Unsynchronized butyrophilin molecules dictate cancer cell evasion of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell killing

Vγ9Vδ2 T cells are specialized effector cells that have gained prominence as immunotherapy agents due to their ability to target and kill cells with altered pyrophosphate metabolites.In our effort to understand how cancer cells evade the cell-killing activity of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells,we performed a comprehensive genome-scale CRISPR screening of cancer cells.We found that four molecules belonging to the butyrophilin(BTN)family,specifically BTN2A1,BTN3A1,BTN3A2,and BTN3A3,are critically important and play unique,nonoverlapping roles in facilitating the destruction of cancer cells by primary Vγ9Vδ2 T cells.The coordinated function of these BTN molecules was driven by synchronized gene expression,which was regulated by IFN-γsignaling and the RFX complex.Additionally,an enzyme called QPCTL was shown to play a key role in modifying the N-terminal glutamine of these BTN proteins and was found to be a crucial factor in Vγ9Vδ2 T cell killing of cancer cells.Through our research,we offer a detailed overview of the functional genomic mechanisms that underlie how cancer cells escape Vγ9Vδ2 T cells.Moreover,our findings shed light on the importance of the harmonized expression and function of gene family members in modulating T-cell activity.

Gene editing and its applications in biomedicine

The steady progress in genome editing, especially genome editing based on the use of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR) and programmable nucleases to make precise modifications to genetic material, has provided enormous opportunities to advance biomedical research and promote human health. The application of these technologies in basic biomedical research has yielded significant advances in identifying and studying key molecular targets relevant to human diseases and their treatment. The clinical translation of genome editing techniques offers unprecedented biomedical engineering capabilities in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disease or disability. Here, we provide a general summary of emerging biomedical applications of genome editing, including open challenges. We also summarize the tools of genome editing and the insights derived from their applications, hoping to accelerate new discoveries and therapies in biomedicine.

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 is a CROPs-associated receptor for Clostridioides infection toxin B

As the leading cause of worldwide hospital-acquired infection,Clostridioides difficile(C.difficile)infection has caused heavy economic and hospitalized burden,while its pathogenesis is not fully understood.Toxin B(Tcd B)is one of the major virulent factors of C.difficile.Recently,CSPG4 and FZD2 were reported to be the receptors that mediate Tcd B cellular entry.However,genetic ablation of genes encoding these receptors failed to completely block Tcd B entry,implicating the existence of alternative receptor(s)for this toxin.Here,by employing the CRISPR-Cas9 screen in CSPG4-deficient He La cells,we identified LDL receptor-related protein-1(LRP1)as a novel receptor for Tcd B.Knockout of LRP1 in both CSPG4-deficient He La cells and colonic epithelium Caco2 cells conferred cells with increased Tcd B resistance,while LRP1 overexpression sensitized cells to Tcd B at a low concentration.Co-immunoprecipitation assay showed that LRP1 interacts with full-length Tcd B.Moreover,CROPs domain,which is dispensable for Tcd B’s interaction with CSPG4 and FZD2,is sufficient for binding to LRP1.As such,our study provided evidence for a novel mechanism of Tcd B entry and suggested potential therapeutic targets for treating C.difficile infection.

Gene editing:from technologies to applications in research and beyond

Cutting-edge gene editing technologies enable broadened genomic alternations and accelerate opportunities to use these tools in biomedicine, agriculture, and animal model development. In this issue, Li et al.(2022) reviews the tools of gene editing and highlights key technological developments and its broad applications in biomedicine, hoping to accelerate new discoveries and therapies in biomedicine.

Genome-wide CRISPR activation screen identifies candidate receptors for SARS-CoV-2 entry

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has created a global health crisis. SARS-CoV-2 infects varieties of tissues where the known receptor ACE2 is low or almost absent, suggesting the existence of alternative viral entry pathways. Here, we performed a genome-wide barcoded-CRISPRa screen to identify novel host factors that enable SARS-CoV-2 infection. Beyond known host proteins, i.e., ACE2, TMPRSS2, and NRP1, we identified multiple host components,among which LDLRAD3, TMEM30A, and CLEC4G were confirmed as functional receptors for SARS-CoV-2. All these membrane proteins bind directly to spike’s N-terminal domain(NTD). Their essential and physiological roles have been confirmed in either neuron or liver cells. In particular, LDLRAD3 and CLEC4G mediate SARS-CoV-2 entry and infection in an ACE2-independent fashion. The identification of the novel receptors and entry mechanisms could advance our understanding of the multiorgan tropism of SARS-CoV-2, and may shed light on the development of COVID-19 countermeasures.

Questions about NgAgo

Dear Editor： Gao et al. published data in Nature Biotechnology （Nat Biotechnol. 2016 May 2） showing that DNA-guided genome editing using the Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute （NgAgo） protein targeted 47 mammalian genomic loci with a 100% success rate and an efficiency of 21.3%-41.3% at various targets. This report led us to test NgAgo＇s utility in various cells and organisms such as mouse and zebrafish for gene editing.

Erratum to： Questions about NgAgo

In the original publication of this article the Figure 1E legend has been incorrectly published.

Sensing of cytoplasmic chromatin by cGAS activates innate immune response in SARS-CoV-2 infection

The global coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCoV-2),a positive-sense RNA virus.How the host immune system senses and responds to SARS-CoV-2 infection remain largely unresolved.Here,we report that SARS-CoV-2 infection activates the innate immune response through the cytosolic DNA sensing cGAS-STING pathway.SARS-CoV-2 infection induces the cellular level of 2′3′-cGAMP associated with STING activation.cGAS recognizes chromatin DNA shuttled from the nucleus as a result of cell-to-cell fusion upon SARS-CoV-2 infection.We further demonstrate that the expression of spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 from host cells is sufficient to trigger cytoplasmic chromatin upon cell fusion.Furthermore,cytoplasmic chromatin-cGAS-STING pathway,but not MAVS-mediated viral RNA sensing pathway,contributes to interferon and pro-inflammatory gene expression upon cell fusion.Finally,we show that cGAS is required for host antiviral responses against SARS-CoV-2,and a STING-activating compound potently inhibits viral replication.Together,our study reported a previously unappreciated mechanism by which the host innate immune system responds to SARS-CoV-2 infection,mediated by cytoplasmic chromatin from the infected cells.Targeting the cytoplasmic chromatin-cGAS-STING pathway may offer novel therapeutic opportunities in treating COVID-19.In addition,these findings extend our knowledge in host defense against viral infection by showing that host cells’self-nucleic acids can be employed as a“danger signal”to alarm the immune system.