Endogenous protein tagging in medaka using a simplified CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in approach
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been used to generate fluorescently labelled fusion proteins by homology directed repair in a variety of species. Despite its revolutionary success, there remains an urgent need for increased simplicity and efficiency of genome editing in research organisms. Here, we establish a simplified, highly efficient and precise strategy for CRISPR/Cas9 mediated endogenous protein tagging in medaka (Oryzias latipes). We use a cloning-free approach that relies on PCR amplified donor fragments containing the fluorescent reporter sequences flanked by short homology arms (30-40bp), a synthetic sgRNA and Cas9 mRNA. We generate eight novel knock-in lines with high efficiency of F0 targeting and germline transmission. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) results reveal single-copy integration events only at the targeted loci. We provide an initial characterization of these fusion-protein lines, significantly expanding the repertoire of genetic tools available in medaka. In particular, we show that the mScarlet-pcna line has the potential to serve as an organismal-wide label for proliferative zones and an endogenous cell cycle reporter.
Data availability
Sequencing data have been deposited in European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) under study number ERP127162. Accession numbers are: eGFP-cbx1b(1) ERS5796960 (SAMEA8109891), eGFP-cbx1b(2) ERS5796961 (SAMEA8109892), mScarlet-pcna ERS5796962 (SAMEA8109893) and mNeonGreen-myosinhc ERS5796963 (SAMEA8109894)
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WGS on CRISPR mediated Knock-ins in medakaEuropean Nucleotide Archive, PRJEB43219.
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
H2020 European Research Council (866537)
- Ali Seleit
- Alexander Aulehla
EMBL interdisciplinary Postdoc (847543)
- Ali Seleit
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Reviewing Editor
- Didier YR Stainier true, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Germany
Ethics
Animal experimentation: Medaka (Oryzias latipes, Cab strain) (Iwamatsu, 2004, Naruse et al., 2004, Kasahara et al., 2007) were maintained as closed stocks in a fish facility built according to the European Union animal welfare standards and all animal experiments were performed in accordance with European Union animal welfare guidelines. Animal experimentation was approved by The EMBL Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) project code: 20/001_HD_AA. Fishes were maintained in a constant recirculating system at 27-28{degree sign}C with a 14hr light /10hr dark cycle.
Version history
- Received: October 27, 2021
- Accepted: December 5, 2021
- Accepted Manuscript published: December 6, 2021 (version 1)
- Accepted Manuscript updated: December 8, 2021 (version 2)
- Version of Record published: December 21, 2021 (version 3)
Copyright
© 2021, Seleit et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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Further reading
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- Developmental Biology
We previously showed that SerpinE2 and the serine protease HtrA1 modulate fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling in germ layer specification and head-to-tail development of Xenopus embryos. Here, we present an extracellular proteolytic mechanism involving this serpin-protease system in the developing neural crest (NC). Knockdown of SerpinE2 by injected antisense morpholino oligonucleotides did not affect the specification of NC progenitors but instead inhibited the migration of NC cells, causing defects in dorsal fin, melanocyte, and craniofacial cartilage formation. Similarly, overexpression of the HtrA1 protease impaired NC cell migration and the formation of NC-derived structures. The phenotype of SerpinE2 knockdown was overcome by concomitant downregulation of HtrA1, indicating that SerpinE2 stimulates NC migration by inhibiting endogenous HtrA1 activity. SerpinE2 binds to HtrA1, and the HtrA1 protease triggers degradation of the cell surface proteoglycan Syndecan-4 (Sdc4). Microinjection of Sdc4 mRNA partially rescued NC migration defects induced by both HtrA1 upregulation and SerpinE2 downregulation. These epistatic experiments suggest a proteolytic pathway by a double inhibition mechanism:
SerpinE2 ┤HtrA1 protease ┤Syndecan-4 → NC cell migration.
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- Developmental Biology
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Human fetal development has been associated with brain health at later stages. It is unknown whether growth in utero, as indexed by birth weight (BW), relates consistently to lifespan brain characteristics and changes, and to what extent these influences are of a genetic or environmental nature. Here we show remarkably stable and lifelong positive associations between BW and cortical surface area and volume across and within developmental, aging and lifespan longitudinal samples (N = 5794, 4–82 y of age, w/386 monozygotic twins, followed for up to 8.3 y w/12,088 brain MRIs). In contrast, no consistent effect of BW on brain changes was observed. Partly environmental effects were indicated by analysis of twin BW discordance. In conclusion, the influence of prenatal growth on cortical topography is stable and reliable through the lifespan. This early-life factor appears to influence the brain by association of brain reserve, rather than brain maintenance. Thus, fetal influences appear omnipresent in the spacetime of the human brain throughout the human lifespan. Optimizing fetal growth may increase brain reserve for life, also in aging.