PUBLICATION

In vivo mutagenesis of miRNA gene families using a scalable multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 nuclease system

Authors
Narayanan, A., Hill-Teran, G., Moro, A., Ristori, E., Kasper, D.M., A Roden, C., Lu, J., Nicoli, S.
ID
ZDB-PUB-160831-6
Date
2016
Source
Scientific Reports   6: 32386 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Kasper, Dionna, Moro, Albertomaria, Nicoli, Stefania, Ristori, Emma
Keywords
Developmental biology, Embryogenesis
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics*
  • Chromosomes/genetics
  • Genome/genetics
  • MicroRNAs/genetics*
  • Multigene Family/genetics*
  • Mutagenesis/genetics*
  • Mutation
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
27572667 Full text @ Sci. Rep.
Abstract
A large number of microRNAs (miRNAs) are grouped into families derived from the same phylogenetic ancestors. miRNAs within a family often share the same physiological functions despite differences in their primary sequences, secondary structures, or chromosomal locations. Consequently, the generation of animal models to analyze the activity of miRNA families is extremely challenging. Using zebrafish as a model system, we successfully provide experimental evidence that a large number of miRNAs can be simultaneously mutated to abrogate the activity of an entire miRNA family. We show that injection of the Cas9 nuclease and two, four, ten, and up to twenty-four multiplexed single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) can induce mutations in 90% of the miRNA genomic sequences analyzed. We performed a survey of these 45 mutations in 10 miRNA genes, analyzing the impact of our mutagenesis strategy on the processing of each miRNA both computationally and in vivo. Our results offer an effective approach to mutate and study the activity of miRNA families and pave the way for further analysis on the function of complex miRNA families in higher multicellular organisms.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Show all Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping