Generation of knockout rabbits using transcription activator-like effector nucleases

Zinc-finger nucleases and transcription activator-like effector nucleases are novel gene-editing platformscontributing to redefine the boundaries of modern biological research. They are composed of a non-specificcleavage domain and a tailor made DNA-binding module, which enables a broad range of genetic modifications byinducing efficient DNA double-strand breaks at desired loci. Among other remarkable uses, these nucleases havebeen employed to produce gene knockouts in mid-size and large animals, such as rabbits and pigs, respectively.This approach is cost effective, relatively quick, and can produce invaluable models for human disease studies,biotechnology or agricultural purposes. Here we describe a protocol for the efficient generation of knockout rabbitsusing transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and a perspective of the field.

Highly efficient generation of GGTA1 knockout pigs using a combination of TALEN m RNA and magnetic beads with somatic cell nuclear transfer

The transcription activator-like effector nuclease （TALEN） technique combined with the somatic cel nuclear transfer （SCNT） method has been successfuly applied for creating geneticaly modiifed pigs. However, methods for isolating cels with bialelic indels requires further improvement because of the relatively low enrichment efifciency of mutated somatic cels. Moreover, little is known regarding the off-target effects of the TALEN system and the heredity of TALEN-modiifed pigs. In this study, an efifcient method to increase the enrichment efifciency of TALEN-mediated bialelic knockout （KO） cels was established, and corresponding geneticaly modiifed pigs with the expected genotype were generated whose off-target effect, fertility and heredity characteristics were aslo evaluated. Two TALEN pairs were constructed to target the porcine α-1,3-galactosyltransferase （GGTA1） gene locus. TALEN mRNA was transfected into the ear ifbroblasts folowed by the enrichment of α-Gal nul cels of minipigs using isolectin B4 （IB4） lectin and magnetic beads. A total of 115 cel colonies were formed and validated to beGGTA1 KO cels by sequencing and 10 bialelic KO cel colonies were used as nuclear donors for SCNT. ThirtyGGTA1 bialelic KO piglets were successfuly delivered and grew normaly. Seventeen potential off-target sites were investigated, and no off-target events were detected in the live piglets. To determine the fertility and heredity characteristics of TALEN-modiifed pigs, 10 mature founders were mated with each other and the mutations were determined to be transmitted to the F1 piglets. We established a robust and safe technology for developing geneticaly modiifed pig lines with expected genotypes for agricultural breeding and biomedical application.

基因编辑技术

基因编辑是指通过核酸酶对靶基因进行定点改造,实现特定DNA的定点敲除、敲入以及突变等,最终下调或上调基因的表达,以使细胞获得新表型的一种新型技术。基因编辑技术已被广泛运用于基因结构与功能的研究和多种细胞的基因工程改造,为疾病模型的建立、动植物新品种的培育及基因治疗等的研究提供新的手段。基因编辑技术主要包括锌指核酸酶技术(ZFN)、转录激活子样效应因子技术(TALEN)和成簇的规律间隔的短回文重复序列/CRISPR相关蛋白(CRISPR/Cas)系统等。本文将对3种基因编辑技术的原理、运用及其最新进展进行综述,以期为相关技术及其运用的研究提供参考。

新型靶向基因组编辑技术研究进展

传统的靶向基因组编辑技术改造基因效率非常低,严重制约了基础研究和临床应用。因此,新的靶向基因组编辑工具的研究显得非常重要,以此来提高基因原位修复、定点整合及高通量基因敲除的效率。主要论述了近年来发现的新型靶向基因组编辑技术即锌指核酸酶(ZFN)、转录激活子样效应因子核酸酶(TALENs)、规律成簇间隔短回文重复(CRISPR)/Cas系统。从它们的发现、结构和研究进展及应用前景等方面进行了总结;通过比较三者的优缺点,发现规律成簇间隔短回文重复(CRISPRs)具有明显的优点。