Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats(CRISPR):A critical overview on the most promising applications of molecular scissors in oral medicine

The scientific community is continuously working to translate the novel biomedical techniques into effective medical treatments.CRISPR-Cas9 system(Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-9),commonly known as the“molecular scissor”,represents a recently developed biotechnology able to improve the quality and the efficacy of traditional treatments,related to several human diseases,such as chronic diseases,neurodegenerative pathologies and,interestingly,oral diseases.Of course,dental medicine has notably increased the use of biotechnologies to ensure modern and conservative approaches:in this landscape,the use of CRISPR-Cas9 system may speed and personalize the traditional therapies,ensuring a good predictability of clinical results.The aim of this critical overview is to provide evidence on CRISPR efficacy,taking into specific account its applications in oral medicine.

The Applications of CRISPR Screening in Aging Research

The advancement of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats(CRISPR)gene editing technology has revolutionized the comprehension of human genome,propelling molecular and cellular biology research into unexplored realms and accelerating progress in life sciences and medicine.CRISPR-based gene screening,recognized for its efficiency and practicality,is widely utilized across diverse biological fields.Aging is a multifaceted process governed by a myriad of genetic and epigenetic factors.Unraveling the genes regulating aging holds promise for understanding this intricate phenomenon and devising strategies for its assessment and intervention.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the progress in CRISPR screening and its applications in aging research,while also offering insights into future directions.CRISPR-based genetic-manipulation tools are positioned as indispensable instruments for mitigating aging and managing age-related diseases.

转录因子HNF1A、HNF4A和FOXA2调节肝细胞蛋白质N-糖基化

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 alpha(HNF1A),hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha(HNF4A),and forkhead box protein A2(FOXA2)are key transcription factors that regulate a complex gene network in the liver,cre-ating a regulatory transcriptional loop.The Encode and ChIP-Atlas databases identify the recognition sites of these transcription factors in many glycosyltransferase genes.Our in silico analysis of HNF1A,HNF4A.and FOXA2 binding to the ten candidate glyco-genes studied in this work confirms a significant enrich-ment of these transcription factors specifically in the liver.Our previous studies identified HNF1A as a master regulator of fucosylation,glycan branching,and galactosylation of plasma glycoproteins.Here,we aimed to functionally validate the role of the three transcription factors on downstream glyco-gene transcriptional expression and the possible effect on glycan phenotype.We used the state-of-the-art clus-tered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/dead Cas9(CRISPR/dCas9)molecular tool for the downregulation of the HNF1A,HNF4A,and FOXA2 genes in HepG2 cells-a human liver cancer cell line.The results show that the downregulation of all three genes individually and in pairs affects the transcrip-tional activity of many glyco-genes,although downregulation of glyco-genes was not always followed by an unambiguous change in the corresponding glycan structures.The effect is better seen as an overall change in the total HepG2 N-glycome,primarily due to the extension of biantennary glycans.We propose an alternative way to evaluate the N-glycome composition via estimating the overall complexity of the glycome by quantifying the number of monomers in each glycan structure.We also propose a model showing feedback loops with the mutual activation of HNF1A-FOXA2 and HNF4A-FOXA2 affecting glyco-genes and protein glycosylation in HepG2 cells.

CRISPRi干扰中心代谢基因转录对苏氨酸合成的影响

苏氨酸是重要的饲料氨基酸,需求量持续增加,提高苏氨酸发酵产率和糖酸转化率,降低生产成本已成为一个重要课题。该实验以苏氨酸工程菌Escherichia coli THRD为出发菌,利用CRISPRi(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats interference)技术研究中心代谢9个基因转录水平的改变对苏氨酸合成的影响。发酵结果显示,干扰zwf、pfk A和glt A基因的转录水平提高了苏氨酸的合成效率,对应菌株苏氨酸产量分别为60. 3、64. 6和65. 8 g/L,与出发菌(50. 9 g/L)相比,分别提高了18. 5%、26. 9%和29. 3%。糖酸转化率分别为40%、38%和39%,与出发菌(34%)相比,分别提高了17. 7%、11. 8%和14. 7%。结果表明,通过CRISPRi干扰中心代谢基因的转录水平,可以调节合成代谢网络,使更多碳源流向苏氨酸,提高苏氨酸的合成效率。同时,该研究也为其他生物制品工程菌的构建提供了参考。

利用CRISPRi技术构建乙醛酸生物合成Corynebacterium glutamicum工程菌

以谷氨酸棒状杆菌(Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032)为出发菌株,敲除其支流代谢关键酶乳酸脱氢酶合成基因lldh,建立规律间隔成簇短回文重复序列干扰(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats interference,CRISPRi)调控体系,并利用该体系下调支流代谢中的关键酶异柠檬酸脱氢酶合成基因icd和苹果酸合成酶合成基因ms的表达强度,同时过表达异柠檬酸裂合酶合成基因icl,强化乙醛酸合成的通路。通过48 h连续监测工程菌和野生菌生长状况,并检测发酵终产物。结果显示:工程菌生长几乎不受影响,发酵液中乙醛酸质量浓度达到5 mg/mL,实现了乙醛酸的积累,为谷氨酸棒状杆菌工业生产乙醛研究提供一定的参考。

应用CRISPRi技术敲低耻垢分枝杆菌异柠檬酸脱氢酶基因

成簇的规律间隔的短回文重复序列干扰(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat interference,CRISPRi)是一种新型转录抑制技术,该系统包含RNA介导的DNA内切酶dCas9和针对目的基因的特异性单向导RNA(single guide RNA,sgRNA),通过形成DNA识别复合物特异性识别相应DNA序列以抑制目的基因的转录。异柠檬酸脱氢酶(isocitrate dehydrogenase,ICD)是三羧酸循环中的关键代谢酶,在分枝杆菌的碳代谢过程中发挥重要作用。本研究利用CRISPRi高效抑制分枝杆菌特定基因表达的方法构建耻垢分枝杆菌icd敲低(icd knockdown,ICD-KD)株。定量聚合酶链反应(quantitative polymerase chain reaction,qPCR)和蛋白免疫印迹检测结果显示,耻垢分枝杆菌中icd转录水平与ICD蛋白表达水平显著下降,表明采用CRISPRi技术成功构建了耻垢分枝杆菌ICD-KD株。进一步研究ICD-KD株的生长情况,测定其在固体培养基点板及液体培养基中的生长曲线,结果均显示ICD-KD株生长速率明显减慢,同时菌体内ICD酶活显著降低,提示ICD对分枝杆菌的生长存活起重要作用。本研究使用CRISPRi技术快速构建了分枝杆菌必需基因的敲低菌株,为后续研究分枝杆菌ICD在碳源代谢通路中的功能和碳通量流向调控机制提供了重要基础。

Targeting KRAS in pancreatic adenocarcinoma:Progress in demystifying the holy grail

Pancreatic cancer(PC)remains one of the most challenging diseases,with a very poor 5-year overall survival of around 11.5%.Kirsten rat sarcoma virus(KRAS)mutation is seen in 90%-95%of PC patients and plays an important role in cancer cell proliferation,differentiation,metabolism,and survival,making it an essential mutation for targeted therapy.Despite extensive efforts in studying this oncogene,there has been little success in finding a drug to target this pathway,labelling it for decades as“undruggable”.In this article we summarize some of the efforts made to target the KRAS pathway in PC,discuss the challenges,and shed light on promising clinical trials.

嗜热链球菌中CRISPR序列的检测与同源性分析

为探明内蒙古的8株嗜热链球菌的CRISPR,用PCR方法扩增了其CRISPR序列,并采用生物信息学方法分析和预测了重复序列(direct repeat,DR)的同源性及二级结构。结果表明:除S4只含有一个CRISPR结构外,其余7株嗜热链球菌均检测出3条CRISPR序列,远高于CRISPR database公布细菌中具有该结构的比例(46.4%),且分别具特异性的重复序列(DR1～DR3);CRISPR最长达2853bp,最短仅101bp。对DR的二级结构预测发现,DR1～DR3均能形成回文结构,但茎环大小会有差异;在同源性比对中发现,除多数同属或同种外,供试DR还与个别远缘菌种具有高同源性,这种现象证明了供试菌株的CRISPR序列同样存在的水平基因转移,并可能存在其他的进化进程。

乳酸菌CRISPR-Cas系统同源性分析

CRISPR-Cas系统为乳酸菌抵抗噬菌体等外源基因元件提供获得性免疫,利用生物信息学方法分析了CRISPR序列及cas基因在乳酸菌种间的同源性关系。利用生物信息学方法预测NCBI中已测序的部分乳酸菌所含CRISPRCas系统,并对重复序列和Cas蛋白序列进行系统发生学分析。结果显示,嗜热链球菌、德氏乳杆菌和瑞士乳杆菌标准菌株均含不同数目的 CRISPR-Cas系统,各类型的重复序列高度保守,Cas蛋白序列同源性较高。CRISPR-Cas系统的同源性与其亚型密切相关,而与菌种亲缘关系有较大差异,证明了CRISPR-Cas系统能够通过基因水平转移传播这一结论。

基因编辑技术的研究进展

功能缺失(loss of function)是研究基因功能及其相关表型最重要、最直接的方法和策略。基因编辑技术从开始的RNA干扰(RNA interference,RNAi)技术到近年发展起来的高效酶技术都得到了广泛的应用。这些高效酶技术包括锌指核酸酶(zinc finger nuclease,ZFN)技术、转录激活样效应物核酸酶(transcription activator-like effector nucleases,TALENs)技术和成簇的规律间隔的短回文重复序列系统(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated(Cas)9 system,CRISPR/Cas9)。除此之外,还有2016年发表的Ng Ago(Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute)编辑技术。近十年来,以CRISPR/Cas9为代表的基因编辑技术已经广泛应用于细胞水平和个体水平的基因功能敲除的研究。现就以上基因编辑技术的原理及最新进展进行综述,并重点介绍CRISPR/Cas9的技术原理以及该技术在建立基因敲除动物模型中的最新进展。

Modulation of mitochondrial bioenergetics as a therapeutic strategy in Alzheimer＇s disease

Alzheimer’s disease （AD） is an increasingly pressing worldwide public-health, social, political and economic concern. Despite significant investment in multiple traditional therapeutic strategies that have achieved success in preclinical models addressing the pathological hallmarks of the disease, these efforts have not translated into any effective disease-modifying therapies. This could be because interventions are being tested too late in the disease process. While existing therapies provide symptomatic and clinical benefit, they do not fully address the molecular abnormalities that occur in AD neurons. The pathophysiology of AD is complex; mitochondrial bioenergetic deficits and brain hypometabolism coupled with increased mitochondrial oxidative stress are antecedent and potentially play a causal role in the disease pathogenesis. Dysfunctional mitochondria accumulate from the combination of impaired mitophagy, which can also induce injurious inflammatory responses, and inadequate neuronal mitochondrial biogenesis. Altering the metabolic capacity of the brain by modulating/potentiating its mitochondrial bioenergetics may be a strategy for disease prevention and treatment. We present insights into the mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in AD brain as well as an overview of emerging treatments with the potential to prevent, delay or reverse the neurodegenerative process by targeting mitochondria.

Genome engineering using the CRISPR/Cas system

Recently, an epoch-making genome engineering technology using clustered regularly at interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR) and CRISPR associated(Cas) nucleases, was developed. Previous technologies for genome manipulation require the time-consuming design and construction of genome-engineered nucleases for each target and have, therefore, not been widely used in mouse research where standard techniques based on homologous recombination are commonly used. The CRISPR/Cas system only requires the design of sequences complementary to a target locus, making this technology fast and straightforward. In addition, CRISPR/Cas can be used to generate mice carrying mutations in multiple genes in a single step, an achievement not possible using other methods. Here, we review the uses of this technology in genetic analysis and manipulation, including achievements made possible to date and the prospects for future therapeutic applications.

益生菌的功能基因导入和基因编辑

益生菌已经在临床和食品领域应用多年,其安全性和有效性已经获得人们的认可。随着分子生物学技术的发展,采用益生菌作为载体进行基因导入或基因编辑,这些遗传改造的益生菌一部分已经作为新的药品或疫苗进入到临床应用阶段。携带功能基因的益生菌定殖于肠道进行表达和缓慢释放,这类益生菌作为活体药物获得益生菌和功能基因的双重功效,可用于治疗某些疑难病症。携带蛋白质抗原基因的益生菌定殖于肠道进行表达,可诱导肠道黏膜免疫、细胞免疫和体液免疫,这是一条更安全的口服疫苗途径。成簇的规则间隔短回文重复序列(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, CRISPR)及其相关蛋白(CRISPR-associated protein, Cas)以其高效与便捷性推动了益生菌基因编辑的发展。这篇综述介绍了CRISPR-Cas9操作系统在益生菌方面的应用。对传统遗传操作较难的益生菌采用CRISPR-Cas9技术进行基因编辑,使其基因敲除和基因突变,基因敲入和基因调控等更为简单、高效和易操作。这些CRISPR/Cas9、CRISPRa和CRISPRi技术在益生菌的基因表达调控和代谢工程等领域具有巨大的应用潜力,例如医药、食品以及工业等相关重要产品的获得。本文总结了益生菌基因导入和基因编辑在生物制品生产中的相关应用,最后对其未来的研究方向进行展望。

Combination of CRISPR/Cas9 System and CAR-T Cell Therapy:A New Era for Refractory and Relapsed Hematological Malignancies

Chimeric antigen receptor T(CAR-T)cell therapy is the novel treatment strategy for hematological malignancies such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL),lymphoma and multiple myeloma.However,treatment-related toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome(CRS)and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome(ICANS)have become significant hurdles to CAR-T treatment.Multiple strategies were established to alter the CAR structure on the genomic level to improve efficacy and reduce toxicities.Recently,the innovative gene-editing technology-clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease9(Cas9)system,which particularly exhibits preponderance in knock-in and knockout at specific sites,is widely utilized to manufacture CAR-T products.The application of CRISPR/Cas9 to CAR-T cell therapy has shown promising clinical results with minimal toxicity.In this review,we summarized the past achievements of CRISPR/Cas9 in CAR-T therapy and focused on the potential CAR-T targets.

Review: Plant Genome Editing Targeted by RNA-Guided DNA Endonuclease CRISPR/Cas9

This review chronicles the development of the research on CRISPR/Cas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat/CRISPR associated protein 9) during the last 30 years from the discovery of CRISPR sequence, of biological significance and of the molecular mechanism for adaptive bacterial immunity. It describes recent works on structural and functional diversity of CRISPR/Cas systems, and on three-dimensional structure-based improvements of on-target specificity of CRISPR/Cas9 and Cpf1 endonucleases. The review ends with the application of CRISPR/Cas9 to targeted editing of plant genomes. Importantly, plant commodities modified by CRISPR-Cas9 have not been considered as genetically modified organisms (GMO) as long as foreign DNAs from plant pests were not introduced, according to the recent determination by the USDA.

Gene editing for corneal disease management

Gene editing has recently emerged as a promising technology to engineer genetic modifications precisely in the genome to achieve long-term relief from corneal disorders.Recent advances in the molecular biology leading to the development of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPRs) and CRISPR-associated systems,zinc finger nucleases and transcription activator like effector nucleases have ushered in a new era for high throughput in vitro and in vivo genome engineering.Genome editing can be successfully used to decipher complex molecular mechanisms underlying disease pathophysiology,develop innovative next generation gene therapy,stem cell-based regenerative therapy,and personalized medicine for corneal and other ocular diseases.In this review we describe latest developments in the field of genome editing,current challenges,and future prospects for the development of personalized genebased medicine for corneal diseases.The gene editing approach is expected to revolutionize current diagnostic and treatment practices for curing blindness.

Genomics in medicine: A new era in medicine

The sequencing of complete human genome revolutionized the genomic medicine.However,the complex interplay of gene-environment-lifestyle and influence of non-coding genomic regions on human health remain largely unexplored.Genomic medicine has great potential for diagnoses or disease prediction,disease prevention and,targeted treatment.However,many of the promising tools of genomic medicine are still in their infancy and their application may be limited because of the limited knowledge we have that precludes its use in many clinical settings.In this review article,we have reviewed the evolution of genomic methodologies/tools,their limitations,and scope,for current and future clinical application.

基于核酸靶标免扩增CRISPR/Cas体系的分子速测技术研究进展

快速准确的分子诊断在食品安全、疾病诊断、环境监测等生命科学领域发挥重要作用。成簇规则间隔短回文重复序列(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats,CRISPR)及相关蛋白(CRISPR-associated protein,Cas)组成的CRISPR/Cas系统因具有高灵敏度、高特异性、便捷性及快速等优势,已成为精确检测核酸靶标的重要分子诊断工具。基于CRISPR/Cas系统的检测通过预扩增步骤提高靶标浓度,但也随之带来气溶胶污染、操作复杂和检测周期长等问题。因此需要积极开发更多免扩增策略,在最大限度保证灵敏度的同时,一步式实现对靶标的检测。综述了免扩增CRISPR系统的重要性,重点阐述了反应影响因素及相关策略对体系的优化作用,以及数字芯片法、表面增强拉曼光谱法和电化学金属电极法对信号放大效果的前沿进展,并对CRISPR/Cas系统的即时检测应用进行展望,以期为免扩增CRISPR/Cas检测系统的发展提供理论指导。

Viral and nonviral nanocarriers for in vivo CRISPR-based gene editing

The continued development of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)technology has the potential to greatly impact clinical medicine,particularly for disease diagnosis and treatment.Despite high demand for the in vivo delivery of CRISPR-based therapies,significant challenges persist.These include rapid degradation by enzymes,inefficient disease site targeting,and the risk of undesired off-target outcomes.Nanoparticulate platforms,with their tailorable properties,have been engineered to efficiently package CRISPR payloads in various formats,including as plasmid DNA,mRNA,and ribonucleoprotein complexes,for in vivo delivery.Among them,recombinant adeno-associated viruses,virus-like particles,and lipid nanoparticles have displayed exceptional promise.This review will discuss the development of these and other nanocarriers for in vivo CRISPR-based genome editing.

CRISPR/Cas systems for the detection of nucleic acid and nonnucleic acid targets

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated(Cas)systems are becoming powerful tools for disease biomarkers detection.Due to the specific recognition,cis-cleavage and nonspecific trans-cleavage capabilities,CRISPR/Cas systems have implemented the detection of nucleic acid targets(DNA and RNA)as well as non-nucleic acid targets(e.g.,proteins,exosomes,cells,and small molecules).In this review,we first summarize the principles and characteristics of various CRISPR/Cas systems,including CRISPR/Cas9,Cas12,Cas13 and Cas14 systems.Then,various types of applications of CRISPR/Cas systems used in detecting nucleic and non-nucleic acid targets are introduced emphatically.Finally,the prospects and challenges of their applications in biosensing are discussed.