Multiplex Gene Tagging with CRISPR-Cas9 for Live-Cell Microscopy and Application to Study the Role of SARS-CoV-2 Proteins in Autophagy, Mitochondrial Dynamics, and Cell Growth.

The lack of efficient tools to label multiple endogenous targets in cell lines without staining or fixation has limited our ability to track physiological and pathological changes in cells over time via live-cell studies. Here, we outline the FAST-HDR vector system to be used in combination with CRISPR-Cas9 to allow visual live-cell studies of up to three endogenous proteins within the same cell line. Our approach utilizes a novel set of advanced donor plasmids for homology-directed repair and a streamlined workflow optimized for microscopy-based cell screening to create genetically modified cell lines that do not require staining or fixation to accommodate microscopy-based studies. We validated this new methodology by developing two advanced cell lines with three fluorescent-labeled endogenous proteins that support high-content imaging without using antibodies or exogenous staining. We applied this technology to study seven severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19) viral proteins to understand better their effects on autophagy, mitochondrial dynamics, and cell growth. Using these two cell lines, we were able to identify the protein ORF3a successfully as a potent inhibitor of autophagy, inducer of mitochondrial relocalization, and a growth inhibitor, which highlights the effectiveness of live-cell studies using this technology.

Measuring intracellular calcium signaling in murine NK cells by flow cytometry.

This chapter describes a method by which activating receptor-mediated calcium signaling can be measured in individual murine NK cells using a flow cytometer fitted with a UV laser. One major advantage of this method is that the calcium response of the minority NK cell population and even smaller NK cell subpopulations can be measured simultaneously from a mixture of freshly prepared total splenocytes without resorting to prior cell sorting or expansion in culture. Briefly, cells are harvested and stained to mark the populations of interest, then loaded with indo-1 AM dye and analyzed on the flow cytometer. After an appropriate baseline is established, the cells are treated with a biotinylated antibody to activating receptors, which are subsequently cross-linked by addition of streptavidin. The increase in intracellular calcium is quantified by measuring a shift in the indo-1 emission spectrum that takes place when the dye becomes bound to calcium.