an insertion, deletion, or substitution of one or more nucleotides of said target polynucleotide. In some embodiments, said mutation results in one or more amino acid changes in a protein expression from a gene comprising the target sequence.
In one aspect, the invention provides a method for developing a biologically active agent that modulates a cell signaling event associated with a disease gene. In some embodiments, a disease gene is any gene associated an increase in the risk of having or developing a disease. In some embodiments, the method comprises (a) contacting a test compound with a model cell of any one of the described embodiments; and (b) detecting a change in a readout that is indicative of a reduction or an augmentation of a cell signaling event associated with said mutation in said disease gene, thereby developing said biologically active agent that modulates said cell signaling event associated with said disease gene.
In one aspect, the invention provides a recombinant polynucleotide comprising a guide sequence upstream of a tracr mate sequence, wherein the guide sequence when expressed directs sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a corresponding target sequence present in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the target sequence is a viral sequence present in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the target sequence is a proto-oncogene or an oncogene.
In one aspect the invention provides for a method of selecting one or more prokaryotic cell(s) by introducing one or more mutations in a gene in the one or more prokaryotic cell (s), the method comprising: introducing one or more vectors into the prokaryotic cell (s), wherein the one or more vectors drive expression of one or more of: a CRISPR enzyme, a guide sequence linked to a tracr mate sequence, a tracr sequence, and a editing template; wherein the editing template comprises the one or more mutations that abolish CRISPR enzyme cleavage; allowing homologous recombination of the editing template with the target polynucleotide in the cell(s) to be selected; allowing a CRISPR complex to bind to a target polynucleotide to effect cleavage of the target polynucleotide within said gene, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises the CRISPR enzyme complexed with (1) the guide sequence that is hybridized to the target sequence within the target polynucleotide, and (2) the tracr mate sequence that is hybridized to the tracr sequence, wherein binding of the CRISPR complex to the target polynucleotide induces cell death, thereby allowing one or more prokaryotic cell(s) in which one or more mutations have been introduced to be selected. In a preferred embodiment, the CRISPR enzyme is Cas9. In another aspect of the invention the cell to be selected may be a eukaryotic cell. Aspects of the invention allow for selection of specific cells without requiring a selection marker or a two-step process that may include a counter-selection system.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention not to encompass within the invention any previously known product, process of making the product, or method of using the product such that Applicants reserve the right and hereby disclose a disclaimer of any previously known product, process, or method. It is further noted that the invention does not intend to encompass within the scope of the invention any product, process, or making of the product or method of using the product, which does not meet the written description and enablement requirements of the USPTO (35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph) or the EPO (Article 83 of the EPC), such that Applicants reserve the right and hereby disclose a disclaimer of any previously described product, process of making the product, or method of using the product.
It is noted that in this disclosure and particularly in the claims and/or paragraphs, terms such as “comprises”, “comprised”, “comprising” and the like can have the meaning attributed to it in U.S. Patent law; e.g., they can mean “includes”, “included”, “including”, and the like; and that terms such as “consisting essentially of” and “consists essentially of” have the meaning ascribed to them in U.S. Patent law, e.g., they allow for elements not explicitly recited, but exclude elements that are found in the prior art or that affect a basic or novel characteristic of the invention. These and other embodiments are disclosed or are obvious from and encompassed by, the following Detailed Description.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and the accompanying drawings of which:
The figures herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily drawn to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe terms “polynucleotide”, “nucleotide”, “nucleotide sequence”, “nucleic acid” and “oligonucleotide” are used interchangeably. They refer to a polymeric form of nucleotides of any length, either deoxyribonucleotides or ribonucleotides, or analogs thereof. Polynucleotides may have any three dimensional structure, and may perform any function, known or unknown. The following are non-limiting examples of polynucleotides: coding or non-coding regions of a gene or gene fragment, loci (locus) defined from linkage analysis, exons, introns, messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA, ribosomal RNA, short interfering RNA (siRNA), short-hairpin RNA (shRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), ribozymes, cDNA, recombinant polynucleotides, branched polynucleotides, plasmids, vectors, isolated DNA of any sequence, isolated RNA of any sequence, nucleic acid probes, and primers. A polynucleotide may comprise one or more modified nucleotides, such as methylated nucleotides and nucleotide analogs. If present, modifications to the nucleotide structure may be imparted before or after assembly of the polymer. The sequence of nucleotides may be interrupted by non-nucleotide components. A polynucleotide may be further modified after polymerization, such as by conjugation with a labeling component.
In aspects of the invention the terms “chimeric RNA”, “chimeric guide RNA”, “guide RNA”, “single guide RNA” and “synthetic guide RNA” are used interchangeably and refer to the polynucleotide sequence comprising the guide sequence, the tracr sequence and the tracr mate sequence. The term “guide sequence” refers to the about 20 bp sequence within the guide RNA that specifies the target site and may be used interchangeably with the terms “guide” or “spacer”. The term “tracr mate sequence” may also be used interchangeably with the term “direct repeat(s)”.
As used herein the term “wild type” is a term of the art understood by skilled persons and means the typical form of an organism, strain, gene or characteristic as it occurs in nature as distinguished from mutant or variant forms.
As used herein the term “variant” should be taken to mean the exhibition of qualities that have a pattern that deviates from what occurs in nature.
The terms “non-naturally occurring” or “engineered” are used interchangeably and indicate the involvement of the hand of man. The terms, when referring to nucleic acid molecules or polypeptides mean that the nucleic acid molecule or the polypeptide is at least substantially free from at least one other component with which they are naturally associated in nature and as found in nature.
“Complementarity” refers to the ability of a nucleic acid to form hydrogen bond(s) with another nucleic acid sequence by either traditional Watson-Crick base pairing or other non-traditional types. A percent complementarity indicates the percentage of residues in a nucleic acid molecule which can form hydrogen bonds (e.g., Watson-Crick base pairing) with a second nucleic acid sequence (e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 out of 10 being 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% complementary). “Perfectly complementary” means that all the contiguous residues of a nucleic acid sequence will hydrogen bond with the same number of contiguous residues in a second nucleic acid sequence. “Substantially complementary” as used herein refers to a degree of complementarity that is at least 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 100% over a region of 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, or more nucleotides, or refers to two nucleic acids that hybridize under stringent conditions.
As used herein, “stringent conditions” for hybridization refer to conditions under which a nucleic acid having complementarity to a target sequence predominantly hybridizes with the target sequence, and substantially does not hybridize to non-target sequences. Stringent conditions are generally sequence-dependent, and vary depending on a number of factors. In general, the longer the sequence, the higher the temperature at which the sequence specifically hybridizes to its target sequence. Non-limiting examples of stringent conditions are described in detail in Tijssen (1993), Laboratory Techniques In Biochemistry And Molecular Biology-Hybridization With Nucleic Acid Probes Part I, Second Chapter “Overview of principles of hybridization and the strategy of nucleic acid probe assay”, Elsevier, N.Y.
“Hybridization” refers to a reaction in which one or more polynucleotides react to form a complex that is stabilized via hydrogen bonding between the bases of the nucleotide residues. The hydrogen bonding may occur by Watson Crick base pairing, Hoogstein binding, or in any other sequence specific manner. The complex may comprise two strands forming a duplex structure, three or more strands forming a multi stranded complex, a single self hybridizing strand, or any combination of these. A hybridization reaction may constitute a step in a more extensive process, such as the initiation of PCR, or the cleavage of a polynucleotide by an enzyme. A sequence capable of hybridizing with a given sequence is referred to as the “complement” of the given sequence.
As used herein, “expression” refers to the process by which a polynucleotide is transcribed from a DNA template (such as into and mRNA or other RNA transcript) and/or the process by which a transcribed mRNA is subsequently translated into peptides, polypeptides, or proteins. Transcripts and encoded polypeptides may be collectively referred to as “gene product.” If the polynucleotide is derived from genomic DNA, expression may include splicing of the mRNA in a eukaryotic cell.
The terms “polypeptide”, “peptide” and “protein” are used interchangeably herein to refer to polymers of amino acids of any length. The polymer may be linear or branched, it may comprise modified amino acids, and it may be interrupted by non amino acids. The terms also encompass an amino acid polymer that has been modified; for example, disulfide bond formation, glycosylation, lipidation, acetylation, phosphorylation, or any other manipulation, such as conjugation with a labeling component. As used herein the term “amino acid” includes natural and/or unnatural or synthetic amino acids, including glycine and both the D or L optical isomers, and amino acid analogs and peptidomimetics.
The terms “subject,” “individual,” and “patient” are used interchangeably herein to refer to a vertebrate, preferably a mammal, more preferably a human. Mammals include, but are not limited to, murines, simians, humans, farm animals, sport animals, and pets. Tissues, cells and their progeny of a biological entity obtained in vivo or cultured in vitro are also encompassed.
The terms “therapeutic agent”, “therapeutic capable agent” or “treatment agent” are used interchangeably and refer to a molecule or compound that confers some beneficial effect upon administration to a subject. The beneficial effect includes enablement of diagnostic determinations; amelioration of a disease, symptom, disorder, or pathological condition; reducing or preventing the onset of a disease, symptom, disorder or condition; and generally counteracting a disease, symptom, disorder or pathological condition.
As used herein, “treatment” or “treating,” or “palliating” or “ameliorating” are used interchangeably. These terms refer to an approach for obtaining beneficial or desired results including but not limited to a therapeutic benefit and/or a prophylactic benefit. By therapeutic benefit is meant any therapeutically relevant improvement in or effect on one or more diseases, conditions, or symptoms under treatment. For prophylactic benefit, the compositions may be administered to a subject at risk of developing a particular disease, condition, or symptom, or to a subject reporting one or more of the physiological symptoms of a disease, even though the disease, condition, or symptom may not have yet been manifested.
The term “effective amount” or “therapeutically effective amount” refers to the amount of an agent that is sufficient to effect beneficial or desired results. The therapeutically effective amount may vary depending upon one or more of: the subject and disease condition being treated, the weight and age of the subject, the severity of the disease condition, the manner of administration and the like, which can readily be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art. The term also applies to a dose that will provide an image for detection by any one of the imaging methods described herein. The specific dose may vary depending on one or more of: the particular agent chosen, the dosing regimen to be followed, whether it is administered in combination with other compounds, timing of administration, the tissue to be imaged, and the physical delivery system in which it is carried.
The practice of the present invention employs, unless otherwise indicated, conventional techniques of immunology, biochemistry, chemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, cell biology, genomics and recombinant DNA, which are within the skill of the art. See Sambrook, Fritsch and Maniatis, MOLECULAR CLONING: A LABORATORY MANUAL, 2nd edition (1989); CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (F. M. Ausubel, et al. eds., (1987)); the series METHODS IN ENZYMOLOGY (Academic Press, Inc.): PCR 2: A PRACTICAL APPROACH (M. J. MacPherson, B. D. Hames and G. R. Taylor eds. (1995)), Harlow and Lane, eds. (1988) ANTIBODIES, A LABORATORY MANUAL, and ANIMAL CELL CULTURE (R. I. Freshney, ed. (1987)).
Several aspects of the invention relate to vector systems comprising one or more vectors, or vectors as such. Vectors can be designed for expression of CRISPR transcripts (e.g. nucleic acid transcripts, proteins, or enzymes) in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. For example, CRISPR transcripts can be expressed in bacterial cells such as Escherichia coli, insect cells (using baculovirus expression vectors), yeast cells, or mammalian cells. Suitable host cells are discussed further in Goeddel, GENE EXPRESSION TECHNOLOGY: METHODS IN ENZYMOLOGY 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990). Alternatively, the recombinant expression vector can be transcribed and translated in vitro, for example using T7 promoter regulatory sequences and T7 polymerase.
Vectors may be introduced and propagated in a prokaryote. In some embodiments, a prokaryote is used to amplify copies of a vector to be introduced into a eukaryotic cell or as an intermediate vector in the production of a vector to be introduced into a eukaryotic cell (e.g. amplifying a plasmid as part of a viral vector packaging system). In some embodiments, a prokaryote is used to amplify copies of a vector and express one or more nucleic acids, such as to provide a source of one or more proteins for delivery to a host cell or host organism. Expression of proteins in prokaryotes is most often carried out in Escherichia coli with vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters directing the expression of either fusion or non-fusion proteins. Fusion vectors add a number of amino acids to a protein encoded therein, such as to the amino terminus of the recombinant protein. Such fusion vectors may serve one or more purposes, such as: (i) to increase expression of recombinant protein; (ii) to increase the solubility of the recombinant protein; and (iii) to aid in the purification of the recombinant protein by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Often, in fusion expression vectors, a proteolytic cleavage site is introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety and the recombinant protein to enable separation of the recombinant protein from the fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein. Such enzymes, and their cognate recognition sequences, include Factor Xa, thrombin and enterokinase. Example fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Pharmacia Biotech Inc; Smith and Johnson, 1988. Gene 67: 31-40), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) that fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein.
Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amrann et al., (1988) Gene 69:301-315) and pET 11d (Studier et al., GENE EXPRESSION TECHNOLOGY: METHODS IN ENZYMOLOGY 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 60-89).
In some embodiments, a vector is a yeast expression vector. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast Saccharomyces cerivisae include pYepSec1 (Baldari, et al., 1987. EMBO J. 6: 229-234), pMFa (Kuijan and Herskowitz, 1982. Cell 30: 933-943), pJRY88 (Schultz et al., 1987. Gene 54: 113-123), pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.), and picZ (InVitrogen Corp, San Diego, Calif.).
In some embodiments, a vector drives protein expression in insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., SF9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith, et al., 1983. Mol. Cell. Biol. 3: 2156-2165) and the pVL series (Lucklow and Summers, 1989. Virology 170: 31-39).
In some embodiments, a vector is capable of driving expression of one or more sequences in mammalian cells using a mammalian expression vector. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, 1987. Nature 329: 840) and pMT2PC (Kaufman, et al., 1987. EMBO J. 6: 187-195). When used in mammalian cells, the expression vector's control functions are typically provided by one or more regulatory elements. For example, commonly used promoters are derived from polyoma, adenovirus 2, cytomegalovirus, simian virus 40, and others disclosed herein and known in the art. For other suitable expression systems for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells see, e.g., Chapters 16 and 17 of Sambrook, et al., MOLECULAR CLONING: A LABORATORY MANUAL. 2nd ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.
In some embodiments, the recombinant mammalian expression vector is capable of directing expression of the nucleic acid preferentially in a particular cell type (e.g., tissue-specific regulatory elements are used to express the nucleic acid). Tissue-specific regulatory elements are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable tissue-specific promoters include the albumin promoter (liver-specific; Pinkert, et al., 1987. Genes Dev. 1: 268-277), lymphoid-specific promoters (Calame and Eaton, 1988. Adv. Immunol. 43: 235-275), in particular promoters of T cell receptors (Winoto and Baltimore, 1989. EMBO J. 8: 729-733) and immunoglobulins (Baneiji, et al., 1983. Cell 33: 729-740; Queen and Baltimore, 1983. Cell 33: 741-748), neuron-specific promoters (e.g., the neurofilament promoter; Byrne and Ruddle, 1989. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86: 5473-5477), pancreas-specific promoters (Edlund, et al., 1985. Science 230: 912-916), and mammary gland-specific promoters (e.g., milk whey promoter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,316 and European Application Publication No. 264,166). Developmentally-regulated promoters are also encompassed, e.g., the murine hox promoters (Kessel and Gruss, 1990. Science 249: 374-379) and the α-fetoprotein promoter (Campes and Tilghman, 1989. Genes Dev. 3: 537-546).
In some embodiments, a regulatory element is operably linked to one or more elements of a CRISPR system so as to drive expression of the one or more elements of the CRISPR system. In general, CRISPRs (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), also known as SPIDRs (SPacer Interspersed Direct Repeats), constitute a family of DNA loci that are usually specific to a particular bacterial species. The CRISPR locus comprises a distinct class of interspersed short sequence repeats (SSRs) that were recognized in E. coli (Ishino et al., J. Bacteriol., 169:5429-5433 [1987]; and Nakata et al., J. Bacteriol., 171:3553-3556 [1989]), and associated genes. Similar interspersed SSRs have been identified in Haloferax mediterranei, Streptococcus pyogenes, Anabaena, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (See, Groenen et al., Mol. Microbiol., 10:1057-1065 [1993]; Hoe et al., Emerg. Infect. Dis., 5:254-263 [1999]; Masepohl et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1307:26-30 [1996]; and Mojica et al., Mol. Microbiol., 17:85-93 [1995]). The CRISPR loci typically differ from other SSRs by the structure of the repeats, which have been termed short regularly spaced repeats (SRSRs) (Janssen et al., OMICS J. Integ. Biol., 6:23-33 [2002]; and Mojica et al., Mol. Microbiol., 36:244-246 [2000]). In general, the repeats are short elements that occur in clusters that are regularly spaced by unique intervening sequences with a substantially constant length (Mojica et al., [2000], supra). Although the repeat sequences are highly conserved between strains, the number of interspersed repeats and the sequences of the spacer regions typically differ from strain to strain (van Embden et al., J. Bacteriol., 182:2393-2401 [2000]). CRISPR loci have been identified in more than 40 prokaryotes (See e.g., Jansen et al., Mol. Microbiol., 43:1565-1575 [2002]; and Mojica et al., [2005]) including, but not limited to Aeropyrum, Pyrobaculum, Sulfolobus, Archaeoglobus, Halocarcula, Methanobacterium, Methanococcus, Methanosarcina, Methanopyrus, Pyrococcus, Picrophilus, Thermoplasma, Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Streptomyces, Aquifex, Porphyromonas, Chlorobium, Thermus, Bacillus, Listeria, Staphylococcus, Clostridium, Thermoanaerobacter, Mycoplasma, Fusobacterium, Azarcus, Chromobacterium, Neisseria, Nitrosomonas, Desulfovibrio, Geobacter, Myxococcus, Campylobacter, Wolinella, Acinetobacter, Erwinia, Escherichia, Legionella, Methylococcus, Pasteurella, Photobacterium, Salmonella, Xanthomonas, Yersinia, Treponema, and Thermotoga.
In general, “CRISPR system” refers collectively to transcripts and other elements involved in the expression of or directing the activity of CRISPR-associated (“Cas”) genes, including sequences encoding a Cas gene, a tracr (trans-activating CRISPR) sequence (e.g. tracrRNA or an active partial tracrRNA), a tracr-mate sequence (encompassing a “direct repeat” and a tracrRNA-processed partial direct repeat in the context of an endogenous CRISPR system), a guide sequence (also referred to as a “spacer” in the context of an endogenous CRISPR system), or other sequences and transcripts from a CRISPR locus. In some embodiments, one or more elements of a CRISPR system is derived from a type I, type II, or type III CRISPR system. In some embodiments, one or more elements of a CRISPR system is derived from a particular organism comprising an endogenous CRISPR system, such as Streptococcus pyogenes. In general, a CRISPR system is characterized by elements that promote the formation of a CRISPR complex at the site of a target sequence (also referred to as a protospacer in the context of an endogenous CRISPR system). In the context of formation of a CRISPR complex, “target sequence” refers to a sequence to which a guide sequence is designed to have complementarity, where hybridization between a target sequence and a guide sequence promotes the formation of a CRISPR complex. Full complementarity is not necessarily required, provided there is sufficient complementarity to cause hybridization and promote formation of a CRISPR complex. A target sequence may comprise any polynucleotide, such as DNA or RNA polynucleotides. In some embodiments, a target sequence is located in the nucleus or cytoplasm of a cell. In some embodiments, the target sequence may be within an organelle of a eukaryotic cell, for example, mitochondrion or chloroplast. A sequence or template that may be used for recombination into the targeted locus comprising the target sequences is referred to as an “editing template” or “editing polynucleotide” or “editing sequence”. In aspects of the invention, an exogenous template polynucleotide may be referred to as an editing template. In an aspect of the invention the recombination is homologous recombination.
Typically, in the context of an endogenous CRISPR system, formation of a CRISPR complex (comprising a guide sequence hybridized to a target sequence and complexed with one or more Cas proteins) results in cleavage of one or both strands in or near (e.g. within 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 50, or more base pairs from) the target sequence. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the tracr sequence, which may comprise or consist of all or a portion of a wild-type tracr sequence (e.g. about or more than about 20, 26, 32, 45, 48, 54, 63, 67, 85, or more nucleotides of a wild-type tracr sequence), may also form part of a CRISPR complex, such as by hybridization along at least a portion of the tracr sequence to all or a portion of a tracr mate sequence that is operably linked to the guide sequence. In some embodiments, the tracr sequence has sufficient complementarity to a tracr mate sequence to hybridize and participate in formation of a CRISPR complex. As with the target sequence, it is believed that complete complementarity is not needed, provided there is sufficient to be functional. In some embodiments, the tracr sequence has at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 99% of sequence complementarity along the length of the tracr mate sequence when optimally aligned. In some embodiments, one or more vectors driving expression of one or more elements of a CRISPR system are introduced into a host cell such that expression of the elements of the CRISPR system direct formation of a CRISPR complex at one or more target sites. For example, a Cas enzyme, a guide sequence linked to a tracr-mate sequence, and a tracr sequence could each be operably linked to separate regulatory elements on separate vectors. Alternatively, two or more of the elements expressed from the same or different regulatory elements, may be combined in a single vector, with one or more additional vectors providing any components of the CRISPR system not included in the first vector. CRISPR system elements that are combined in a single vector may be arranged in any suitable orientation, such as one element located 5′ with respect to (“upstream” of) or 3′ with respect to (“downstream” of) a second element. The coding sequence of one element may be located on the same or opposite strand of the coding sequence of a second element, and oriented in the same or opposite direction. In some embodiments, a single promoter drives expression of a transcript encoding a CRISPR enzyme and one or more of the guide sequence, tracr mate sequence (optionally operably linked to the guide sequence), and a tracr sequence embedded within one or more intron sequences (e.g. each in a different intron, two or more in at least one intron, or all in a single intron). In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme, guide sequence, tracr mate sequence, and tracr sequence are operably linked to and expressed from the same promoter.
In some embodiments, a vector comprises one or more insertion sites, such as a restriction endonuclease recognition sequence (also referred to as a “cloning site”). In some embodiments, one or more insertion sites (e.g. about or more than about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more insertion sites) are located upstream and/or downstream of one or more sequence elements of one or more vectors. In some embodiments, a vector comprises an insertion site upstream of a tracr mate sequence, and optionally downstream of a regulatory element operably linked to the tracr mate sequence, such that following insertion of a guide sequence into the insertion site and upon expression the guide sequence directs sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a target sequence in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, a vector comprises two or more insertion sites, each insertion site being located between two tracr mate sequences so as to allow insertion of a guide sequence at each site. In such an arrangement, the two or more guide sequences may comprise two or more copies of a single guide sequence, two or more different guide sequences, or combinations of these. When multiple different guide sequences are used, a single expression construct may be used to target CRISPR activity to multiple different, corresponding target sequences within a cell. For example, a single vector may comprise about or more than about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, or more guide sequences. In some embodiments, about or more than about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more such guide-sequence-containing vectors may be provided, and optionally delivered to a cell.
In some embodiments, a vector comprises a regulatory element operably linked to an enzyme-coding sequence encoding a CRISPR enzyme, such as a Cas protein. Non-limiting examples of Cas proteins include Cas1, Cas1B, Cas2, Cas3, Cas4, Cas5, Cas6, Cas7, Cas8, Cas9 (also known as Csn1 and Csx12), Cas10, Csy1, Csy2, Csy3, Cse1, Cse2, Csc1, Csc2, Csa5, Csn2, Csm2, Csm3, Csm4, Csm5, Csm6, Cmr1, Cmr3, Cmr4, Cmr5, Cmr6, Csb1, Csb2, Csb3, Csx17, Csx14, Csx10, Csx16, CsaX, Csx3, Csx1, Csx15, Csf1, Csf2, Csf3, Csf4, homologs thereof, or modified versions thereof. These enzymes are known; for example, the amino acid sequence of S. pyogenes Cas9 protein may be found in the SwissProt database under accession number Q99ZW2. In some embodiments, the unmodified CRISPR enzyme has DNA cleavage activity, such as Cas9. In some embodiments the CRISPR enzyme is Cas9, and may be Cas9 from S. pyogenes or S. pneumoniae. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme directs cleavage of one or both strands at the location of a target sequence, such as within the target sequence and/or within the complement of the target sequence. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme directs cleavage of one or both strands within about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 100, 200, 500, or more base pairs from the first or last nucleotide of a target sequence. In some embodiments, a vector encodes a CRISPR enzyme that is mutated to with respect to a corresponding wild-type enzyme such that the mutated CRISPR enzyme lacks the ability to cleave one or both strands of a target polynucleotide containing a target sequence. For example, an aspartate-to-alanine substitution (D10A) in the RuvC I catalytic domain of Cas9 from S. pyogenes converts Cas9 from a nuclease that cleaves both strands to a nickase (cleaves a single strand). Other examples of mutations that render Cas9 a nickase include, without limitation, H840A, N854A, and N863A. In some embodiments, a Cas9 nickase may be used in combination with guide sequenc(es), e.g., two guide sequences, which target respectively sense and antisense strands of the DNA target. This combination allows both strands to be nicked and used to induce NHEJ. Applicants have demonstrated (data not shown) the efficacy of two nickase targets (i.e., sgRNAs targeted at the same location but to different strands of DNA) in inducing mutagenic NHEJ. A single nickase (Cas9-D10A with a single sgRNA) is unable to induce NHEJ and create indels but Applicants have shown that double nickase (Cas9-D10A and two sgRNAs targeted to different strands at the same location) can do so in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The efficiency is about 50% of nuclease (i.e., regular Cas9 without D10 mutation) in hESCs.
As a further example, two or more catalytic domains of Cas9 (RuvC I, RuvC II, and RuvC III) may be mutated to produce a mutated Cas9 substantially lacking all DNA cleavage activity. In some embodiments, a D10A mutation is combined with one or more of H840A, N854A, or N863A mutations to produce a Cas9 enzyme substantially lacking all DNA cleavage activity. In some embodiments, a CRISPR enzyme is considered to substantially lack all DNA cleavage activity when the DNA cleavage activity of the mutated enzyme is less than about 25%, 10%, 5%, 1%, 0.1%, 0.01%, or lower with respect to its non-mutated form. Other mutations may be useful; where the Cas9 or other CRISPR enzyme is from a species other than S. pyogenes, mutations in corresponding amino acids may be made to achieve similar effects.
In some embodiments, an enzyme coding sequence encoding a CRISPR enzyme is codon optimized for expression in particular cells, such as eukaryotic cells. The eukaryotic cells may be those of or derived from a particular organism, such as a mammal, including but not limited to human, mouse, rat, rabbit, dog, or non-human primate. In general, codon optimization refers to a process of modifying a nucleic acid sequence for enhanced expression in the host cells of interest by replacing at least one codon (e.g. about or more than about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, or more codons) of the native sequence with codons that are more frequently or most frequently used in the genes of that host cell while maintaining the native amino acid sequence. Various species exhibit particular bias for certain codons of a particular amino acid. Codon bias (differences in codon usage between organisms) often correlates with the efficiency of translation of messenger RNA (mRNA), which is in turn believed to be dependent on, among other things, the properties of the codons being translated and the availability of particular transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules. The predominance of selected tRNAs in a cell is generally a reflection of the codons used most frequently in peptide synthesis. Accordingly, genes can be tailored for optimal gene expression in a given organism based on codon optimization. Codon usage tables are readily available, for example, at the “Codon Usage Database”, and these tables can be adapted in a number of ways. See Nakamura, Y., et al. “Codon usage tabulated from the international DNA sequence databases: status for the year 2000” Nucl. Acids Res. 28:292 (2000). Computer algorithms for codon optimizing a particular sequence for expression in a particular host cell are also available, such as Gene Forge (Aptagen; Jacobus, PA), are also available. In some embodiments, one or more codons (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, or more, or all codons) in a sequence encoding a CRISPR enzyme correspond to the most frequently used codon for a particular amino acid.
In some embodiments, a vector encodes a CRISPR enzyme comprising one or more nuclear localization sequences (NLSs), such as about or more than about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more NLSs. In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme comprises about or more than about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more NLSs at or near the amino-terminus, about or more than about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more NLSs at or near the carboxy-terminus, or a combination of these (e.g. one or more NLS at the amino-terminus and one or more NLS at the carboxy terminus). When more than one NLS is present, each may be selected independently of the others, such that a single NLS may be present in more than one copy and/or in combination with one or more other NLSs present in one or more copies. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the CRISPR enzyme comprises at most 6 NLSs. In some embodiments, an NLS is considered near the N- or C-terminus when the nearest amino acid of the NLS is within about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, or more amino acids along the polypeptide chain from the N- or C-terminus. Typically, an NLS consists of one or more short sequences of positively charged lysines or arginines exposed on the protein surface, but other types of NLS are known. Non-limiting examples of NLSs include an NLS sequence derived from: the NLS of the SV40 virus large T-antigen, having the amino acid sequence PKKKRKV (SEQ ID NO: 1); the NLS from nucleoplasmin (e.g. the nucleoplasmin bipartite NLS with the sequence KRPAATKKAGQAKKKK (SEQ ID NO: 2)); the c-myc NLS having the amino acid sequence PAAKRVKLD (SEQ ID NO: 3) or RQRRNELKRSP (SEQ ID NO: 4); the hRNPA1 M9 NLS having the sequence NQSSNFGPMKGGNFGGRSSGPYGGGGQYFAKPRNQGGY (SEQ ID NO: 5); the sequence RMRIZFKNKGKDTAELRRRRVEVSVELRKAKKDEQILKRRNV (SEQ ID NO: 6) of the IBB domain from importin-alpha; the sequences VSRKRPRP (SEQ ID NO: 7) and PPKKARED (SEQ ID NO: 8) of the myoma T protein; the sequence PQPKKKPL (SEQ ID NO: 9) of human p53; the sequence SALIKKKKKMAP (SEQ ID NO: 10) of mouse c-abl IV; the sequences DRLRR (SEQ ID NO: 11) and PKQKKRK (SEQ ID NO: 12) of the influenza virus NS1; the sequence RKLKKKIKKL (SEQ ID NO: 13) of the Hepatitis virus delta antigen; the sequence REKKKFLKRR (SEQ ID NO: 14) of the mouse Mx1 protein; the sequence KRKGDEVDGVDEVAKKKSKK (SEQ ID NO: 15) of the human poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase; and the sequence RKCLQAGMNLEARKTKK (SEQ ID NO: 16) of the steroid hormone receptors (human) glucocorticoid.
In general, the one or more NLSs are of sufficient strength to drive accumulation of the CRISPR enzyme in a detectable amount in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell. In general, strength of nuclear localization activity may derive from the number of NLSs in the CRISPR enzyme, the particular NLS(s) used, or a combination of these factors. Detection of accumulation in the nucleus may be performed by any suitable technique. For example, a detectable marker may be fused to the CRISPR enzyme, such that location within a cell may be visualized, such as in combination with a means for detecting the location of the nucleus (e.g. a stain specific for the nucleus such as DAPI). Examples of detectable markers include fluorescent proteins (such as Green fluorescent proteins, or GFP; RFP; CFP), and epitope tags (HA tag, flag tag, SNAP tag). Cell nuclei may also be isolated from cells, the contents of which may then be analyzed by any suitable process for detecting protein, such as immunohistochemistry, Western blot, or enzyme activity assay. Accumulation in the nucleus may also be determined indirectly, such as by an assay for the effect of CRISPR complex formation (e.g. assay for DNA cleavage or mutation at the target sequence, or assay for altered gene expression activity affected by CRISPR complex formation and/or CRISPR enzyme activity), as compared to a control no exposed to the CRISPR enzyme or complex, or exposed to a CRISPR enzyme lacking the one or more NLSs.
In general, a guide sequence is any polynucleotide sequence having sufficient complementarity with a target polynucleotide sequence to hybridize with the target sequence and direct sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to the target sequence. In some embodiments, the degree of complementarity between a guide sequence and its corresponding target sequence, when optimally aligned using a suitable alignment algorithm, is about or more than about 50%, 60%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 97.5%, 99%, or more. Optimal alignment may be determined with the use of any suitable algorithm for aligning sequences, non-limiting example of which include the Smith-Waterman algorithm, the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm, algorithms based on the Burrows-Wheeler Transform (e.g. the Burrows Wheeler Aligner), ClustalW, Clustal X, BLAT, Novoalign (Novocraft Technologies, ELAND (Illumina, San Diego, CA), SOAP (available at soap.genomics.org.cn), and Maq (available at maq.sourceforge.net). In some embodiments, a guide sequence is about or more than about 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, or more nucleotides in length. In some embodiments, a guide sequence is less than about 75, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 12, or fewer nucleotides in length. The ability of a guide sequence to direct sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a target sequence may be assessed by any suitable assay. For example, the components of a CRISPR system sufficient to form a CRISPR complex, including the guide sequence to be tested, may be provided to a host cell having the corresponding target sequence, such as by transfection with vectors encoding the components of the CRISPR sequence, followed by an assessment of preferential cleavage within the target sequence, such as by Surveyor assay as described herein. Similarly, cleavage of a target polynucleotide sequence may be evaluated in a test tube by providing the target sequence, components of a CRISPR complex, including the guide sequence to be tested and a control guide sequence different from the test guide sequence, and comparing binding or rate of cleavage at the target sequence between the test and control guide sequence reactions. Other assays are possible, and will occur to those skilled in the art.
A guide sequence may be selected to target any target sequence. In some embodiments, the target sequence is a sequence within a genome of a cell. Exemplary target sequences include those that are unique in the target genome. For example, for the S. pyogenes Cas9, a unique target sequence in a genome may include a Cas9 target site of the form MMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNXGG (SEQ ID NO: 530) where NNNNNNNNNNNNXGG (SEQ ID NO: 531) (N is A, G, T, or C; and X can be anything) has a single occurrence in the genome. A unique target sequence in a genome may include an S. pyogenes Cas9 target site of the form MMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNXGG (SEQ ID NO: 532) where NNNNNNNNNNNXGG (SEQ ID NO: 533) (N is A, G, T, or C; and X can be anything) has a single occurrence in the genome. For the S. thermophilus CRISPR1 Cas9, a unique target sequence in a genome may include a Cas9 target site of the form MMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNXXAGAAW (SEQ ID NO: 17) where NNNNNNNNNNNNXXAGAAW (SEQ ID NO: 18) (N is A, G, T, or C; X can be anything; and W is A or T) has a single occurrence in the genome. A unique target sequence in a genome may include an S. thermophilus CRISPR1 Cas9 target site of the form MMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNXXAGAAW (SEQ ID NO: 19) where NNNNNNNNNNNXXAGAAW (SEQ ID NO: 20) (N is A, G, T, or C; X can be anything; and W is A or T) has a single occurrence in the genome. For the S. pyogenes Cas9, a unique target sequence in a genome may include a Cas9 target site of the form MMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNXGGXG (SEQ ID NO: 534) where NNNNNNNNNNNNXGGXG (SEQ ID NO: 535) (N is A, G, T, or C; and X can be anything) has a single occurrence in the genome. A unique target sequence in a genome may include an S. pyogenes Cas9 target site of the form MMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNXGGXG (SEQ ID No.: 536) where NNNNNNNNNNNXGGXG (SEQ ID NO: 537) (N is A, G, T, or C; and X can be anything) has a single occurrence in the genome. In each of these sequences “M” may be A, G, T, or C, and need not be considered in identifying a sequence as unique.
In some embodiments, a guide sequence is selected to reduce the degree of secondary structure within the guide sequence. Secondary structure may be determined by any suitable polynucleotide folding algorithm. Some programs are based on calculating the minimal Gibbs free energy. An example of one such algorithm is mFold, as described by Zuker and Stiegler (Nucleic Acids Res. 9 (1981), 133-148). Another example folding algorithm is the online webserver RNAfold, developed at Institute for Theoretical Chemistry at the University of Vienna, using the centroid structure prediction algorithm (see e.g. A. R. Gruber et al., 2008, Cell 106(1): 23-24; and PA Carr and GM Church, 2009, Nature Biotechnology 27(12): 1151-62). Further algorithms may be found in U.S. application Ser. No. TBA (attorney docket 44790.11.2022; Broad Reference BI-2013/004A); incorporated herein by reference.
In general, a tracr mate sequence includes any sequence that has sufficient complementarity with a tracr sequence to promote one or more of: (1) excision of a guide sequence flanked by tracr mate sequences in a cell containing the corresponding tracr sequence; and (2) formation of a CRISPR complex at a target sequence, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises the tracr mate sequence hybridized to the tracr sequence. In general, degree of complementarity is with reference to the optimal alignment of the tracr mate sequence and tracr sequence, along the length of the shorter of the two sequences. Optimal alignment may be determined by any suitable alignment algorithm, and may further account for secondary structures, such as self-complementarity within either the tracr sequence or tracr mate sequence. In some embodiments, the degree of complementarity between the tracr sequence and tracr mate sequence along the length of the shorter of the two when optimally aligned is about or more than about 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 97.5%, 99%, or higher. Example illustrations of optimal alignment between a tracr sequence and a tracr mate sequence are provided in
In some embodiments, a recombination template is also provided. A recombination template may be a component of another vector as described herein, contained in a separate vector, or provided as a separate polynucleotide. In some embodiments, a recombination template is designed to serve as a template in homologous recombination, such as within or near a target sequence nicked or cleaved by a CRISPR enzyme as a part of a CRISPR complex. A template polynucleotide may be of any suitable length, such as about or more than about 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 500, 1000, or more nucleotides in length. In some embodiments, the template polynucleotide is complementary to a portion of a polynucleotide comprising the target sequence. When optimally aligned, a template polynucleotide might overlap with one or more nucleotides of a target sequences (e.g. about or more than about 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 or more nucleotides). In some embodiments, when a template sequence and a polynucleotide comprising a target sequence are optimally aligned, the nearest nucleotide of the template polynucleotide is within about 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 75, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 1000, 5000, 10000, or more nucleotides from the target sequence.
In some embodiments, the CRISPR enzyme is part of a fusion protein comprising one or more heterologous protein domains (e.g. about or more than about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more domains in addition to the CRISPR enzyme). A CRISPR enzyme fusion protein may comprise any additional protein sequence, and optionally a linker sequence between any two domains. Examples of protein domains that may be fused to a CRISPR enzyme include, without limitation, epitope tags, reporter gene sequences, and protein domains having one or more of the following activities: methylase activity, demethylase activity, transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, RNA cleavage activity and nucleic acid binding activity. Non-limiting examples of epitope tags include histidine (His) tags, V5 tags, FLAG tags, influenza hemagglutinin (HA) tags, Myc tags, VSV-G tags, and thioredoxin (Trx) tags. Examples of reporter genes include, but are not limited to, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), horseradish peroxidase (HRP), chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) beta-galactosidase, beta-glucuronidase, luciferase, green fluorescent protein (GFP), HcRed, DsRed, cyan fluorescent protein (CFP), yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), and autofluorescent proteins including blue fluorescent protein (BFP). A CRISPR enzyme may be fused to a gene sequence encoding a protein or a fragment of a protein that bind DNA molecules or bind other cellular molecules, including but not limited to maltose binding protein (MBP), S-tag, Lex A DNA binding domain (DBD) fusions, GAL4 DNA binding domain fusions, and herpes simplex virus (HSV) BP16 protein fusions. Additional domains that may form part of a fusion protein comprising a CRISPR enzyme are described in US20110059502, incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, a tagged CRISPR enzyme is used to identify the location of a target sequence.
In some aspects, the invention provides methods comprising delivering one or more polynucleotides, such as or one or more vectors as described herein, one or more transcripts thereof, and/or one or proteins transcribed therefrom, to a host cell. In some aspects, the invention further provides cells produced by such methods, and organisms (such as animals, plants, or fungi) comprising or produced from such cells. In some embodiments, a CRISPR enzyme in combination with (and optionally complexed with) a guide sequence is delivered to a cell. Conventional viral and non-viral based gene transfer methods can be used to introduce nucleic acids in mammalian cells or target tissues. Such methods can be used to administer nucleic acids encoding components of a CRISPR system to cells in culture, or in a host organism. Non-viral vector delivery systems include DNA plasmids, RNA (e.g. a transcript of a vector described herein), naked nucleic acid, and nucleic acid complexed with a delivery vehicle, such as a liposome. Viral vector delivery systems include DNA and RNA viruses, which have either episomal or integrated genomes after delivery to the cell. For a review of gene therapy procedures, see Anderson, Science 256:808-813 (1992); Nabel & Felgner, TIBTECH 11:211-217 (1993); Mitani & Caskey, TIBTECH 11:162-166 (1993); Dillon, TIBTECH 11:167-175 (1993); Miller, Nature 357:455-460 (1992); Van Brunt, Biotechnology 6(10):1149-1154 (1988); Vigne, Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience 8:35-36 (1995); Kremer & Perricaudet, British Medical Bulletin 51(1):31-44 (1995); Haddada et al., in Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, Doerfler and Bohm (eds) (1995); and Yu et al., Gene Therapy 1:13-26 (1994).
Methods of non-viral delivery of nucleic acids include lipofection, nucleofection, microinjection, biolistics, virosomes, liposomes, immunoliposomes, polycation or lipid:nucleic acid conjugates, naked DNA, artificial virions, and agent-enhanced uptake of DNA. Lipofection is described in e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,049,386, 4,946,787; and 4,897,355) and lipofection reagents are sold commercially (e.g., Transfectam™ and Lipofectin™). Cationic and neutral lipids that are suitable for efficient receptor-recognition lipofection of polynucleotides include those of Felgner, WO 91/17424; WO 91/16024. Delivery can be to cells (e.g. in vitro or ex vivo administration) or target tissues (e.g. in vivo administration).
The preparation of lipid:nucleic acid complexes, including targeted liposomes such as immunolipid complexes, is well known to one of skill in the art (see, e.g., Crystal, Science 270:404-410 (1995); Blaese et al., Cancer Gene Ther. 2:291-297 (1995); Behr et al., Bioconjugate Chem. 5:382-389 (1994); Remy et al., Bioconjugate Chem. 5:647-654 (1994); Gao et al., Gene Therapy 2:710-722 (1995); Ahmad et al., Cancer Res. 52:4817-4820 (1992); U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,186,183, 4,217,344, 4,235,871, 4,261,975, 4,485,054, 4,501,728, 4,774,085, 4,837,028, and 4,946,787).
The use of RNA or DNA viral based systems for the delivery of nucleic acids takes advantage of highly evolved processes for targeting a virus to specific cells in the body and trafficking the viral payload to the nucleus. Viral vectors can be administered directly to patients (in vivo) or they can be used to treat cells in vitro, and the modified cells may optionally be administered to patients (ex vivo). Conventional viral based systems could include retroviral, lentivirus, adenoviral, adeno-associated and herpes simplex virus vectors for gene transfer. Integration in the host genome is possible with the retrovirus, lentivirus, and adeno-associated virus gene transfer methods, often resulting in long term expression of the inserted transgene. Additionally, high transduction efficiencies have been observed in many different cell types and target tissues.
The tropism of a retrovirus can be altered by incorporating foreign envelope proteins, expanding the potential target population of target cells. Lentiviral vectors are retroviral vectors that are able to transduce or infect non-dividing cells and typically produce high viral titers. Selection of a retroviral gene transfer system would therefore depend on the target tissue. Retroviral vectors are comprised of cis-acting long terminal repeats with packaging capacity for up to 6-10 kb of foreign sequence. The minimum cis-acting LTRs are sufficient for replication and packaging of the vectors, which are then used to integrate the therapeutic gene into the target cell to provide permanent transgene expression. Widely used retroviral vectors include those based upon murine leukemia virus (MuLV), gibbon ape leukemia virus (GaLV), Simian Immuno deficiency virus (SIV), human immuno deficiency virus (HIV), and combinations thereof (see, e.g., Buchscher et al., J. Virol. 66:2731-2739 (1992); Johann et al., J. Virol. 66:1635-1640 (1992); Sommnerfelt et al., Virol. 176:58-59 (1990); Wilson et al., J. Virol. 63:2374-2378 (1989); Miller et al., J. Virol. 65:2220-2224 (1991); PCT/US94/05700). In applications where transient expression is preferred, adenoviral based systems may be used. Adenoviral based vectors are capable of very high transduction efficiency in many cell types and do not require cell division. With such vectors, high titer and levels of expression have been obtained. This vector can be produced in large quantities in a relatively simple system. Adeno-associated virus (“AAV”) vectors may also be used to transduce cells with target nucleic acids, e.g., in the in vitro production of nucleic acids and peptides, and for in vivo and ex vivo gene therapy procedures (see, e.g., West et al., Virology 160:38-47 (1987); U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,368; WO 93/24641; Kotin, Human Gene Therapy 5:793-801 (1994); Muzyczka, J. Clin. Invest. 94:1351 (1994). Construction of recombinant AAV vectors are described in a number of publications, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,414; Tratschin et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 5:3251-3260 (1985); Tratschin, et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 4:2072-2081 (1984); Hermonat & Muzyczka, PNAS 81:6466-6470 (1984); and Samulski et al., J. Virol. 63:03822-3828 (1989).
Packaging cells are typically used to form virus particles that are capable of infecting a host cell. Such cells include 293 cells, which package adenovirus, and W2 cells or PA317 cells, which package retrovirus. Viral vectors used in gene therapy are usually generated by producing a cell line that packages a nucleic acid vector into a viral particle. The vectors typically contain the minimal viral sequences required for packaging and subsequent integration into a host, other viral sequences being replaced by an expression cassette for the polynucleotide(s) to be expressed. The missing viral functions are typically supplied in trans by the packaging cell line. For example, AAV vectors used in gene therapy typically only possess ITR sequences from the AAV genome which are required for packaging and integration into the host genome. Viral DNA is packaged in a cell line, which contains a helper plasmid encoding the other AAV genes, namely rep and cap, but lacking ITR sequences. The cell line may also be infected with adenovirus as a helper. The helper virus promotes replication of the AAV vector and expression of AAV genes from the helper plasmid. The helper plasmid is not packaged in significant amounts due to a lack of ITR sequences. Contamination with adenovirus can be reduced by, e.g., heat treatment to which adenovirus is more sensitive than AAV. Additional methods for the delivery of nucleic acids to cells are known to those skilled in the art. See, for example, US20030087817, incorporated herein by reference.
In some embodiments, a host cell is transiently or non-transiently transfected with one or more vectors described herein. In some embodiments, a cell is transfected as it naturally occurs in a subject. In some embodiments, a cell that is transfected is taken from a subject. In some embodiments, the cell is derived from cells taken from a subject, such as a cell line. A wide variety of cell lines for tissue culture are known in the art. Examples of cell lines include, but are not limited to, C8161, CCRF-CEM, MOLT, mIMCD-3, NHDF, HeLa-S3, Huhl, Huh4, Huh7, HUVEC, HASMC, HEKn, HEKa, MiaPaCell, Panc1, PC-3, TF1, CTLL-2, ClR, Rat6, CV1, RPTE, A10, T24, J82, A375, ARH-77, Calul, SW480, SW620, SKOV3, SK-UT, CaCo2, P388D1, SEM-K2, WEHI-231, HB56, TIB55, Jurkat, J45.01, LRMB, Bcl-1, BC-3, IC21, DLD2, Raw264.7, NRK, NRK-52E, MRC5, MEF, Hep G2, HeLa B, HeLa T4, COS, COS-1, COS-6, COS-M6A, BS-C-1 monkey kidney epithelial, BALB/3T3 mouse embryo fibroblast, 3T3 Swiss, 3T3-L1, 132-d5 human fetal fibroblasts; 10.1 mouse fibroblasts, 293-T, 3T3, 721, 9L, A2780, A2780ADR, A2780cis, A172, A20, A253, A431, A-549, ALC, B16, B35, BCP-1 cells, BEAS-2B, bEnd.3, BHK-21, BR 293, BxPC3, C3H-10T1/2, C6/36, Cal-27, CHO, CHO-7, CHO—IR, CHO-K1, CHO-K2, CHO-T, CHO Dhfr −/−, COR-L23, COR-L23/CPR, COR-L23/5010, COR-L23/R23, COS-7, COV-434, CML T1, CMT, CT26, D17, DH82, DU145, DuCaP, EL4, EM2, EM3, EMT6/AR1, EMT6/AR10.0, FM3, H1299, H69, HB54, HB55, HCA2, HEK-293, HeLa, Hepa1c1c7, HL-60, HMEC, HT-29, Jurkat, JY cells, K562 cells, Ku812, KCL22, KG1, KYO1, LNCap, Ma-Mel 1-48, MC-38, MCF-7, MCF-10A, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-435, MDCK II, MDCK II, MOR/0.2R, MONO-MAC 6, MTD-1A, MyEnd, NCI-H69/CPR, NCI-H69/LX10, NCI-H69/LX20, NCI-H69/LX4, NIH-3T3, NALM-1, NW-145, OPCN/OPCT cell lines, Peer, PNT-1A/PNT 2, RenCa, RIN-5F, RMA/RMAS, Saos-2 cells, Sf-9, SkBr3, T2, T-47D, T84, THP1 cell line, U373, U87, U937, VCaP, Vero cells, WM39, WT-49, X63, YAC-1, YAR, and transgenic varieties thereof. Cell lines are available from a variety of sources known to those with skill in the art (see, e.g., the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) (Manassas, Va.)). In some embodiments, a cell transfected with one or more vectors described herein is used to establish a new cell line comprising one or more vector-derived sequences. In some embodiments, a cell transiently transfected with the components of a CRISPR system as described herein (such as by transient transfection of one or more vectors, or transfection with RNA), and modified through the activity of a CRISPR complex, is used to establish a new cell line comprising cells containing the modification but lacking any other exogenous sequence. In some embodiments, cells transiently or non-transiently transfected with one or more vectors described herein, or cell lines derived from such cells are used in assessing one or more test compounds.
In some embodiments, one or more vectors described herein are used to produce a non-human transgenic animal or transgenic plant. In some embodiments, the transgenic animal is a mammal, such as a mouse, rat, or rabbit. In certain embodiments, the organism or subject is a plant. In certain embodiments, the organism or subject or plant is algae. Methods for producing transgenic plants and animals are known in the art, and generally begin with a method of cell transfection, such as described herein.
In one aspect, the invention provides for methods of modifying a target polynucleotide in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the method comprises allowing a CRISPR complex to bind to the target polynucleotide to effect cleavage of said target polynucleotide thereby modifying the target polynucleotide, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with a guide sequence hybridized to a target sequence within said target polynucleotide, wherein said guide sequence is linked to a tracr mate sequence which in turn hybridizes to a tracr sequence.
In one aspect, the invention provides a method of modifying expression of a polynucleotide in a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the method comprises allowing a CRISPR complex to bind to the polynucleotide such that said binding results in increased or decreased expression of said polynucleotide; wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with a guide sequence hybridized to a target sequence within said polynucleotide, wherein said guide sequence is linked to a tracr mate sequence which in turn hybridizes to a tracr sequence.
With recent advances in crop genomics, the ability to use CRISPR-Cas systems to perform efficient and cost effective gene editing and manipulation will allow the rapid selection and comparison of single and multiplexed genetic manipulations to transform such genomes for improved production and enhanced traits. In this regard reference is made to US patents and publications: U.S. Pat. No. 6,603,061—Agrobacterium-Mediated Plant Transformation Method; U.S. Pat. No. 7,868,149—Plant Genome Sequences and Uses Thereof and US 2009/0100536—Transgenic Plants with Enhanced Agronomic Traits, all the contents and disclosure of each of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. In the practice of the invention, the contents and disclosure of Morrell et al “Crop genomics:advances and applications” Nat Rev Genet. 2011 Dec. 29; 13(2):85-96 are also herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the CRISPR/Cas9 system is used to engineer microalgae (Example 15). Accordingly, reference herein to animal cells may also apply, mutatis mutandis, to plant cells unless otherwise apparent.
In one aspect, the invention provides for methods of modifying a target polynucleotide in a eukaryotic cell, which may be in vivo, ex vivo or in vitro. In some embodiments, the method comprises sampling a cell or population of cells from a human or non-human animal or plant (including micro-algae), and modifying the cell or cells. Culturing may occur at any stage ex vivo. The cell or cells may even be re-introduced into the non-human animal or plant (including micro-algae).
In plants, pathogens are often host-specific. For example, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici causes tomato wilt but attacks only tomato, and F. oxysporum f dianthii Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici attacks only wheat. Plants have existing and induced defenses to resist most pathogens. Mutations and recombination events across plant generations lead to genetic variability that gives rise to susceptibility, especially as pathogens reproduce with more frequency than plants. In plants there can be non-host resistance, e.g., the host and pathogen are incompatible. There can also be Horizontal Resistance, e.g., partial resistance against all races of a pathogen, typically controlled by many genes and Vertical Resistance, e.g., complete resistance to some races of a pathogen but not to other races, typically controlled by a few genes. In a Gene-for-Gene level, plants and pathogens evolve together, and the genetic changes in one balance changes in other. Accordingly, using Natural Variability, breeders combine most useful genes for Yield, Quality, Uniformity, Hardiness, Resistance. The sources of resistance genes include native or foreign Varieties, Heirloom Varieties, Wild Plant Relatives, and Induced Mutations, e.g., treating plant material with mutagenic agents. Using the present invention, plant breeders are provided with a new tool to induce mutations. Accordingly, one skilled in the art can analyze the genome of sources of resistance genes, and in Varieties having desired characteristics or traits employ the present invention to induce the rise of resistance genes, with more precision than previous mutagenic agents and hence accelerate and improve plant breeding programs.
In one aspect, the invention provides kits containing any one or more of the elements disclosed in the above methods and compositions. In some embodiments, the kit comprises a vector system and instructions for using the kit. In some embodiments, the vector system comprises (a) a first regulatory element operably linked to a tracr mate sequence and one or more insertion sites for inserting a guide sequence upstream of the tracr mate sequence, wherein when expressed, the guide sequence directs sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a target sequence in a eukaryotic cell, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with (1) the guide sequence that is hybridized to the target sequence, and (2) the tracr mate sequence that is hybridized to the tracr sequence; and/or (b) a second regulatory element operably linked to an enzyme-coding sequence encoding said CRISPR enzyme comprising a nuclear localization sequence. Elements may be provide individually or in combinations, and may be provided in any suitable container, such as a vial, a bottle, or a tube. In some embodiments, the kit includes instructions in one or more languages, for example in more than one language.
In some embodiments, a kit comprises one or more reagents for use in a process utilizing one or more of the elements described herein. Reagents may be provided in any suitable container. For example, a kit may provide one or more reaction or storage buffers. Reagents may be provided in a form that is usable in a particular assay, or in a form that requires addition of one or more other components before use (e.g. in concentrate or lyophilized form). A buffer can be any buffer, including but not limited to a sodium carbonate buffer, a sodium bicarbonate buffer, a borate buffer, a Tris buffer, a MOPS buffer, a HEPES buffer, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the buffer is alkaline. In some embodiments, the buffer has a pH from about 7 to about 10. In some embodiments, the kit comprises one or more oligonucleotides corresponding to a guide sequence for insertion into a vector so as to operably link the guide sequence and a regulatory element. In some embodiments, the kit comprises a homologous recombination template polynucleotide.
In one aspect, the invention provides methods for using one or more elements of a CRISPR system. The CRISPR complex of the invention provides an effective means for modifying a target polynucleotide. The CRISPR complex of the invention has a wide variety of utility including modifying (e.g., deleting, inserting, translocating, inactivating, activating) a target polynucleotide in a multiplicity of cell types. As such the CRISPR complex of the invention has a broad spectrum of applications in, e.g., gene therapy, drug screening, disease diagnosis, and prognosis. An exemplary CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with a guide sequence hybridized to a target sequence within the target polynucleotide. The guide sequence is linked to a tracr mate sequence, which in turn hybridizes to a tracr sequence.
The target polynucleotide of a CRISPR complex can be any polynucleotide endogenous or exogenous to the eukaryotic cell. For example, the target polynucleotide can be a polynucleotide residing in the nucleus of the eukaryotic cell. The target polynucleotide can be a sequence coding a gene product (e.g., a protein) or a non-coding sequence (e.g., a regulatory polynucleotide or a junk DNA). Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the target sequence should be associated with a PAM (protospacer adjacent motif); that is, a short sequence recognized by the CRISPR complex. The precise sequence and length requirements for the PAM differ depending on the CRISPR enzyme used, but PAMs are typically 2-5 base pair sequences adjacent the protospacer (that is, the target sequence) Examples of PAM sequences are given in the examples section below, and the skilled person will be able to identify further PAM sequences for use with a given CRISPR enzyme.
The target polynucleotide of a CRISPR complex may include a number of disease-associated genes and polynucleotides as well as signaling biochemical pathway-associated genes and polynucleotides as listed in U.S. provisional patent applications 61/736,527 and 61/748,427, both entitled SYSTEMS METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR SEQUENCE MANIPULATION filed on Dec. 12, 2012 and Jan. 2, 2013, respectively, the contents of all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Examples of target polynucleotides include a sequence associated with a signaling biochemical pathway, e.g., a signaling biochemical pathway-associated gene or polynucleotide. Examples of target polynucleotides include a disease associated gene or polynucleotide. A “disease-associated” gene or polynucleotide refers to any gene or polynucleotide which is yielding transcription or translation products at an abnormal level or in an abnormal form in cells derived from a disease-affected tissues compared with tissues or cells of a non disease control. It may be a gene that becomes expressed at an abnormally high level; it may be a gene that becomes expressed at an abnormally low level, where the altered expression correlates with the occurrence and/or progression of the disease. A disease-associated gene also refers to a gene possessing mutation(s) or genetic variation that is directly responsible or is in linkage disequilibrium with a gene(s) that is responsible for the etiology of a disease. The transcribed or translated products may be known or unknown, and may be at a normal or abnormal level.
Examples of disease-associated genes and polynucleotides are available from McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Md.) and National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine (Bethesda, Md.), available on the World Wide Web.
Examples of disease-associated genes and polynucleotides are listed in Tables A and B. Disease specific information is available from McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Md.) and National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine (Bethesda, Md.), available on the World Wide Web. Examples of signaling biochemical pathway-associated genes and polynucleotides are listed in Table C.
Mutations in these genes and pathways can result in production of improper proteins or proteins in improper amounts which affect function. Further examples of genes, diseases and proteins are hereby incorporated by reference from U.S. Provisional application 61/736,527 filed on Dec. 12, 2012 and 61/748,427 filed on Feb. 2, 2013. Such genes, proteins and pathways may be the target polynucleotide of a CRISPR complex.
Embodiments of the invention also relate to methods and compositions related to knocking out genes, amplifying genes and repairing particular mutations associated with DNA repeat instability and neurological disorders (Robert D. Wells, Tetsuo Ashizawa, Genetic Instabilities and Neurological Diseases, Second Edition, Academic Press, Oct. 13, 2011—Medical). Specific aspects of tandem repeat sequences have been found to be responsible for more than twenty human diseases (New insights into repeat instability: role of RNA·DNA hybrids. McIvor EI, Polak U, Napierala M. RNA Biol. 2010 September-October; 7(5):551-8). The CRISPR-Cas system may be harnessed to correct these defects of genomic instability.
A further aspect of the invention relates to utilizing the CRISPR-Cas system for correcting defects in the EMP2A and EMP2B genes that have been identified to be associated with Lafora disease. Lafora disease is an autosomal recessive condition which is characterized by progressive myoclonus epilepsy which may start as epileptic seizures in adolescence. A few cases of the disease may be caused by mutations in genes yet to be identified. The disease causes seizures, muscle spasms, difficulty walking, dementia, and eventually death. There is currently no therapy that has proven effective against disease progression. Other genetic abnormalities associated with epilepsy may also be targeted by the CRISPR-Cas system and the underlying genetics is further described in Genetics of Epilepsy and Genetic Epilepsies, edited by Giuliano Avanzini, Jeffrey L. Noebels, Mariani Foundation Paediatric Neurology:20; 2009).
In yet another aspect of the invention, the CRISPR-Cas system may be used to correct ocular defects that arise from several genetic mutations further described in Genetic Diseases of the Eye, Second Edition, edited by Elias I. Traboulsi, Oxford University Press, 2012.
Several further aspects of the invention relate to correcting defects associated with a wide range of genetic diseases which are further described on the website of the National Institutes of Health under the topic subsection Genetic Disorders (website at health.nih.gov/topic/GeneticDisorders). The genetic brain diseases may include but are not limited to Adrenoleukodystrophy, Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum, Aicardi Syndrome, Alpers' Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, Barth Syndrome, Batten Disease, CADASIL, Cerebellar Degeneration, Fabry's Disease, Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Disease, Huntington's Disease and other Triplet Repeat Disorders, Leigh's Disease, Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome, Menkes Disease, Mitochondrial Myopathies and NINDS Colpocephaly. These diseases are further described on the website of the National Institutes of Health under the subsection Genetic Brain Disorders.
In some embodiments, the condition may be neoplasia. In some embodiments, where the condition is neoplasia, the genes to be targeted are any of those listed in Table A (in this case PTEN and so forth). In some embodiments, the condition may be Age-related Macular Degeneration. In some embodiments, the condition may be a Schizophrenic Disorder. In some embodiments, the condition may be a Trinucleotide Repeat Disorder. In some embodiments, the condition may be Fragile X Syndrome. In some embodiments, the condition may be a Secretase Related Disorder. In some embodiments, the condition may be a Prion—related disorder. In some embodiments, the condition may be ALS. In some embodiments, the condition may be a drug addiction. In some embodiments, the condition may be Autism. In some embodiments, the condition may be Alzheimer's Disease. In some embodiments, the condition may be inflammation. In some embodiments, the condition may be Parkinson's Disease.
Examples of proteins associated with Parkinson's disease include but are not limited to α-synuclein, DJ-1, LRRK2, PINK1, Parkin, UCHL1, Synphilin-1, and NURR1.
Examples of addiction-related proteins may include ABAT for example.
Examples of inflammation-related proteins may include the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP1) encoded by the Ccr2 gene, the C—C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) encoded by the Ccr5 gene, the IgG receptor IIB (FCGR2b, also termed CD32) encoded by the Fcgr2b gene, or the Fc epsilon R1g (FCER1g) protein encoded by the Fcer1g gene, for example.
Examples of cardiovascular diseases associated proteins may include IL1B (interleukin 1, beta), XDH (xanthine dehydrogenase), TP53 (tumor protein p53), PTGIS (prostaglandin 12 (prostacyclin) synthase), MB (myoglobin), IL4 (interleukin 4), ANGPT1 (angiopoietin 1), ABCG8 (ATP-binding cassette, sub-family G (WHITE), member 8), or CTSK (cathepsin K), for example.
Examples of Alzheimer's disease associated proteins may include the very low density lipoprotein receptor protein (VLDLR) encoded by the VLDLR gene, the ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme 1 (UBA1) encoded by the UBA1 gene, or the NEDD8-activating enzyme E1 catalytic subunit protein (UBEIC) encoded by the UBA3 gene, for example.
Examples of proteins associated Autism Spectrum Disorder may include the benzodiazapine receptor (peripheral) associated protein 1 (BZRAP1) encoded by the BZRAP1 gene, the AF4/FMR2 family member 2 protein (AFF2) encoded by the AFF2 gene (also termed MFR2), the fragile X mental retardation autosomal homolog 1 protein (FXR1) encoded by the FXR1 gene, or the fragile X mental retardation autosomal homolog 2 protein (FXR2) encoded by the FXR2 gene, for example.
Examples of proteins associated Macular Degeneration may include the ATP-binding cassette, sub-family A (ABC1) member 4 protein (ABCA4) encoded by the ABCR gene, the apolipoprotein E protein (APOE) encoded by the APOE gene, or the chemokine (C—C motif) Ligand 2 protein (CCL2) encoded by the CCL2 gene, for example.
Examples of proteins associated Schizophrenia may include NRG1, ErbB4, CPLX1, TPH1, TPH2, NRXN1, GSK3A, BDNF, DISC1, GSK3B, and combinations thereof.
Examples of proteins involved in tumor suppression may include ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated), ATR (ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related), EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), ERBB2 (v-erb-b2 erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2), ERBB3 (v-erb-b2 erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 3), ERBB4 (v-erb-b2 erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 4), Notch 1, Notch2, Notch 3, or Notch 4, for example.
Examples of proteins associated with a secretase disorder may include PSENEN (presenilin enhancer 2 homolog (C. elegans)), CTSB (cathepsin B), PSEN1 (presenilin 1), APP (amyloid beta (A4) precursor protein), APH1B (anterior pharynx defective 1 homolog B (C. elegans)), PSEN2 (presenilin 2 (Alzheimer disease 4)), or BACE1 (beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1), for example.
Examples of proteins associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis may include SOD1 (superoxide dismutase 1), ALS2 (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 2), FUS (fused in sarcoma), TARDBP (TAR DNA binding protein), VAGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor A), VAGFB (vascular endothelial growth factor B), and VAGFC (vascular endothelial growth factor C), and any combination thereof.
Examples of proteins associated with prion diseases may include SOD1 (superoxide dismutase 1), ALS2 (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 2), FUS (fused in sarcoma), TARDBP (TAR DNA binding protein), VAGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor A), VAGFB (vascular endothelial growth factor B), and VAGFC (vascular endothelial growth factor C), and any combination thereof.
Examples of proteins related to neurodegenerative conditions in prion disorders may include A2M (Alpha-2-Macroglobulin), AATF (Apoptosis antagonizing transcription factor), ACPP (Acid phosphatase prostate), ACTA2 (Actin alpha 2 smooth muscle aorta), ADAM22 (ADAM metallopeptidase domain), ADORA3 (Adenosine A3 receptor), or ADRA1D (Alpha-1D adrenergic receptor for Alpha-1D adrenoreceptor), for example.
Examples of proteins associated with Immunodeficiency may include A2M [alpha-2-macroglobulin]; AANAT [arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase]; ABCA1 [ATP-binding cassette, sub-family A (ABC1), member 1]; ABCA2 [ATP-binding cassette, sub-family A (ABC1), member 2]; or ABCA3 [ATP-binding cassette, sub-family A (ABC1), member 3]; for example.
Examples of proteins associated with Trinucleotide Repeat Disorders include AR (androgen receptor), FMR1 (fragile X mental retardation 1), HTT (huntingtin), or DMPK (dystrophia myotonica-protein kinase), FXN (frataxin), ATXN2 (ataxin 2), for example.
Examples of proteins associated with Neurotransmission Disorders include SST (somatostatin), NOS1 (nitric oxide synthase 1 (neuronal)), ADRA2A (adrenergic, alpha-2A-, receptor), ADRA2C (adrenergic, alpha-2C-, receptor), TACR1 (tachykinin receptor 1), or HTR2c (5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) receptor 2C), for example.
Examples of neurodevelopmental-associated sequences include A2BP1 [ataxin 2-binding protein 1], AADAT [aminoadipate aminotransferase], AANAT [arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase], ABAT [4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase], ABCA1 [ATP-binding cassette, sub-family A (ABC1), member 1], or ABCA13 [ATP-binding cassette, sub-family A (ABC1), member 13], for example.
Further examples of preferred conditions treatable with the present system include may be selected from: Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome; Alexander Disease; Allan-Herndon-Dudley Syndrome; POLG-Related Disorders; Alpha-Mannosidosis (Type II and III); Alström Syndrome; Angelman; Syndrome; Ataxia-Telangiectasia; Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinoses; Beta-Thalassemia; Bilateral Optic Atrophy and (Infantile) Optic Atrophy Type 1; Retinoblastoma (bilateral); Canavan Disease; Cerebrooculofacioskeletal Syndrome 1 [COFS1]; Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis; Cornelia de Lange Syndrome; MAPT-Related Disorders; Genetic Prion Diseases; Dravet Syndrome; Early-Onset Familial Alzheimer Disease; Friedreich Ataxia [FRDA]; Fryns Syndrome; Fucosidosis; Fukuyama Congenital Muscular Dystrophy; Galactosialidosis; Gaucher Disease; Organic Acidemias; Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis; Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome; Mucolipidosis II; Infantile Free Sialic Acid Storage Disease; PLA2G6-Associated Neurodegeneration; Jervell and Lange-Nielsen Syndrome; Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa; Huntington Disease; Krabbe Disease (Infantile); Mitochondrial DNA-Associated Leigh Syndrome and NARP; Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome; LIS1-Associated Lissencephaly; Lowe Syndrome; Maple Syrup Urine Disease; MECP2 Duplication Syndrome; ATP7A-Related Copper Transport Disorders; LAMA2-Related Muscular Dystrophy; Arylsulfatase A Deficiency; Mucopolysaccharidosis Types I, II or III; Peroxisome Biogenesis Disorders, Zellweger Syndrome Spectrum; Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation Disorders; Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency; Niemann-Pick Disease Type C; Glycine Encephalopathy; ARX-Related Disorders; Urea Cycle Disorders; COL1A1/2-Related Osteogenesis Imperfecta; Mitochondrial DNA Deletion Syndromes; PLP1-Related Disorders; Perry Syndrome; Phelan-McDermid Syndrome; Glycogen Storage Disease Type II (Pompe Disease) (Infantile); MAPT-Related Disorders; MECP2-Related Disorders; Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata Type 1; Roberts Syndrome; Sandhoff Disease; Schindler Disease—Type 1; Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency; Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome; Spinal Muscular Atrophy; Infantile-Onset Spinocerebellar Ataxia; Hexosaminidase A Deficiency; Thanatophoric Dysplasia Type 1; Collagen Type VI-Related Disorders; Usher Syndrome Type I; Congenital Muscular Dystrophy; Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome; Lysosomal Acid Lipase Deficiency; and Xeroderma Pigmentosum.
As will be apparent, it is envisaged that the present system can be used to target any polynucleotide sequence of interest. Some examples of conditions or diseases that might be usefully treated using the present system are included in the Tables above and examples of genes currently associated with those conditions are also provided there. However, the genes exemplified are not exhaustive.
EXAMPLESThe following examples are given for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments of the invention and are not meant to limit the present invention in any fashion. The present examples, along with the methods described herein are presently representative of preferred embodiments, are exemplary, and are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention. Changes therein and other uses which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the claims will occur to those skilled in the art.
Example 1: CRISPR Complex Activity in the Nucleus of a Eukaryotic CellAn example type II CRISPR system is the type II CRISPR locus from Streptococcus pyogenes SF370, which contains a cluster of four genes Cas9, Cas1, Cas2, and Csn1, as well as two non-coding RNA elements, tracrRNA and a characteristic array of repetitive sequences (direct repeats) interspaced by short stretches of non-repetitive sequences (spacers, about 30 bp each). In this system, targeted DNA double-strand break (DSB) is generated in four sequential steps (
Cell Culture and Transfection
Human embryonic kidney (HEK) cell line HEK 293FT (Life Technologies) was maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (HyClone), 2 mM GlutaMAX (Life Technologies), 100 U/mL penicillin, and 100 μg/mL streptomycin at 37° C. with 5% CO2 incubation. Mouse neuro2A (N2A) cell line (ATCC) was maintained with DMEM supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (HyClone), 2 mM GlutaMAX (Life Technologies), 100 U/mL penicillin, and 100 μg/mL streptomycin at 37° C. with 5% CO2.
HEK 293FT or N2A cells were seeded into 24-well plates (Corning) one day prior to transfection at a density of 200,000 cells per well. Cells were transfected using Lipofectamine 2000 (Life Technologies) following the manufacturer's recommended protocol. For each well of a 24-well plate a total of 800 ng of plasmids were used.
Surveyor Assay and Sequencing Analysis for Genome Modification
HEK 293FT or N2A cells were transfected with plasmid DNA as described above. After transfection, the cells were incubated at 37° C. for 72 hours before genomic DNA extraction. Genomic DNA was extracted using the QuickExtract DNA extraction kit (Epicentre) following the manufacturer's protocol. Briefly, cells were resuspended in QuickExtract solution and incubated at 65° C. for 15 minutes and 98° C. for 10 minutes. Extracted genomic DNA was immediately processed or stored at −20° C.
The genomic region surrounding a CRISPR target site for each gene was PCR amplified, and products were purified using QiaQuick Spin Column (Qiagen) following manufacturer's protocol. A total of 400 ng of the purified PCR products were mixed with 2 μl 10×Taq polymerase PCR buffer (Enzymatics) and ultrapure water to a final volume of 20 μl, and subjected to a re-annealing process to enable heteroduplex formation: 95° C. for 10 min, 95° C. to 85° C. ramping at −2° C./s, 85° C. to 25° C. at −0.25° C./s, and 25° C. hold for 1 minute. After re-annealing, products were treated with Surveyor nuclease and Surveyor enhancer S (Transgenomics) following the manufacturer's recommended protocol, and analyzed on 4-20% Novex TBE poly-acrylamide gels (Life Technologies). Gels were stained with SYBR Gold DNA stain (Life Technologies) for 30 minutes and imaged with a Gel Doc gel imaging system (Bio-rad). Quantification was based on relative band intensities, as a measure of the fraction of cleaved DNA.
Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Assay for Detection of Homologous Recombination
HEK 293FT and N2A cells were transfected with plasmid DNA, and incubated at 37° C. for 72 hours before genomic DNA extraction as described above. The target genomic region was PCR amplified using primers outside the homology arms of the homologous recombination (HR) template. PCR products were separated on a 1% agarose gel and extracted with MinElute GelExtraction Kit (Qiagen). Purified products were digested with HindIII (Fermentas) and analyzed on a 6% Novex TBE poly-acrylamide gel (Life Technologies).
RNA Secondary Structure Prediction and Analysis
RNA secondary structure prediction was performed using the online webserver RNAfold developed at Institute for Theoretical Chemistry at the University of Vienna, using the centroid structure prediction algorithm (see e.g. A. R. Gruber et al., 2008, Cell 106(1): 23-24; and PA Carr and GM Church, 2009, Nature Biotechnology 27(12): 1151-62).
Bacterial Plasmid Transformation Interference Assay
Elements of the S. pyogenes CRISPR locus 1 sufficient for CRISPR activity were reconstituted in E. coli using pCRISPR plasmid (schematically illustrated in
RNA Purification
HEK 293FT cells were maintained and transfected as stated above. Cells were harvested by trypsinization followed by washing in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Total cell RNA was extracted with TRI reagent (Sigma) following manufacturer's protocol. Extracted total RNA was quantified using Naonodrop (Thermo Scientific) and normalized to same concentration.
Northern Blot Analysis of crRNA and tracrRNA Expression in Mammalian Cells
RNAs were mixed with equal volumes of 2×loading buffer (Ambion), heated to 95° C. for 5 min, chilled on ice for 1 min, and then loaded onto 8% denaturing polyacrylamide gels (SequaGel, National Diagnostics) after pre-running the gel for at least 30 minutes. The samples were electrophoresed for 1.5 hours at 40 W limit. Afterwards, the RNA was transferred to Hybond N+ membrane (GE Healthcare) at 300 mA in a semi-dry transfer apparatus (Bio-rad) at room temperature for 1.5 hours. The RNA was crosslinked to the membrane using autocrosslink button on Stratagene UV Crosslinker the Stratalinker (Stratagene). The membrane was pre-hybridized in ULTRAhyb-Oligo Hybridization Buffer (Ambion) for 30 min with rotation at 42° C., and probes were then added and hybridized overnight. Probes were ordered from IDT and labeled with [gamma-32P] ATP (Perkin Elmer) with T4 polynucleotide kinase (New England Biolabs). The membrane was washed once with pre-warmed (42° C.) 2×SSC, 0.5% SDS for 1 min followed by two 30 minute washes at 42° C. The membrane was exposed to a phosphor screen for one hour or overnight at room temperature and then scanned with a phosphorimager (Typhoon).
Bacterial CRISPR System Construction and Evaluation
CRISPR locus elements, including tracrRNA, Cas9, and leader were PCR amplified from Streptococcus pyogenes SF370 genomic DNA with flanking homology arms for Gibson Assembly. Two BsaI type IIS sites were introduced in between two direct repeats to facilitate easy insertion of spacers (
pCRISPR-carrying cells were made competent using the Z-Competent E. coli Transformation Kit and Buffer Set (Zymo Research, T3001) according to manufacturer's instructions. In the transformation assay, 50 uL aliquots of competent cells carrying pCRISPR were thawed on ice and transformed with 1 ng of spacer plasmid or pUC19 on ice for 30 minutes, followed by 45 second heat shock at 42° C. and 2 minutes on ice. Subsequently, 250 ul SOC (Invitrogen) was added followed by shaking incubation at 37° C. for 1 hr, and 100 uL of the post-SOC outgrowth was plated onto double selection plates (12.5 ug/ml chloramphenicol, 100 ug/ml ampicillin). To obtain cfu/ng of DNA, total colony numbers were multiplied by 3.
To improve expression of CRISPR components in mammalian cells, two genes from the SF370 locus 1 of Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) were codon-optimized, Cas9 (SpCas9) and RNase III (SpRNase III). To facilitate nuclear localization, a nuclear localization signal (NLS) was included at the amino (N)- or carboxyl (C)-termini of both SpCas9 and SpRNase III (
The tracrRNA from the CRISPR locus of S. pyogenes SF370 has two transcriptional start sites, giving rise to two transcripts of 89-nucleotides (nt) and 171 nt that are subsequently processed into identical 75 nt mature tracrRNAs. The shorter 89 nt tracrRNA was selected for expression in mammalian cells (expression constructs illustrated in
To promote precise transcriptional initiation, the RNA polymerase III-based U6 promoter was selected to drive the expression of tracrRNA (
To test whether heterologous expression of the CRISPR system (SpCas9, SpRNase III, tracrRNA, and pre-crRNA) in mammalian cells can achieve targeted cleavage of mammalian chromosomes, HEK 293FT cells were transfected with combinations of CRISPR components. Since DSBs in mammalian nuclei are partially repaired by the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway, which leads to the formation of indels, the Surveyor assay was used to detect potential cleavage activity at the target EMX1 locus (
To further simplify the three-component system, a chimeric crRNA-tracrRNA hybrid design was adapted, where a mature crRNA (comprising a guide sequence) is fused to a partial tracrRNA via a stem-loop to mimic the natural crRNA:tracrRNA duplex (
Generalizability of CRISPR-mediated cleavage in eukaryotic cells was tested by targeting additional genomic loci in both human and mouse cells by designing chimeric RNA targeting multiple sites in the human EMX1 and PVALB, as well as the mouse Th loci.
Since the secondary structure of RNA can be crucial for intermolecular interactions, a structure prediction algorithm based on minimum free energy and Boltzmann-weighted structure ensemble was used to compare the putative secondary structure of all guide sequences used in our genome targeting experiment (
To test whether spacers containing secondary structures are able to function in prokaryotic cells where CRISPRs naturally operate, transformation interference of protospacer-bearing plasmids were tested in an E. coli strain heterologously expressing the S. pyogenes SF370 CRISPR locus 1 (
To investigate the specificity of CRISPR-mediated cleavage, the effect of single-nucleotide mutations in the guide sequence on protospacer cleavage in the mammalian genome was analyzed using a series of EMX1-targeting chimeric crRNAs with single point mutations (
Having established a set of components for achieving CRISPR-mediated gene editing in mammalian cells through the error-prone NHEJ mechanism, the ability of CRISPR to stimulate homologous recombination (HR), a high fidelity gene repair pathway for making precise edits in the genome, was tested. The wild type SpCas9 is able to mediate site-specific DSBs, which can be repaired through both NHEJ and HR. In addition, an aspartate-to-alanine substitution (D10A) in the RuvC I catalytic domain of SpCas9 was engineered to convert the nuclease into a nickase (SpCas9n; illustrated in
Expression constructs mimicking the natural architecture of CRISPR loci with arrayed spacers (
The ability to use RNA to program sequence-specific DNA cleavage defines a new class of genome engineering tools for a variety of research and industrial applications. Several aspects of the CRISPR system can be further improved to increase the efficiency and versatility of CRISPR targeting. Optimal Cas9 activity may depend on the availability of free Mg2+ at levels higher than that present in the mammalian nucleus (see e.g. Jinek et al., 2012, Science, 337:816), and the preference for an NGG motif immediately downstream of the protospacer restricts the ability to target on average every 12-bp in the human genome (
A software program is designed to identify candidate CRISPR target sequences on both strands of an input DNA sequence based on desired guide sequence length and a CRISPR motif sequence (PAM) for a specified CRISPR enzyme. For example, target sites for Cas9 from S. pyogenes, with PAM sequences NGG, may be identified by searching for 5′-Nx-NGG-3′ both on the input sequence and on the reverse-complement of the input. Likewise, target sites for Cas9 of S. thermophilus CRISPR1, with PAM sequence NNAGAAW, may be identified by searching for 5′-Nx-NNAGAAW-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 29) both on the input sequence and on the reverse-complement of the input. Likewise, target sites for Cas9 of S. thermophilus CRISPR3, with PAM sequence NGGNG, may be identified by searching for 5′-Nx-NGGNG-3′ both on the input sequence and on the reverse-complement of the input. The value “x” in Nx may be fixed by the program or specified by the user, such as 20.
Since multiple occurrences in the genome of the DNA target site may lead to nonspecific genome editing, after identifying all potential sites, the program filters out sequences based on the number of times they appear in the relevant reference genome. For those CRISPR enzymes for which sequence specificity is determined by a ‘seed’ sequence, such as the 11-12 bp 5′ from the PAM sequence, including the PAM sequence itself, the filtering step may be based on the seed sequence. Thus, to avoid editing at additional genomic loci, results are filtered based on the number of occurrences of the seed:PAM sequence in the relevant genome. The user may be allowed to choose the length of the seed sequence. The user may also be allowed to specify the number of occurrences of the seed:PAM sequence in a genome for purposes of passing the filter. The default is to screen for unique sequences. Filtration level is altered by changing both the length of the seed sequence and the number of occurrences of the sequence in the genome. The program may in addition or alternatively provide the sequence of a guide sequence complementary to the reported target sequence(s) by providing the reverse complement of the identified target sequence(s).
Further details of methods and algorithms to optimize sequence selection can be found in U.S. application Ser. No. 61/836,080 (attorney docket 44790.11.2022); incorporated herein by reference.
Example 4: Evaluation of Multiple Chimeric crRNA-tracrRNA HybridsThis example describes results obtained for chimeric RNAs (chiRNAs; comprising a guide sequence, a tracr mate sequence, and a tracr sequence in a single transcript) having tracr sequences that incorporate different lengths of wild-type tracrRNA sequence.
Cell Culture and Transfection
Human embryonic kidney (HEK) cell line 293FT (Life Technologies) was maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (HyClone), 2 mM GlutaMAX (Life Technologies), 100 U/mL penicillin, and 100 μg/mL streptomycin at 37° C. with 5% CO2 incubation. 293FT cells were seeded onto 24-well plates (Corning) 24 hours prior to transfection at a density of 150,000 cells per well. Cells were transfected using Lipofectamine 2000 (Life Technologies) following the manufacturer's recommended protocol. For each well of a 24-well plate, a total of 500 ng plasmid was used.
Surveyor Assay for Genome Modification
293FT cells were transfected with plasmid DNA as described above. Cells were incubated at 37° C. for 72 hours post-transfection prior to genomic DNA extraction. Genomic DNA was extracted using the QuickExtract DNA Extraction Solution (Epicentre) following the manufacturer's protocol. Briefly, pelleted cells were resuspended in QuickExtract solution and incubated at 65° C. for 15 minutes and 98° C. for 10 minutes. The genomic region flanking the CRISPR target site for each gene was PCR amplified (primers listed in Table E), and products were purified using QiaQuick Spin Column (Qiagen) following the manufacturer's protocol. 400 ng total of the purified PCR products were mixed with 2 μl 10×Taq DNA Polymerase PCR buffer (Enzymatics) and ultrapure water to a final volume of 20 μl, and subjected to a re-annealing process to enable heteroduplex formation: 95° C. for 10 min, 95° C. to 85° C. ramping at −2° C./s, 85° C. to 25° C. at −0.25° C./s, and 25° C. hold for 1 minute. After re-annealing, products were treated with SURVEYOR nuclease and SURVEYOR enhancer S (Transgenomics) following the manufacturer's recommended protocol, and analyzed on 4-20% Novex TBE poly-acrylamide gels (Life Technologies). Gels were stained with SYBR Gold DNA stain (Life Technologies) for 30 minutes and imaged with a Gel Doc gel imaging system (Bio-rad). Quantification was based on relative band intensities.
Computational Identification of Unique CRISPR Target Sites
To identify unique target sites for the S. pyogenes SF370 Cas9 (SpCas9) enzyme in the human, mouse, rat, zebrafish, fruit fly, and C. elegans genome, we developed a software package to scan both strands of a DNA sequence and identify all possible SpCas9 target sites. For this example, each SpCas9 target site was operationally defined as a 20 bp sequence followed by an NGG protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequence, and we identified all sequences satisfying this 5′-N20-NGG-3′ definition on all chromosomes. To prevent non-specific genome editing, after identifying all potential sites, all target sites were filtered based on the number of times they appear in the relevant reference genome. To take advantage of sequence specificity of Cas9 activity conferred by a ‘seed’ sequence, which can be, for example, approximately 11-12 bp sequence 5′ from the PAM sequence, 5′-NNNNNNNNNN-NGG-3′ sequences were selected to be unique in the relevant genome. All genomic sequences were downloaded from the UCSC Genome Browser (Human genome hg19, Mouse genome mm9, Rat genome rn5, Zebrafish genome danRer7, D. melanogaster genome dm4 and C. elegans genome ce10). The full search results are available to browse using UCSC Genome Browser information. An example visualization of some target sites in the human genome is provided in
Initially, three sites within the EMX1 locus in human HEK 293FT cells were targeted. Genome modification efficiency of each chiRNA was assessed using the SURVEYOR nuclease assay, which detects mutations resulting from DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and their subsequent repair by the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) DNA damage repair pathway. Constructs designated chiRNA(+n) indicate that up to the +n nucleotide of wild-type tracrRNA is included in the chimeric RNA construct, with values of 48, 54, 67, and 85 used for n. Chimeric RNAs containing longer fragments of wild-type tracrRNA (chiRNA(+67) and chiRNA(+85)) mediated DNA cleavage at all three EMX1 target sites, with chiRNA(+85) in particular demonstrating significantly higher levels of DNA cleavage than the corresponding crRNA/tracrRNA hybrids that expressed guide and tracr sequences in separate transcripts (
For all five targets in the EMX1 and PVALB loci, a consistent increase in genome modification efficiency with increasing tracr sequence length was observed. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, the secondary structure formed by the 3′ end of the tracrRNA may play a role in enhancing the rate of CRISPR complex formation. An illustration of predicted secondary structures for each of the chimeric RNAs used in this example is provided in
Sequences described in the above examples are as follows (polynucleotide sequences are 5′ to 3′):
Applicants used the CRISPR-associated endonuclease Cas9 to introduce precise mutations in the genomes of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. The approach relied on Cas9-directed cleavage at the targeted site to kill unmutated cells and circumvented the need for selectable markers or counter-selection systems. Cas9 specificity was reprogrammed by changing the sequence of short CRISPR RNA (crRNA) to make single- and multi-nucleotide changes carried on editing templates. Simultaneous use of two crRNAs enabled multiplex mutagenesis. In S. pneumoniae, nearly 100% of cells that survived Cas9 cleavage contained the desired mutation, and 65% when used in combination with recombineering in E. coli. Applicants exhaustively analyzed Cas9 target requirements to define the range of targetable sequences and showed strategies for editing sites that do not meet these requirements, suggesting the versatility of this technique for bacterial genome engineering.
The understanding of gene function depends on the possibility of altering DNA sequences within the cell in a controlled fashion. Site-specific mutagenesis in eukaryotes is achieved by the use of sequence-specific nucleases that promote homologous recombination of a template DNA containing the mutation of interest. Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and homing meganucleases can be programmed to cleave genomes in specific locations, but these approaches require engineering of new enzymes for each target sequence. In prokaryotic organisms, mutagenesis methods either introduce a selection marker in the edited locus or require a two-step process that includes a counter-selection system. More recently, phage recombination proteins have been used for recombineering, a technique that promotes homologuous recombination of linear DNA or oligonucleotides. However, because there is no selection of mutations, recombineering efficiency can be relatively low (0.1-10% for point mutations down to 10−5-10−6 for larger modifications), in many cases requiring the screening of a large number of colonies. Therefore new technologies that are affordable, easy to use and efficient are still in need for the genetic engineering of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms.
Recent work on the CRISPR (clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats) adaptive immune system of prokaryotes has led to the identification of nucleases whose sequence specificity is programmed by small RNAs. CRISPR loci are composed of a series of repeats separated by ‘spacer’ sequences that match the genomes of bacteriophages and other mobile genetic elements. The repeat-spacer array is transcribed as a long precursor and processed within repeat sequences to generate small crRNA that specify the target sequences (also known as protospacers) cleaved by CRISPR systems. Essential for cleavage is the presence of a sequence motif immediately downstream of the target region, known as the protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM). CRISPR-associated (cas) genes usually flank the repeat-spacer array and encode the enzymatic machinery responsible for crRNA biogenesis and targeting. Cas9 is a dsDNA endonuclease that uses a crRNA guide to specify the site of cleavage. Loading of the crRNA guide onto Cas9 occurs during the processing of the crRNA precursor and requires a small RNA antisense to the precursor, the tracrRNA, and RNAse III. In contrast to genome editing with ZFNs or TALENs, changing Cas9 target specificity does not require protein engineering but only the design of the short crRNA guide.
Applicants recently showed in S. pneumoniae that the introduction of a CRISPR system targeting a chromosomal locus leads to the killing of the transformed cells. It was observed that occasional survivors contained mutations in the target region, suggesting that Cas9 dsDNA endonuclease activity against endogenous targets could be used for genome editing. Applicants showed that marker-less mutations can be introduced through the transformation of a template DNA fragment that will recombine in the genome and eliminate Cas9 target recognition. Directing the specificity of Cas9 with several different crRNAs allows for the introduction of multiple mutations at the same time. Applicants also characterized in detail the sequence requirements for Cas9 targeting and show that the approach can be combined with recombineering for genome editing in E. coli.
Results: Genome Editing by Cas9 Cleavage of a Chromosomal Target
S. pneumoniae strain crR6 contains a Cas9-based CRISPR system that cleaves a target sequence present in the bacteriophage φ8232.5. This target was integrated into the srtA chromosomal locus of a second strain R68232.5. An altered target sequence containing a mutation in the PAM region was integrated into the srtA locus of a third strain R6370.1, rendering this strain ‘immune’ to CRISPR cleavage (
To create a simplified system for genome editing, Applicants modified the CRISPR locus in strain crR6 by deleting cas1, cas2 and csn2, genes which have been shown to be dispensable for CRISPR targeting, yielding strain crR6M (
Analysis of Cas9 target requirements: To introduce specific changes in the genome, one must use an editing template carrying mutations that abolish Cas9-mediated cleavage, thereby preventing cell death. This is easy to achieve when the deletion of the target or its replacement by another sequence (gene insertion) is sought. When the goal is to produce gene fusions or to generate single-nucleotide mutations, the abolishment of Cas9 nuclease activity will only be possible by introducing mutations in the editing template that alter either the PAM or the protospacer sequences. To determine the constraints of CRISPR-mediated editing, Applicants performed an exhaustive analysis of PAM and protospacer mutations that abrogate CRISPR targeting.
Previous studies proposed that S. pyogenes Cas9 requires an NGG PAM immediately downstream of the protospacer. However, because only a very limited number of PAM-inactivating mutations have been described so far, Applicants conducted a systematic analysis to find all 5-nucleotide sequences following the protospacer that eliminate CRISPR cleavage. Applicants used randomized oligonucleotides to generate all possible 1,024 PAM sequences in a heterogeneous PCR product that was transformed into crR6 or R6 cells. Constructs carrying functional PAMs were expected to be recognized and destroyed by Cas9 in crR6 but not R6 cells (
Another way to disrupt Cas9-mediated cleavage is to introduce mutations in the protospacer region of the editing template. It is known that point mutations within the ‘seed sequence’ (the 8 to 10 protospacer nucleotides immediately adjacent to the PAM) can abolish cleavage by CRISPR nucleases. However, the exact length of this region is not known, and it is unclear whether mutations to any nucleotide in the seed can disrupt Cas9 target recognition. Applicants followed the same deep sequencing approach described above to randomize the entire protospacer sequence involved in base pair contacts with the crRNA and to determine all sequences that disrupt targeting. Each position of the 20 matching nucleotides (14) in the spc1 target present in R68232.5 cells (
Cas9-mediated genome editing in S. pneumonia: To develop a rapid and efficient method for targeted genome editing, Applicants engineered strain crR6Rk, a strain in which spacers can be easily introduced by PCR (
Cas9-mediated editing can also be used to generate multiple mutations for the study of biological pathways. Applicants decided to illustrate this for the sortase-dependent pathway that anchors surface proteins to the envelope of Gram-positive bacteria. Applicants introduced a sortase deletion by co-transformation of a chloramphenicol-resistant targeting construct and a ΔsrtA editing template (
These two mutations may also be introduced at the same time. Applicants designed a targeting construct containing two spacers, one matching srtA and the other matching bgaA, and co-transformed it with both editing templates at the same time (
Mechanism and efficiency of editing: To understand the mechanisms underlying genome editing with Cas9, Applicants designed an experiment in which the editing efficiency was measured independently of Cas9 cleavage. Applicants integrated the ermAM erythromycin resistance gene in the srtA locus, and introduced a premature stop codon using Cas9-mediated editing (
Applicants counted 5.3 times less kanamycin-resistant colonies after transformation of the ermAM(stop) construct (2.5×104/4.7×103,
As cleavage of the genome by Cas9 should kill non-edited cells, one would not expect to recover any cells that received the kanamycin resistance-containing Cas9 cassette but not the editing template. However, in the absence of the editing template Applicants recovered many kanamycin-resistant colonies after transformation of the CRISPR::ermAM(stop) construct (
Genome editing with Cas9 in E. coli: The activation of Cas9 targeting through the chromosomal integration of a CRISPR-Cas system is only possible in organisms that are highly recombinogenic. To develop a more general method that is applicable to other microbes, Applicants decided to perform genome editing in E. coli using a plasmid-based CRISPR-Cas system. Two plasmids were constructed: a pCas9 plasmid carrying the tracrRNA, Cas9 and a chloramphenicol resistance cassette (
To improve the efficiency of genome editing in E. coli, Applicants applied their CRISPR system with recombineering, using Cas9-induced cell death to select for the desired mutations. The pCas9 plasmid was introduced into the recombineering strain HMIE63 (31), which contains the Gam, Exo and Beta functions of the D-red phage. The resulting strain was co-transformed with the pCRISPR::rpsL plasmid (or a pCRISPR::Ø control) and the W542 oligonucleotide (
Applicants showed that CRISPR-Cas systems may be used for targeted genome editing in bacteria by the co-introduction of a targeting construct that killed wild-type cells and an editing template that both eliminated CRISPR cleavage and introduced the desired mutations. Different types of mutations (insertions, deletions or scar-less single-nucleotide substitutions) may be generated. Multiple mutations may be introduced at the same time. The specificity and versatility of editing using the CRISPR system relied on several unique properties of the Cas9 endonuclease: (i) its target specificity may be programmed with a small RNA, without the need for enzyme engineering, (ii) target specificity was very high, determined by a 20 bp RNA-DNA interaction with low probability of non-target recognition, (iii) almost any sequence may be targeted, the only requirement being the presence of an adjacent NGG sequence, (iv) almost any mutation in the NGG sequence, as well as mutations in the seed sequence of the protospacer, eliminates targeting.
Applicants showed that genome engineering using the CRISPR system worked not only in highly recombinogenic bacteria such as S. pneumoniae, but also in E. coli. Results in E. coli suggested that the method may be applicable to other microorganisms for which plasmids may be introduced. In E. coli, the approach complements recombineering of mutagenic oligonucleotides. To use this methodology in microbes where recombineering is not a possible, the host homologous recombination machinery may be used by providing the editing template on a plasmid. In addition, because accumulated evidence indicates that CRISPR-mediated cleavage of the chromosome leads to cell death in many bacteria and archaea, it is possible to envision the use of endogenous CRISPR-Cas systems for editing purposes.
In both S. pneumoniae and E. coli, Applicants observed that although editing was facilitated by a co-selection of transformable cells and a small induction of recombination at the target site by Cas9 cleavage, the mechanism that contributed the most to editing was the selection against non-edited cells. Therefore the major limitation of the method was the presence of a background of cells that escape CRISPR-induced cell death and lack the desired mutation. Applicants showed that these ‘escapers’ arose primarily through the deletion of the targeting spacer, presumably after the recombination of the repeat sequences that flank the targeting spacer. Future improvements may focus on the engineering of flanking sequences that can still support the biogenesis of functional crRNAs but that are sufficiently different from one another to eliminate recombination. Alternatively, the direct transformation of chimeric crRNAs may be explored. In the particular case of E. coli, the construction of the CRISPR-Cas system was not possible if this organism was also used as a cloning host. Applicants solved this issue by placing Cas9 and the tracrRNA on a different plasmid than the CRISPR array. The engineering of an inducible system may also circumvent this limitation.
Although new DNA synthesis technologies provide the ability to cost-effectively create any sequence with a high throughput, it remains a challenge to integrate synthetic DNA in living cells to create functional genomes. Recently, the co-selection MAGE strategy was shown to improve the mutation efficiency of recombineering by selecting a subpopulation of cells that has an increased probability to achieve recombination at or around a given locus. In this method, the introduction of selectable mutations is used to increase the chances of generating nearby non-selectable mutations. As opposed to the indirect selection provided by this strategy, the use of the CRISPR system makes it possible to directly select for the desired mutation and to recover it with a high efficiency. These technologies add to the toolbox of genetic engineers, and together with DNA synthesis, they may substantially advance both the ability to decipher gene function and to manipulate organisms for biotechnological purposes. Two other studies also relate to CRISPR-assisted engineering of mammalian genomes. It is expected that these crRNA-directed genome editing technologies may be broadly useful in the basic and medical sciences.
Strains and culture conditions. S. pneumoniae strain R6 was provided by Dr. Alexander Tomasz. Strain crR6 was generated in a previous study. Liquid cultures of S. pneumoniae were grown in THYE medium (30 g/l Todd-Hewitt agar, 5 g/l yeast extract). Cells were plated on tryptic soy agar (TSA) supplemented with 5% defibrinated sheep blood. When appropriate, antibiotics were added as followings: kanamycin (400 μg/ml), chloramphenicol (5 μg/ml), erythromycin (1 μg/ml) streptomycin (100 μg/ml) or spectinomycin (100 μg/ml). Measurements of β-galactosidase activity were made using the Miller assay as previously described.
E. coli strains MG1655 and HME63 (derived from MG1655, Δ(argF-lac) U169 λ cI857 Acro-bioA galK tyr 145 UAG mutS< >amp) (31) were provided by Jeff Roberts and Donald Court, respectively. Liquid cultures of E. coli were grown in LB medium (Difco). When appropriate, antibiotics were added as followings: chloramphenicol (25 μg/ml), kanamycin (25 μg/ml) and streptomycin (50 μg/ml).
S. pneumoniae transformation. Competent cells were prepared as described previously (23). For all genome editing transformations, cells were gently thawed on ice and resuspended in 10 volumes of M2 medium supplemented with 100 ng/ml of competence-stimulating peptide CSP1(40), and followed by addition of editing constructs (editing constructs were added to cells at a final concentration between 0.7 ng/μl to 2.5 μg/μl). Cells were incubated 20 min at 37° C. before the addition of 2 μl of targeting constructs and then incubated 40 min at 37° C. Serial dilutions of cells were plated on the appropriate medium to determine the colony forming units (cfu) count.
E. coli Lambda-red recombineering. Strain HME63 was used for all recombineering experiments. Recombineering cells were prepared and handled according to a previously published protocol (6). Briefly, a 2 ml overnight culture (LB medium) inoculated from a single colony obtained from a plate was grown at 30° C. The overnight culture was diluted 100-fold and grown at 30° C. with shaking (200 rpm) until the OD600 is from 0.4-0.5 (approximately 3 hrs). For Lambda-red induction, the culture was transferred to a 42° C. water bath to shake at 200 rpm for 15 min. Immediately after induction, the culture was swirled in an ice-water slurry and chilled on ice for 5-10 min. Cells were then washed and aliquoted according to the protocol. For electro-transformation, 50 μl of cells were mixed with 1 mM of salt-free oligos (IDT) or 100-150 ng of plasmid DNA (prepared by QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit, Qiagen). Cells were electroporated using 1 mm Gene Pulser cuvette (Bio-rad) at 1.8 kV and were immediately resuspended in 1 ml of room temperature LB medium. Cells were recovered at 30° C. for 1-2 hrs before being plated on LB agar with appropriate antibiotic resistance and incubated at 32° C. overnight.
Preparation of S. pneumoniae genomic DNA. For transformation purposes, S. pneumoniae genomic DNA was extracted using the Wizard Genomic DNA Purification Kit, following instructions provided by the manufacturer (Promega). For genotyping purposes, 700 ul of overnight S. pneumoniae cultures were pelleted, resuspended in 60 ul of lysozyme solution (2 mg/ml) and incubated 30 min at 37° C. The genomic DNA was extracted using QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit (Qiagen).
Strain construction. All primers used in this study are provided in Table G. To generate S. pneumoniae crR6M, an intermediate strain, LAM226, was made. In this strain the aphA-3 gene (providing kanamycin resistance) adjacent to the CRISPR array of S. pneumoniae crR6 strain was replaced by a cat gene (providing chloramphenicol resistance). Briefly, crR6 genomic DNA was amplified using primers L448/L444 and L447/L481, respectively. The cat gene was amplified from plasmid pC194 using primers L445/L446. Each PCR product was gel-purified and all three were fused by SOEing PCR with primers L448/L481. The resulting PCR product was transformed into competent S. pneumoniae crR6 cells and chloramphenicol-resistant transformants were selected. To generate S. pneumoniae crR6M, S. pneumoniae crR6 genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using primers L409/L488 and L448/L481, respectively. Each PCR product was gel-purified and they were fused by SOEing PCR with primers L409/L481. The resulting PCR product was transformed into competent S. pneumoniae LAM226 cells and kanamycin-resistant transformants were selected.
To generate S. pneumoniae crR6Rc, S. pneumoniae crR6M genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using primers L430/W286, and S. pneumoniae LAM226 genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using primers W288/L481. Each PCR product was gel-purified and they were fused by SOEing PCR with primers L430/L481. The resulting PCR product was transformed into competent S. pneumoniae crR6M cells and chloramphenicol-resistant transformants were selected.
To generate S. pneumoniae crR6Rk, S. pneumoniae crR6M genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using primers L430/W286 and W287/L481, respectively. Each PCR product was gel-purified and they were fused by SOEing PCR with primers L430/L481. The resulting PCR product was transformed into competent S. pneumoniae crR6Rc cells and kanamycin-resistant transformants were selected.
To generate JEN37, S. pneumoniae crR6Rk genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using primers L430/W356 and W357/L481, respectively. Each PCR product was gel-purified and they were fused by SOEing PCR with primers L430/L481. The resulting PCR product was transformed into competent S. pneumoniae crR6Rc cells and kanamycin-resistant transformants were selected.
To generate JEN38, R6 genomic DNA was amplified using primers L422/L461 and L459/L426, respectively. The ermAM gene (specifying erythromycin resistance) was amplified from plasmid pFW1543 using primers L457/L458. Each PCR product was gel-purified and all three were fused by SOEing PCR with primers L422/L426. The resulting PCR product was transformed into competent S. pneumoniae crR6Rc cells and erythromycin-resistant transformants were selected.
S. pneumoniae JEN53 was generated in two steps. First JEN43 was constructed as illustrated in
To generate S. pneumoniae JEN62, S. pneumoniae crR6Rk genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using primers W256/W365 and W366/L403, respectively. Each PCR product was purified and ligated by Gibson assembly. The assembly product was transformed into competent S. pneumoniae crR6Rc cells and kanamycin-resistant transformants were selected.
Plasmid construction. pDB97 was constructed through phosphorylation and annealing of oligonucleotides B296/B297, followed by ligation in pLZ12spec digested by EcoRI/BamHI. Applicants fully sequenced pLZ12spec and deposited its sequence in genebank (accession: KC112384).
pDB98 was obtained after cloning the CRISPR leader sequence was cloned together with a repeat-spacer-repeat unit into pLZ12spec. This was achieved through amplification of crR6Rc DNA with primers B298/B320 and B299/B321, followed by SOEing PCR of both products and cloning in pLZ12spec with restriction sites BamHI/EcoRI. In this way the spacer sequence in pDB98 was engineered to contain two BsaI restriction sites in opposite directions that allow for the scar-less cloning of new spacers.
pDB99 to pDB108 were constructed by annealing of oligonucleotides B300/B301 (pDB99), B302/B303 (pDB100), B304/B305 (pDB101), B306/B307 (pDB102), B308/B309 (pDB103), B310/B311 (pDB104), B312/B313 (pDB105), B314/B315 (pDB106), B315/B317 (pDB107), B318/B319 (pDB108), followed by ligation in pDB98 cut by BsaI.
The pCas9 plasmid was constructed as follow. Essential CRISPR elements were amplified from Streptococcus pyogenes SF370 genomic DNA with flanking homology arms for Gibson Assembly. The tracrRNA and Cas9 were amplified with oligos HC008 and HC010. The leader and CRISPR sequences were amplified HC011/HC014 and HC015/HC009, so that two BsaI type IIS sites were introduced in between two direct repeats to facilitate easy insertion of spacers.
pCRISPR was constructed by subcloning the pCas9 CRISPR array in pZE21-MCS1 through amplification with oligos B298+B299 and restriction with EcoRI and BamHI. The rpsL targeting spacer was cloned by annealing of oligos B352+B353 and cloning in the BsaI cut pCRISPR giving pCRISPR::rpsL.
Generation of targeting and editing constructs. Targeting constructs used for genome editing were made by Gibson assembly of Left PCRs and Right PCRs (Table G). Editing constructs were made by SOEing PCR fusing PCR products A (PCR A), PCR products B (PCR B) and PCR products C (PCR C) when applicable (Table G). The CRISPR::Ø and CRISPR::ermAM(stop) targeting constructs were generated by PCR amplification of JEN62 and crR6 genomic DNA respectively, with oligos L409 and L481.
Generation of targets with randomized PAM or protospacer sequences. The 5 nucleotides following the spacer 1 target were randomized through amplification of R68232.5 genomic DNA with primers W377/L426. This PCR product was then assembled with the cat gene and the srtA upstream region that were amplified from the same template with primers L422/W376. 80 ng of the assembled DNA was used to transform strains R6 and crR6. Samples for the randomized targets were prepared using the following primers: B280-B290/L426 to randomize bases 1-10 of the target and B269-B278/L426 to randomize bases 10-20. Primers L422/B268 and L422/B279 were used to amplify the cat gene and srtA upstream region to be assembled with the first and last 10 PCR products respectively. The assembled constructs were pooled together and 30 ng was transformed in R6 and crR6. After transformation, cells were plated on chloramphenicol selection. For each sample more than 2×105 cells were pooled together in 1 ml of THYE and genomic DNA was extracted with the Promega Wizard kit. Primers B250/B251 were used to amplify the target region. PCR products were tagged and run on one Illumina MiSeq paired-end lane using 300 cycles.
Analysis of Deep Sequencing Data.
Randomized PAM: For the randomized PAM experiment 3,429,406 reads were obtained for crR6 and 3,253,998 for R6. It is expected that only half of them will correspond to the PAM-target while the other half will sequence the other end of the PCR product. 1,623,008 of the crR6 reads and 1,537,131 of the R6 reads carried an error-free target sequence. The occurrence of each possible PAM among these reads is shown in supplementary file. To estimate the functionality of a PAM, its relative proportion in the crR6 sample over the R6 sample was computed and is denoted rijklm where I,j,k,l,m are one of the 4 possible bases. The following statistical model was constructed:
log(rijklm)=μ+b2i+b3j+b4k+b2b3i,j+b3b4j,k+εijklm,
where ε is the residual error, b2 is the effect of the 2nd base of the PAM, b3 of the third, b4 of the fourth, b2b3 is the interaction between the second and third bases, b3b4 between the third and fourth bases. An analysis of variance was performed:
When added to this model, b1 or b5 do not appear to be significant and other interactions than the ones included can also be discarded. The model choice was made through successive comparisons of more or less complete models using the anova method in R. Tukey's honest significance test was used to determine if pairwise differences between effects are significant.
NGGNN patterns are significantly different from all other patterns and carry the strongest effect (see table below).
In order to show that positions 1, 4 or 5 do not affect the NGGNN pattern Applicants looked at theses sequences only. Their effect appears to be normally distributed (see QQ plot in
Model Comparison Using the Anova Method in R for the NGGNN Sequences
Partial Interference of NAGNN and NNGGN Patterns
NAGNN patterns are significantly different from all other patterns but carry a much smaller effect than NGGNN (see Tukey's honest significance test below).
Finally, NTGGN and NCGGN patterns are similar and show significantly more CRISPR interference than NTGHN and NCGHN patterns (where H is A,T or C), as shown by a bonferroni adjusted pairwise student-test.
Pairwise Comparisons of the Effect of b4 on NYGNN Sequences Using t Tests with Pooled SD
Taken together, these results allow concluding that NNGGN patterns in general produce either a complete interference in the case of NGGGN, or a partial interference in the case of NAGGN, NTGGN or NCGGN.
Tukey Multiple Comparisons of Means: 95% Family-Wise Confidence Level
Randomized Target
For the randomized target experiment 540,726 reads were obtained for crR6 and 753,570 for R6. As before, only half of the reads are expected to sequence the interesting end of the PCR product. After filtering for reads that carry a target that is error-free or with a single point mutation, 217,656 and 353,141 reads remained for crR6 and R6 respectively. The relative proportion of each mutant in the crR6 sample over the R6 sample was computed (
Applicants mutated the tracrRNA and direct repeat sequences, or mutated the chimeric guide RNA to enhance the RNAs in cells.
The optimization is based on the observation that there were stretches of thymines (Ts) in the tracrRNA and guide RNA, which might lead to early transcription termination by the pol 3 promoter. Therefore Applicants generated the following optimized sequences. Optimized tracrRNA and corresponding optimized direct repeat are presented in pairs.
Applicants showed that optimized chimeric guide RNA works better as indicated in
Applicants designed guide chimeric RNAs as shown in
The St1Cas9 guide RNAs can undergo the same type of optimization as for SpCas9 guide RNAs, by breaking the stretches of poly thymines (Ts) Example 8: Cas9 diversity and mutations
The CRISPR-Cas system is an adaptive immune mechanism against invading exogenous DNA employed by diverse species across bacteria and archaea. The type II CRISPR-Cas9 system consists of a set of genes encoding proteins responsible for the “acquisition” of foreign DNA into the CRISPR locus, as well as a set of genes encoding the “execution” of the DNA cleavage mechanism; these include the DNA nuclease (Cas9), a non-coding transactivating cr-RNA (tracrRNA), and an array of foreign DNA-derived spacers flanked by direct repeats (crRNAs). Upon maturation by Cas9, the tracRNA and crRNA duplex guide the Cas9 nuclease to a target DNA sequence specified by the spacer guide sequences, and mediates double-stranded breaks in the DNA near a short sequence motif in the target DNA that is required for cleavage and specific to each CRISPR-Cas system. The type II CRISPR-Cas systems are found throughout the bacterial kingdom and highly diverse in in Cas9 protein sequence and size, tracrRNA and crRNA direct repeat sequence, genome organization of these elements, and the motif requirement for target cleavage. One species may have multiple distinct CRISPR-Cas systems.
Applicants evaluated 207 putative Cas9s from bacterial species identified based on sequence homology to known Cas9s and structures orthologous to known subdomains, including the HNH endonuclease domain and the RuvC endonuclease domains [information from the Eugene Koonin and Kira Makarova]. Phylogenetic analysis based on the protein sequence conservation of this set revealed five families of Cas9s, including three groups of large Cas9s (˜1400 amino acids) and two of small Cas9s (˜1100 amino acids) (
In this example, Applicants show that the following mutations can convert SpCas9 into a nicking enzyme: D10A, E762A, H840A, N854A, N863A, D986A.
Applicants provide sequences showing where the mutation points are located within the SpCas9 gene (
Human embryonic kidney (HEK) cell line 293FT (Life Technologies) was maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (HyClone), 2 mM GlutaMAX (Life Technologies), 100 U/mL penicillin, and 100 μg/mL streptomycin at 37° C. with 5% CO2 incubation.
293FT cells were seeded either onto 6-well plates, 24-well plates, or 96-well plates (Corning) 24 hours prior to transfection. Cells were transfected using Lipofectamine 2000 (Life Technologies) at 80-90% confluence following the manufacturer's recommended protocol. For each well of a 6-well plate, a total of 1 ug of Cas9+sgRNA plasmid was used. For each well of a 24-well plate, a total of 500 ng Cas9+sgRNA plasmid was used unless otherwise indicated. For each well of a 96-well plate, 65 ng of Cas9 plasmid was used at a 1:1 molar ratio to the U6-sgRNA PCR product.
Human embryonic stem cell line HUES9 (Harvard Stem Cell Institute core) was maintained in feeder-free conditions on GelTrex (Life Technologies) in mTesR medium (Stemcell Technologies) supplemented with 100 ug/ml Normocin (InvivoGen). HUES9 cells were transfected with Amaxa P3 Primary Cell 4-D Nucleofector Kit (Lonza) following the manufacturer's protocol.
Surveyor Nuclease Assay for Genome Modification
293FT cells were transfected with plasmid DNA as described above. Cells were incubated at 37° C. for 72 hours post-transfection prior to genomic DNA extraction. Genomic DNA was extracted using the QuickExtract DNA Extraction Solution (Epicentre) following the manufacturer's protocol. Briefly, pelleted cells were resuspended in QuickExtract solution and incubated at 65° C. for 15 minutes and 98° C. for 10 minutes.
The genomic region flanking the CRISPR target site for each gene was PCR amplified (primers listed in Tables J and K), and products were purified using QiaQuick Spin Column (Qiagen) following the manufacturer's protocol. 400 ng total of the purified PCR products were mixed with 2 μl 10×Taq DNA Polymerase PCR buffer (Enzymatics) and ultrapure water to a final volume of 20 μl, and subjected to a re-annealing process to enable heteroduplex formation: 95° C. for 10 min, 95° C. to 85° C. ramping at −2° C./s, 85° C. to 25° C. at −0.25° C./s, and 25° C. hold for 1 minute. After re-annealing, products were treated with SURVEYOR nuclease and SURVEYOR enhancer S (Transgenomics) following the manufacturer's recommended protocol, and analyzed on 4-20% Novex TBE poly-acrylamide gels (Life Technologies). Gels were stained with SYBR Gold DNA stain (Life Technologies) for 30 minutes and imaged with a Gel Doc gel imaging system (Bio-rad). Quantification was based on relative band intensities.
Northern Blot Analysis of tracrRNA Expression in Human Cells
Northern blots were performed as previously described1. Briefly, RNAs were heated to 95° C. for 5 min before loading on 8% denaturing polyacrylamide gels (SequaGel, National Diagnostics). Afterwards, RNA was transferred to a pre-hybridized Hybond N+ membrane (GE Healthcare) and crosslinked with Stratagene UV Crosslinker (Stratagene). Probes were labeled with [gamma-32P] ATP (Perkin Elmer) with T4 polynucleotide kinase (New England Biolabs). After washing, membrane was exposed to phosphor screen for one hour and scanned with phosphorimager (Typhoon).
Bisulfite Sequencing to Assess DNA Methylation Status
HEK 293FT cells were transfected with Cas9 as described above. Genomic DNA was isolated with the DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit (Qiagen) and bisulfite converted with EZ DNA Methylation-Lightning Kit (Zymo Research). Bisulfite PCR was conducted using KAPA2G Robust HotStart DNA Polymerase (KAPA Biosystems) with primers designed using the Bisulfite Primer Seeker (Zymo Research, Tables J and K). Resulting PCR amplicons were gel-purified, digested with EcoRI and HindIII, and ligated into a pUC19 backbone prior to transformation. Individual clones were then Sanger sequenced to assess DNA methylation status.
In Vitro Transcription and Cleavage Assay
HEK 293FT cells were transfected with Cas9 as described above. Whole cell lysates were then prepared with a lysis buffer (20 mM HEPES, 100 mM KCl, 5 mM MgCl2, 1 mM DTT, 5% glycerol, 0.1% Triton X-100) supplemented with Protease Inhibitor Cocktail (Roche). T7-driven sgRNA was in vitro transcribed using custom oligos (Example 10) and HiScribe T7 In Vitro Transcription Kit (NEB), following the manufacturer's recommended protocol. To prepare methylated target sites, pUC19 plasmid was methylated by M.SssI and then linearized by NheI. The in vitro cleavage assay was performed as follows: for a 20 uL cleavage reaction, 10 uL of cell lysate with incubated with 2 uL cleavage buffer (100 mM HEPES, 500 mM KCl, 25 mM MgCl2, 5 mM DTT, 25% glycerol), the in vitro transcribed RNA, and 300 ng pUC19 plasmid DNA.
Deep Sequencing to Assess Targeting Specificity
HEK 293FT cells plated in 96-well plates were transfected with Cas9 plasmid DNA and single guide RNA (sgRNA) PCR cassette 72 hours prior to genomic DNA extraction (
Barcoded and purified DNA samples were quantified by Quant-iT PicoGreen dsDNA Assay Kit or Qubit 2.0 Fluorometer (Life Technologies) and pooled in an equimolar ratio. Sequencing libraries were then deep sequenced with the Illumina MiSeq Personal Sequencer (Life Technologies).
Sequencing Data Analysis and Indel Detection
MiSeq reads were filtered by requiring an average Phred quality (Q score) of at least 23, as well as perfect sequence matches to barcodes and amplicon forward primers. Reads from on- and off-target loci were analyzed by first performing Smith-Waterman alignments against amplicon sequences that included 50 nucleotides upstream and downstream of the target site (a total of 120 bp). Alignments, meanwhile, were analyzed for indels from 5 nucleotides upstream to 5 nucleotides downstream of the target site (a total of 30 bp). Analyzed target regions were discarded if part of their alignment fell outside the MiSeq read itself, or if matched base-pairs comprised less than 85% of their total length.
Negative controls for each sample provided a gauge for the inclusion or exclusion of indels as putative cutting events. For each sample, an indel was counted only if its quality score exceeded μ−σ, where μ was the mean quality-score of the negative control corresponding to that sample and σ was the standard deviation of same. This yielded whole target-region indel rates for both negative controls and their corresponding samples. Using the negative control's per-target-region-per-read error rate, q, the sample's observed indel count n, and its read-count R, a maximum-likelihood estimate for the fraction of reads having target-regions with true-indels, P, was derived by applying a binomial error model, as follows.
Letting the (unknown) number of reads in a sample having target regions incorrectly counted as having at least 1 indel be E, we can write (without making any assumptions about the number of true indels)
since R(1−p) is the number of reads having target-regions with no true indels. Meanwhile, because the number of reads observed to have indels is n, n=E+Rp, in other words the number of reads having target-regions with errors but no true indels plus the number of reads whose tar get-regions correctly have indels. We can then re-write the above
Taking all values of the frequency of target-regions with true-indels p to be equally probable a priori, Prob(n═p)∝Prob(p|n). The maximum-likelihood estimate (MLE) for the frequency of target regions with true-indels was therefore set as the value of p that maximized Prob(n═p). This was evaluated numerically.
In order to place error bounds on the true-indel read frequencies in the sequencing libraries themselves, Wilson score intervals (2) were calculated for each sample, given the MLE-estimate for true-indel target-regions, Rp, and the number of reads R. Explicitly, the lower bound l and upper bound u were calculated as
where z, the standard score for the confidence required in normal distribution of variance 1, was set to 1.96, meaning a confidence of 95%. The maximum upper bounds and minimum lower bounds for each biological replicate are listed in
qRT-PCR Analysis of Relative Cas9 and sgRNA Expression
293FT cells plated in 24-well plates were transfected as described above. 72 hours post-transfection, total RNA was harvested with miRNeasy Micro Kit (Qiagen). Reverse-strand synthesis for sgRNAs was performed with qScript Flex cDNA kit (VWR) and custom first-strand synthesis primers (Tables J and K). qPCR analysis was performed with Fast SYBR Green Master Mix (Life Technologies) and custom primers (Tables J and K), using GAPDH as an endogenous control. Relative quantification was calculated by the ΔΔCT method.
All sequences are in the 5′ to 3′ direction. For U6 transcription, the string of underlined Ts serve as the transcriptional terminator.
The oligo homologous recombination test is a comparison of efficiency across different Cas9 variants and different HR template (oligo vs. plasmid).
293FT cells were used. SpCas9=Wildtype Cas9 and SpCas9n=nickase Cas9 (D10A). The chimeric RNA target is the same EMX1 Protospacer Target 1 as in Examples 5, 9 and 10 and oligos synthesized by IDT using PAGE purification.
Recent large-scale sequencing initiatives have produced a large number of genes associated with disease. Discovering the genes is only the beginning in understanding what the gene does and how it leads to a diseased phenotype. Current technologies and approaches to study candidate genes are slow and laborious. The gold standards, gene targeting and genetic knockouts, require a significant investment in time and resources, both monetary and in terms of research personnel. Applicants set out to utilize the hSpCas9 nuclease to target many genes and do so with higher efficiency and lower turnaround compared to any other technology. Because of the high efficiency of hSpCas9 Applicants can do RNA injection into mouse zygotes and immediately get genome-modified animals without the need to do any preliminary gene targeting in mESCs.
Chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 8 (CHD8) is a pivotal gene in involved in early vertebrate development and morphogenesis. Mice lacking CHD8 die during embryonic development. Mutations in the CHD8 gene have been associated with autism spectrum disorder in humans. This association was made in three different papers published simultaneously in Nature. The same three studies identified a plethora of genes associated with autism spectrum disorder. Applicants' aim was to create knockout mice for the four genes that were found in all papers, Chd8, Katnal2, Kctd13, and Scn2a. In addition, Applicants chose two other genes associated with autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and ADHD, GIT1, CACNA1C, and CACNB2. And finally, as a positive control Applicants decide to target MeCP2.
For each gene Applicants designed three gRNAs that would likely knockout the gene. A knockout would occur after the hSpCas9 nuclease makes a double strand break and the error prone DNA repair pathway, non-homologous end joining, corrects the break, creating a mutation. The most likely result is a frameshift mutation that would knockout the gene. The targeting strategy involved finding proto-spacers in the exons of the gene that had a PAM sequence, NGG, and was unique in the genome. Preference was given to proto-spacers in the first exon, which would be most deleterious to the gene.
Each gRNA was validated in the mouse cell line, Neuro-N2a, by liposomal transient co-transfection with hSpCas9. 72 hours post-transfection genomic DNA was purified using QuickExtract DNA from Epicentre. PCR was performed to amplify the locus of interest. Subsequently the SURVEYOR Mutation Detection Kit from Transgenomics was followed. The SURVEYOR results for each gRNA and respective controls are shown in Figure A1. A positive SURVEYOR result is one large band corresponding to the genomic PCR and two smaller bands that are the product of the SURVEYOR nuclease making a double-strand break at the site of a mutation. The average cutting efficiency of each gRNA was also determined for each gRNA. The gRNA that was chosen for injection was the highest efficiency gRNA that was the most unique within the genome.
RNA (hSpCas9+gRNA RNA) was injected into the pronucleus of a zygote and later transplanted into a foster mother. Mothers were allowed to go full term and pups were sampled by tail snip 10 days postnatal. DNA was extracted and used as a template for PCR, which was then processed by SURVEYOR. Additionally, PCR products were sent for sequencing. Animals that were detected as being positive in either the SURVEYOR assay or PCR sequencing would have their genomic PCR products cloned into a pUC19 vector and sequenced to determine putative mutations from each allele.
So far, mice pups from the Chd8 targeting experiment have been fully processed up to the point of allele sequencing. The Surveyor results for 38 live pups (lanes 1-38) 1 dead pup (lane 39) and 1 wild-type pup for comparison (lane 40) are shown in Figure A2. Pups 1-19 were injected with gRNA Chd8.2 and pups 20-38 were injected with gRNA Chd8.3. Of the 38 live pups, 13 were positive for a mutation. The one dead pup also had a mutation. There was no mutation detected in the wild-type sample. Genomic PCR sequencing was consistent with the SURVEYOR assay findings.
Example 13: CRISPR Cas-Mediated Transcriptional Modulation293FT cells were transfected with plasmid containing two components: (1) EF1a promoter driving the expression of Cas9 (wild-type human-codon-optimized Sp Cas9) with different NLS designs (2) U6 promoter driving the same chimeric RNA targeting human EMX1 locus.
Cells were collect at 72 h time point post transfection, and then extracted with 50 μl of the QuickExtract genomic DNA extraction solution following manufacturer's protocol. Target EMX1 genomic DNA were PCR amplified and then Gel-purify with 1% agarose gel. Genomic PCR product were re-anneal and subjected to the Surveyor assay following manufacturer's protocol. The genomic cleavage efficiency of different constructs were measured using SDS-PAGE on a 4-12% TBE-PAGE gel (Life Technologies), analyzed and quantified with ImageLab (Bio-rad) software, all following manufacturer's protocol.
Methods of Delivering Cas9
Method 1: Applicants deliver Cas9 and guide RNA using a vector that expresses Cas9 under the control of a constitutive promoter such as Hsp70A-Rbc S2 or Beta2-tubulin.
Method 2: Applicants deliver Cas9 and T7 polymerase using vectors that expresses Cas9 and T7 polymerase under the control of a constitutive promoter such as Hsp70A-Rbc S2 or Beta2-tubulin. Guide RNA will be delivered using a vector containing T7 promoter driving the guide RNA.
Method 3: Applicants deliver Cas9 mRNA and in vitro transcribed guide RNA to algae cells. RNA can be in vitro transcribed. Cas9 mRNA will consist of the coding region for Cas9 as well as 3′UTR from Cop1 to ensure stabilization of the Cas9 mRNA.
For Homologous recombination, Applicants provide an additional homology directed repair template.
Sequence for a cassette driving the expression of Cas9 under the control of beta-2 tubulin promoter, followed b the 3′ UTR of Cop1.
Sequence for a cassette driving the expression of T7 polymerase under the control of beta-2 tubulin promoter, followed by the 3′ UTR of Cop1:
Sequence of guide RNA driven by the T7 promoter (T7 promoter, Ns represent targeting sequence):
Gene Delivery:
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain CC-124 and CC-125 from the Chlamydomonas Resource Center will be used for electroporation. Electroporation protocol follows standard recommended protocol from the GeneArt Chlamydomonas Engineering kit.
Also, Applicants generate a line of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that expresses Cas9 constitutively. This can be done by using pChlamyl (linearized using PvuI) and selecting for hygromycin resistant colonies. Sequence for pChlamyl containing Cas9 is below. In this way to achieve gene knockout one simply needs to deliver RNA for the guideRNA. For homologous recombination Applicants deliver guideRNA as well as a linearized homologous recombination template.
For all modified Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells, Applicants used PCR, SURVEYOR nuclease assay, and DNA sequencing to verify successful modification.
Example 16: Use of Cas9 as a Transcriptional Repressor in BacteriaThe ability to artificially control transcription is essential both to the study of gene function and to the construction of synthetic gene networks with desired properties. Applicants describe here the use of the RNA-guided Cas9 protein as a programmable transcriptional repressor.
Applicants have previously demonstrated how the Cas9 protein of Streptococcus pyogenes SF370 can be used to direct genome editing in Streptococcuspneumoniae. In this study Applicants engineered the crR6Rk strain containing a minimal CRISPR system, consisting of cas9, the tracrRNA and a repeat. The D10A-H840 mutations were introduced into cas9 in this strain, giving strain crR6Rk**. Four spacers targeting different positions of the bgaA β-galactosidase gene promoter were cloned in the CRISPR array carried by the previously described pDB98 plasmid. Applicants observed a X to Y fold reduction in β-galactosidase activity depending on the targeted position, demonstrating the potential of Cas9 as a programmable repressor (
To achieve Cas9** repression in Escherichia coli a green fluorescence protein (GFP) reporter plasimd (pDB127) was constructed to express the gfpmut2 gene from a constitutive promoter. The promoter was designed to carry several NPP PAMs on both strands, to measure the effect of Cas9** binding at various positions. Applicants introduced the D10A-H840 mutations into pCas9, a plasmid described carrying the tracrRNA, cas9 and a minimal CRISPR array designed for the easy cloning of new spacers. Twenty-two different spacers were designed to target different regions of the gfpmut2 promoter and open reading frame. An approximately 20-fold reduction of fluorescence of was observed upon targeting regions overlapping or adjacent to the −35 and −10 promoter elements and to the Shine-Dalgarno sequence. Targets on both strands showed similar repression levels. These results suggest that the binding of Cas9** to any position of the promoter region prevents transcription initiation, presumably through steric inhibition of RNAP binding.
To determine whether Cas9** could prevent transcription elongation, Applicants directed it to the reading frame of gpfmut2. A reduction in fluorescence was observed both when the coding and non-coding strands where targeted, suggesting that Cas9 binding is actually strong enough to represent an obstacle to the running RNAP. However, while a 40% reduction in expression was observed when the coding strand was the target, a 20-fold reduction was observed for the non-coding strand (
Some applications require a precise tuning gene expression rather than its complete repression. Applicants sought to achieve intermediate repression levels through the introduction of mismatches that will weaken the crRNA/target interactions. Applicants created a series of spacers based on the B1, T5 and B10 constructs with increasing numbers of mutations in the 5′ end of the crRNA. Up to 8 mutations in B1 and T5 did not affect the repression level, and a progressive increased in fluorescence was observed for additional mutations.
The observed repression with only an 8 nt match between the crRNA and its target raises the question of off-targeting effects of the use of Cas9** as a transcriptional regulator. Since a good PAM (NGG) is also required for Cas9 binding, the number of nucleotides to match to obtain some level of respiration is 10. A 10 nt match occurs randomly once every ˜1 Mbp, and such sites are thus likely to be found even in small bacterial genomes. However, to effectively repress transcription, such site needs to be in the promoter region of gene, which makes off-targeting much less likely. Applicants also showed that gene expression can be affected if the non-coding strand of a gene is targeted. For this to happen, a random target would have to be in the right orientation, but such events relatively more likely to happen. As a matter of fact, during the course of this study Applicants were unable to construct one of the designed spacer on pCas9**. Applicants later found this spacer showed a 12 bp match next to a good PAM in the essential murC gene. Such off-targeting could easily be avoided by a systematic blast of the designed spacers.
Aspects of the invention are further described in the following numbered paragraphs:
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- 1. A vector system comprising one or more vectors, wherein the system comprises
- a. a first regulatory element operably linked to a traer mate sequence and one or more insertion sites for inserting a guide sequence upstream of the traer mate sequence, wherein when expressed, the guide sequence directs sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a target sequence in a eukaryotic cell, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with (1) the guide sequence that is hybridized to the target sequence, and (2) the traer mate sequence that is hybridized to the traer sequence; and
- b. a second regulatory element operably linked to an enzyme-coding sequence encoding said CRISPR enzyme comprising a nuclear localization sequence;
- wherein components (a) and (b) are located on the same or different vectors of the system.
- 2. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein component (a) further comprises the traer sequence downstream of the traer mate sequence under the control of the first regulatory element.
- 3. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein component (a) further comprises two or more guide sequences operably linked to the first regulatory element, wherein when expressed, each of the two or more guide sequences direct sequence specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a different target sequence in a eukaryotic cell.
- 4. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the system comprises the traer sequence under the control of a third regulatory element.
- 5. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the traer sequence exhibits at least 50% of sequence complementarity along the length of the traer mate sequence when optimally aligned.
- 6. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the CRISPR enzyme comprises one or more nuclear localization sequences of sufficient strength to drive accumulation of said CRISPR enzyme in a detectable amount in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell.
- 7. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the CRISPR enzyme is a type II CRISPR system enzyme.
- 8. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the CRISPR enzyme is a Cas9 enzyme.
- 9. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the CRISPR enzyme is codon-optimized for expression in a eukaryotic cell.
- 10. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the CRISPR enzyme directs cleavage of one or two strands at the location of the target sequence.
- 11. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the CRISPR enzyme lacks DNA strand cleavage activity.
- 12. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the first regulatory element is a polymerase III promoter.
- 13. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the second regulatory element is a polymerase II promoter.
- 14. The vector system of paragraph 4, wherein the third regulatory element is a polymerase III promoter.
- 15. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein the guide sequence is at least 15 nucleotides in length.
- 16. The vector system of paragraph 1, wherein fewer than 50% of the nucleotides of the guide sequence participate in self-complementary base-pairing when optimally folded.
- 17. A vector comprising a regulatory element operably linked to an enzyme-coding sequence encoding a CRISPR enzyme comprising one or more nuclear localization sequences, wherein said regulatory element drives transcription of the CRISPR enzyme in a eukaryotic cell such that said CRISPR enzyme accumulates in a detectable amount in the nucleus of the eukaryotic cell.
- 18. The vector of paragraph 17, wherein said regulatory element is a polymerase II promoter.
- 19. The vector of paragraph 17, wherein said CRISPR enzyme is a type IICRISPR system enzyme.
- 20. The vector of paragraph 17, wherein said CRISPR enzyme is a Cas9 enzyme.
- 21. The vector of paragraph 17, wherein said CRISPR enzyme lacks the ability to cleave one or more strands of a target sequence to which it binds.
- 22. A CRISPR enzyme comprising one or more nuclear localization sequences of sufficient strength to drive accumulation of said CRISPR enzyme in a detectable amount in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell.
- 23. The CRISPR enzyme of paragraph 22, wherein said CRISPR enzyme is a type IICRISPR system enzyme.
- 24. The CRISPR enzyme of paragraph 22, wherein said CRISPR enzyme is a Cas9 enzyme.
- 25. The CRISPR enzyme of paragraph 22, wherein said CRISPR enzyme lacks the ability to cleave one or more strands of a target sequence to which it binds.
- 26. A eukaryotic host cell comprising:
- a. a first regulatory element operably linked to a traer mate sequence and one or more insertion sites for inserting a guide sequence upstream of the traer mate sequence, wherein when expressed, the guide sequence directs sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a target sequence in a eukaryotic cell, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with (1) the guide sequence that is hybridized to the target sequence, and (2) the traer mate sequence that is hybridized to the traer sequence; and/or
- b. a second regulatory element operably linked to an enzyme-coding sequence encoding said CRISPR enzyme comprising a nuclear localization sequence.
- 27. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein said host cell comprises components (a) and (b).
- 28. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein component (a), component (b), or components (a) and (b) are stably integrated into a genome of the host eukaryotic cell.
- 29. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein component (a) further comprises the traer sequence downstream of the traer mate sequence under the control of the first regulatory element.
- 30. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein component (a) further comprises two or more guide sequences operably linked to the first regulatory element, wherein when expressed, each of the two or more guide sequences direct sequence specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a different target sequence in a eukaryotic cell.
- 31. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, further comprising a third regulatory element operably linked to said traer sequence.
- 32. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein the traer sequence exhibits at least 50% of sequence complementarity along the length of the traer mate sequence when optimally aligned.
- 33. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein the CRISPR enzyme comprises one or more nuclear localization sequences of sufficient strength to drive accumulation of said CRISPR enzyme in a detectable mount in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell.
- 34. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein the CRISPR enzyme is a type II CRISPR system enzyme.
- 35. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein the CRISPR enzyme is a Cas9 enzyme.
- 36. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein the CRISPR enzyme is codon-optimized for expression in a eukaryotic cell.
- 37. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein the CRISPR enzyme directs cleavage of one or two strands at the location of the target sequence.
- 38. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein the CRISPR enzyme lacks DNA strand cleavage activity.
- 39. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein the first regulatory element is a polymerase III promoter.
- 40. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein the second regulatory element is a polymerase II promoter.
- 41. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 31, wherein the third regulatory element is a polymerase III promoter.
- 42. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein the guide sequence is at least 15 nucleotides in length.
- 43. The eukaryotic host cell of paragraph 26, wherein fewer than 50% of the nucleotides of the guide sequence participate in self-complementary base-pairing when optimally folded.
- 44. A non-human animal comprising a eukaryotic host cell of any one of paragraphs 26-43.
- 45. A kit comprising a vector system and instructions for using said kit, the vector system comprising:
- a. a first regulatory element operably linked to a traer mate sequence and one or more insertion sites for inserting a guide sequence upstream of the traer mate sequence, wherein when expressed, the guide sequence directs sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a target sequence in a eukaryotic cell, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with (1) the guide sequence that is hybridized to the target sequence, and (2) the traer mate sequence that is hybridized to the traer sequence; and/or
- b. a second regulatory element operably linked to an enzyme-coding sequence encoding said CRISPR enzyme comprising a nuclear localization sequence.
- 46. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein said kit comprises components (a) and (b) located on the same or different vectors of the system.
- 47. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein component (a) further comprises the traer sequence downstream of the traer mate sequence under the control of the first regulatory element.
- 48. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein component (a) further comprises two or more guide sequences operably linked to the first regulatory element, wherein when expressed, each of the two or more guide sequences direct sequence specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a different target sequence in a eukaryotic cell.
- 49. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the system comprises the traer sequence under the control of a third regulatory element.
- 50. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the traer sequence exhibits at least 50% of sequence complementarity along the length of the traer mate sequence when optimally aligned.
- 51. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the CRISPR enzyme comprises one or more nuclear localization sequences of sufficient strength to drive accumulation of said CRISPR enzyme in a detectable mount in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell.
- 52. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the CRISPR enzyme is a type II CRISPR system enzyme.
- 53. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the CRISPR enzyme is a Cas9 enzyme.
- 54. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the CRISPR enzyme is codon-optimized for expression in a eukaryotic cell.
- 55. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the CRISPR enzyme directs cleavage of one or two strands at the location of the target sequence.
- 56. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the CRISPR enzyme lacks DNA strand cleavage activity.
- 57. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the first regulatory element is a polymerase III promoter.
- 58. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the second regulatory element is a polymerase II promoter.
- 59. The kit of paragraph 49, wherein the third regulatory element is a polymerase III promoter.
- 60. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein the guide sequence is at least 15 nucleotides in length.
- 61. The kit of paragraph 45, wherein fewer than 50% of the nucleotides of the guide sequence participate in self-complementary base-pairing when optimally folded.
- 62. A computer system for selecting a candidate target sequence within a nucleic acid sequence in a eukaryotic cell for targeting by a CRISPR complex, the system comprising:
- a. a memory unit configured to receive and/or store said nucleic acid sequence; and
- b. one or more processors alone or in combination programmed to (i) locate a CRISPR motif sequence within said nucleic acid sequence, and (ii) select a sequence adjacent to said located CRISPR motif sequence as the candidate target sequence to which the CRISPR complex binds.
- 63. The computer system of paragraph 62, wherein said locating step comprises identifying a CRISPR motif sequence located less than about 500 nucleotides away from said target sequence.
- 64. The computer system of paragraph 62, wherein said candidate target sequence is at least 10 nucleotides in length.
- 65. The computer system of paragraph 62, wherein the nucleotide at the 3′ end of the candidate target sequence is located no more than about 10 nucleotides upstream of the CRISPR motif sequence.
- 66. The computer system of paragraph 62, wherein the nucleic acid sequence in the eukaryotic cell is endogenous to the eukaryotic genome.
- 67. The computer system of clam 62, wherein the nucleic acid sequence in the eukaryotic cell is exogenous to the eukaryotic genome.
- 68. A computer-readable medium comprising codes that, upon execution by one or more processors, implements a method of selecting a candidate target sequence within a nucleic acid sequence in a eukaryotic cell for targeting by a CRISPR complex, said method comprising: (a) locating a CRISPR motif sequence within said nucleic acid sequence, and (b) selecting a sequence adjacent to said located CRISPR motif sequence as the candidate target sequence to which the CRISPR complex binds.
- 69. The computer-readable medium of paragraph 68, wherein said locating comprises locating a CRISPR motif sequence that is less than about 500 nucleotides away from said target sequence.
- 70. The computer-readable of paragraph 68, wherein said candidate target sequence is at least 10 nucleotides in length.
- 71. The computer-readable of paragraph 68, wherein the nucleotide at the 3′ end of the candidate target sequence is located no more than about 10 nucleotides upstream of the CRISPR motif sequence.
- 72. The computer-readable of paragraph 68, wherein the nucleic acid sequence in the eukaryotic cell is endogenous the eukaryotic genome.
- 73. The computer-readable of paragraph 68, wherein the nucleic acid sequence in the eukaryotic cell is exogenous to the eukaryotic genome.
- 74. A method of modifying a target polynucleotide in a eukaryotic cell, the method comprising allowing a CRISPR complex to bind to the target polynucleotide to effect cleavage of said target polynucleotide thereby modifying the target polynucleotide, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with a guide sequence hybridized to a target sequence within said target polynucleotide, wherein said guide sequence is linked to a traer mate sequence which in turn hybridizes to a traer sequence.
- 75. The method of paragraph 74, wherein said cleavage comprises cleaving one or two strands at the location of the target sequence by said CRISPR enzyme.
- 76. The method of paragraph 74, wherein said cleavage results in decreased transcription of a target gene.
- 77. The method of paragraph 74, further comprising repairing said cleaved target polynucleotide by homologous recombination with an exogenous template polynucleotide, wherein said repair results in a mutation comprising an insertion, deletion, or substitution of one or more nucleotides of said target polynucleotide.
- 78. The method of paragraph 77, wherein said mutation results in one or more amino acid changes in a protein expressed from a gene comprising the target sequence.
- 79. The method of paragraph 74, further comprising delivering one or more vectors to said eukaryotic cell, wherein the one or more vectors drive expression of one or more of: the CRISPR enzyme, the guide sequence linked to the traer mate sequence, and the traer sequence.
- 80. The method of paragraph 79, wherein said vectors are delivered to the eukaryotic cell in a subject.
- 81. The method of paragraph 74, wherein said modifying takes place in said eukaryotic cell in a cell culture.
- 82. The method of paragraph 74, further comprising isolating said eukaryotic cell from a subject prior to said modifying.
- 83. The method of paragraph 82, further comprising returning said eukaryotic cell and/or cells derived therefrom to said subject.
- 84. A method of modifying expression of a polynucleotide in a eukaryotic cell, the method comprising: allowing a CRISPR complex to bind to the polynucleotide such that said binding results in increased or decreased expression of said polynucleotide; wherein the CRISPR complex comprises a CRISPR enzyme complexed with a guide sequence hybridized to a target sequence within said polynucleotide, wherein said guide sequence is linked to a traer mate sequence which in turn hybridizes to a traer sequence.
- 85. The method of paragraph 74, further comprising delivering one or more vectors to said eukaryotic cells, wherein the one or more vectors drive expression of one or more of: the CRISPR enzyme, the guide sequence linked to the traer mate sequence, and the traer sequence.
- 86. A method of generating a model eukaryotic cell comprising a mutated disease gene, the method comprising:
- a. introducing one or more vectors into a eukaryotic cell, wherein the one or more vectors drive expression of one or more of: a CRISPR enzyme, a guide sequence linked to a traer mate sequence, and a traer sequence; and
- b. allowing a CRISPR complex to bind to a target polynucleotide to effect cleavage of the target polynucleotide within said disease gene, wherein the CRISPR complex comprises the CRISPR enzyme complexed with (1) the guide sequence that is hybridized to the target sequence within the target polynucleotide, and (2) the traer mate sequence that is hybridized to the traer sequence, thereby generating a model eukaryotic cell comprising a mutated disease gene.
- 87. The method of paragraph 86, wherein said cleavage comprises cleaving one or two strands at the location of the target sequence by said CRISPR enzyme.
- 88. The method of paragraph 86, wherein said cleavage results in decreased transcription of a target gene.
- 89. The method of paragraph 86, further comprising repairing said cleaved target polynucleotide by homologous recombination with an exogenous template polynucleotide, wherein said repair results in a mutation comprising an insertion, deletion, or substitution of one or more nucleotides of said target polynucleotide.
- 90. The method of paragraph 89, wherein said mutation results in one or more amino acid changes in a protein expressed from a gene comprising the target sequence.
- 91. A method of developing a biologically active agent that modulates a cell signaling event associated with a disease gene, comprising:
- a. contacting a test compound with a model cell of any one of paragraphs 86-90; and
- b. detecting a change in a readout that is indicative of a reduction or an augmentation of a cell signaling event associated with said mutation in said disease gene, thereby developing said biologically active agent that modulates said cell signaling event associated with said disease gene.
- 92. A recombinant polynucleotide comprising a guide sequence upstream of a traer mate sequence, wherein the guide sequence when expressed directs sequence-specific binding of a CRISPR complex to a corresponding target sequence present in a eukaryotic cell.
- 93. The recombinant polynucleotide of paragraph 89, wherein the target sequence is a viral sequence present in a eukaryotic cell.
- 94. The recombinant polynucleotide of paragraph 89, wherein the target sequence is a proto-oncogene or an oncogene.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in practicing the invention. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that methods and structures within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.
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Claims
1. An ex vivo human cell comprising:
- (i) a Cas9,
- (ii) a first RNA sequence comprising a sequence complementary to a target DNA sequence, wherein the first RNA sequence comprises a tracr-mate sequence, and
- (iii) a second RNA sequence comprising a sequence complementary to the tracr-mate sequence, wherein the first RNA sequence and the second RNA sequence are hybridized as hybridized RNA sequences, wherein the Cas9 is complexed with the hybridized RNA sequences, and wherein the hybridized RNA sequences and the Cas9 do not occur naturally together.
2. The ex vivo human cell of claim 1, wherein the Cas9 comprises one or more SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signals.
3. The ex vivo human cell of claim 2, wherein at least one of the SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signals is at the C-terminus or the N-terminus of the Cas9.
4. The ex vivo human cell of claim 2, wherein at least one of the SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signals is at the C-terminus and at least one of the SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signals is at the N-terminus of the Cas9.
5. The ex vivo human cell of claim 1, wherein the Cas9 is flanked on each end by one or more nuclear localization signals.
6. The ex vivo human cell of claim 2, wherein the SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signal comprises the sequence PKKKRKV (SEQ ID NO: 1).
7. The ex vivo human cell of claim 1, wherein the sequence complementary to a target DNA sequence is between 15-25 nucleotides in length.
8. The ex vivo human cell of claim 1, wherein the tracr-mate sequence comprises the sequence GUUUUAGAGCUA.
9. The ex vivo human cell of claim 1, wherein the first RNA sequence and/or the second RNA sequence comprises one or more methylated nucleotides.
10. The ex vivo human cell of claim 1, wherein the target sequence comprises a non-coding sequence.
11. The ex vivo human cell of claim 10, wherein the non-coding sequence comprises a regulatory element.
12. An ex vivo human cell comprising an S. pyogenes Cas9 linked to one or more nuclear localization signals, or a codon optimized polynucleotide for expression of the S. pyogenes Cas9, in the ex vivo human cell.
13. An ex vivo human cell comprising:
- (i) an S. pyogenes Cas9,
- (ii) a first RNA sequence comprising a sequence complementary to a target DNA sequence, in the human cell wherein the first RNA sequence comprises a tracr-mate sequence, and
- (iii) a second RNA sequence comprising a sequence complementary to the tracr-mate sequence, wherein the first RNA sequence and the second RNA sequence are hybridized as hybridized RNA sequences, wherein the S. pyogenes Cas9 is complexed with the hybridized RNA sequences, and wherein the hybridized RNA sequences and the S. pyogenes Cas9 do not occur naturally together.
14. The ex vivo human cell of claim 13, wherein the S. pyogenes Cas9 comprises one or more SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signals.
15. The ex vivo human cell of claim 14, wherein the one or more SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signals is at either the C-terminus or the N-terminus of the S. pyogenes Cas9.
16. The ex vivo human cell of claim 14, wherein the one or more SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signals are at the C-terminus and the N-terminus of the S. pyogenes Cas9.
17. The ex vivo human cell of claim 13, wherein the S. pyogenes Cas9 is flanked on each end by one or more nuclear localization signals.
18. The ex vivo human cell of claim 14, wherein the SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signal comprises the sequence PKKKRKV (SEQ ID NO: 1).
19. The ex vivo human cell of claim 13, wherein the sequence complementary to a target DNA sequence is between 15-25 nucleotides in length.
20. The ex vivo human cell of claim 13, wherein the tracr-mate sequence comprises the sequence GUUUUAGAGCUA.
21. The ex vivo human cell of claim 13, wherein the first RNA sequence and/or the second RNA sequence comprises one or more methylated nucleotides.
22. The ex vivo human cell of claim 13, wherein the target sequence comprises a non-coding sequence.
23. The ex vivo human cell of claim 21, wherein the non-coding sequence comprises a regulatory element.
24. An ex vivo human cell comprising:
- (i) an S. pyogenes Cas9,
- (ii) a first RNA sequence comprising a sequence that is complementary to a target DNA sequence in the human cell and a tracr-mate sequence, wherein the tracr-mate sequence comprises the sequence GUUUUAGAGCUA, wherein the first RNA sequence comprises one or more methylated nucleotides, and
- (iii) a second RNA sequence comprising a sequence complementary to the tracr-mate sequence, wherein the second RNA sequence comprises one or more methylated nucleotides, wherein the first RNA sequence and the second RNA sequence are hybridized as hybridized RNA sequences, wherein the S. pyogenes Cas9 is complexed with the hybridized RNA sequences, and wherein the hybridized RNA sequences and the S. pyogenes Cas9 do not occur naturally together.
25. The ex vivo human cell of claim 24, wherein the S. pyogenes Cas9 comprises two SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signals.
26. The ex vivo human cell of claim 25, wherein the two SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signals are at either the C-terminus or the N-terminus of the S. pyogenes Cas9.
27. The ex vivo human cell of claim 25, wherein the two SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signals are at the C-terminus and the N-terminus of the S. pyogenes Cas9.
28. The ex vivo human cell of claim 25, wherein the SV40 large T-antigen nuclear localization signal comprises the sequence PKKKRKV (SEQ ID NO: 1).
29. The ex vivo human cell of claim 24, wherein the target sequence comprises a non-coding sequence.
30. The ex vivo human cell of claim 24, wherein the first RNA sequence comprises a sequence that is hybridized to a target DNA sequence and that is between 15-25 nucleotides in length.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 29, 2023
Publication Date: Oct 26, 2023
Applicants: The Broad Institute, Inc. (Cambridge, MA), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
Inventor: Feng Zhang (Cambridge, MA)
Application Number: 18/128,122
