RESUMO
Current methods of CRISPR-Cas9-mediated site-specific mutagenesis create deletions and small insertions at the target site which are repaired by imprecise non-homologous end-joining. Targeting of the Cas9 nuclease relies on a short guide RNA (gRNA) corresponding to the genome sequence approximately at the intended site of intervention. We here propose an improved version of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing that relies on two complementary guide RNAs instead of one. Two guide RNAs delimit the intervention site and allow the precise deletion of several nucleotides at the target site. As proof of concept, we generated heterozygous deletion mutants of the kcng4b, gdap1, and ghitm genes in the zebrafish Danio rerio using this method. A further analysis by high-resolution DNA melting demonstrated a high efficiency and a low background of unpredicted mutations. The use of two complementary gRNAs improves CRISPR-Cas9 specificity and allows the creation of predictable and precise mutations in the genome of D. rerio.
Assuntos
Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Edição de Genes/métodos , RNA Guia de Cinetoplastídeos/genética , Peixe-Zebra/genética , Animais , Deleção de Genes , Heterozigoto , Proteínas do Tecido Nervoso/genética , Desnaturação de Ácido Nucleico , Canais de Ânion Dependentes de Voltagem/genética , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/genéticaRESUMO
BDNF and its specialized receptor TrkB are expressed in the developing lateral line system of zebrafish, but their role in this organ is unknown. To tackle this problem in vivo, we used transgenic animals expressing fluorescent markers in different cell types of the lateral line and combined a BDNF gain-of-function approach by BDNF mRNA overexpression and by soaking embryos in a solution of BDNF, with a loss-of-function approach by injecting the antisence ntrk2b-morpholino and treating embryos with the specific Trk inhibitor K252a. Subsequent analysis demonstrated that the BDNF-TrkB axis regulates migration of the lateral line primordium. In particular, BDNF-TrkB influences the expression level of components of chemokine signaling including Cxcr4b, and the generation of progenitors of mechanoreceptors, at the level of expression of Atoh1a-Atp2b1a.