Generation of rat forebrain tissues in mice.

Interspecies blastocyst complementation (IBC) provides a unique platform to study development and holds the potential to overcome worldwide organ shortages. Despite recent successes, brain tissue has not been achieved through IBC. Here, we developed an optimized IBC strategy based on C-CRISPR, which facilitated rapid screening of candidate genes and identified that Hesx1 deficiency supported the generation of rat forebrain tissue in mice via IBC. Xenogeneic rat forebrain tissues in adult mice were structurally and functionally intact. Cross-species comparative analyses revealed that rat forebrain tissues developed at the same pace as the mouse host but maintained rat-like transcriptome profiles. The chimeric rate of rat cells gradually decreased as development progressed, suggesting xenogeneic barriers during mid-to-late pre-natal development. Interspecies forebrain complementation opens the door for studying evolutionarily conserved and divergent mechanisms underlying brain development and cognitive function. The C-CRISPR-based IBC strategy holds great potential to broaden the study and application of interspecies organogenesis.

EASI-FISH for thick tissue defines lateral hypothalamus spatio-molecular organization.

Determining the spatial organization and morphological characteristics of molecularly defined cell types is a major bottleneck for characterizing the architecture underpinning brain function. We developed Expansion-Assisted Iterative Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (EASI-FISH) to survey gene expression in brain tissue, as well as a turnkey computational pipeline to rapidly process large EASI-FISH image datasets. EASI-FISH was optimized for thick brain sections (300 µm) to facilitate reconstruction of spatio-molecular domains that generalize across brains. Using the EASI-FISH pipeline, we investigated the spatial distribution of dozens of molecularly defined cell types in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), a brain region with poorly defined anatomical organization. Mapping cell types in the LHA revealed nine spatially and molecularly defined subregions. EASI-FISH also facilitates iterative reanalysis of scRNA-seq datasets to determine marker-genes that further dissociated spatial and morphological heterogeneity. The EASI-FISH pipeline democratizes mapping molecularly defined cell types, enabling discoveries about brain organization.

Glia-to-Neuron Conversion by CRISPR-CasRx Alleviates Symptoms of Neurological Disease in Mice.

Conversion of glial cells into functional neurons represents a potential therapeutic approach for replenishing neuronal loss associated with neurodegenerative diseases and brain injury. Previous attempts in this area using expression of transcription factors were hindered by the low conversion efficiency and failure of generating desired neuronal types in vivo. Here, we report that downregulation of a single RNA-binding protein, polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (Ptbp1), using in vivo viral delivery of a recently developed RNA-targeting CRISPR system CasRx, resulted in the conversion of Müller glia into retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with a high efficiency, leading to the alleviation of disease symptoms associated with RGC loss. Furthermore, this approach also induced neurons with dopaminergic features in the striatum and alleviated motor defects in a Parkinson's disease mouse model. Thus, glia-to-neuron conversion by CasRx-mediated Ptbp1 knockdown represents a promising in vivo genetic approach for treating a variety of disorders due to neuronal loss.

IL-1 induces mitochondrial translocation of IRAK2 to suppress oxidative metabolism in adipocytes.

Chronic inflammation is a common feature of obesity, with elevated cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) in the circulation and tissues. Here, we report an unconventional IL-1R-MyD88-IRAK2-PHB/OPA1 signaling axis that reprograms mitochondrial metabolism in adipocytes to exacerbate obesity. IL-1 induced recruitment of IRAK2 Myddosome to mitochondria outer membranes via recognition by TOM20, followed by TIMM50-guided translocation of IRAK2 into mitochondria inner membranes, to suppress oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid oxidation, thereby attenuating energy expenditure. Adipocyte-specific MyD88 or IRAK2 deficiency reduced high-fat-diet-induced weight gain, increased energy expenditure and ameliorated insulin resistance, associated with a smaller adipocyte size and increased cristae formation. IRAK2 kinase inactivation also reduced high-fat diet-induced metabolic diseases. Mechanistically, IRAK2 suppressed respiratory super-complex formation via interaction with PHB1 and OPA1 upon stimulation of IL-1. Taken together, our results suggest that the IRAK2 Myddosome functions as a critical link between inflammation and metabolism, representing a novel therapeutic target for patients with obesity.

Raphe Circuits on the Menu.

The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) is an important brain area for body-weight regulation. In this issue of Cell, Nectow et al. uncover cell-type-specific neural circuitry and pharmacology for appetite control within the DRN.

Cryo-EM Structures Reveal Mechanism and Inhibition of DNA Targeting by a CRISPR-Cas Surveillance Complex.

Prokaryotic cells possess CRISPR-mediated adaptive immune systems that protect them from foreign genetic elements, such as invading viruses. A central element of this immune system is an RNA-guided surveillance complex capable of targeting non-self DNA or RNA for degradation in a sequence- and site-specific manner analogous to RNA interference. Although the complexes display considerable diversity in their composition and architecture, many basic mechanisms underlying target recognition and cleavage are highly conserved. Using cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM), we show that the binding of target double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to a type I-F CRISPR system yersinia (Csy) surveillance complex leads to large quaternary and tertiary structural changes in the complex that are likely necessary in the pathway leading to target dsDNA degradation by a trans-acting helicase-nuclease. Comparison of the structure of the surveillance complex before and after dsDNA binding, or in complex with three virally encoded anti-CRISPR suppressors that inhibit dsDNA binding, reveals mechanistic details underlying target recognition and inhibition.

PAM-Dependent Target DNA Recognition and Cleavage by C2c1 CRISPR-Cas Endonuclease.

C2c1 is a newly identified guide RNA-mediated type V-B CRISPR-Cas endonuclease that site-specifically targets and cleaves both strands of target DNA. We have determined crystal structures of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris C2c1 (AacC2c1) bound to sgRNA as a binary complex and to target DNAs as ternary complexes, thereby capturing catalytically competent conformations of AacC2c1 with both target and non-target DNA strands independently positioned within a single RuvC catalytic pocket. Moreover, C2c1-mediated cleavage results in a staggered seven-nucleotide break of target DNA. crRNA adopts a pre-ordered five-nucleotide A-form seed sequence in the binary complex, with release of an inserted tryptophan, facilitating zippering up of 20-bp guide RNA:target DNA heteroduplex on ternary complex formation. Notably, the PAM-interacting cleft adopts a "locked" conformation on ternary complex formation. Structural comparison of C2c1 ternary complexes with their Cas9 and Cpf1 counterparts highlights the diverse mechanisms adopted by these distinct CRISPR-Cas systems, thereby broadening and enhancing their applicability as genome editing tools.

IL-17-receptor-associated adaptor Act1 directly stabilizes mRNAs to mediate IL-17 inflammatory signaling.

Mechanisms that degrade inflammatory mRNAs are well known; however, stabilizing mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we show that Act1, an interleukin-17 (IL-17)-receptor-complex adaptor, binds and stabilizes mRNAs encoding key inflammatory proteins. The Act1 SEFIR domain binds a stem-loop structure, the SEFIR-binding element (SBE), in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of Cxcl1 mRNA, encoding an inflammatory chemokine. mRNA-bound Act1 directs formation of three compartmentally distinct RNA-protein complexes (RNPs) that regulate three disparate events in inflammatory-mRNA metabolism: preventing mRNA decay in the nucleus, inhibiting mRNA decapping in P bodies and promoting translation. SBE RNA aptamers decreased IL-17-mediated mRNA stabilization in vitro, IL-17-induced skin inflammation and airway inflammation in a mouse asthma model, thus providing a therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases. These results reveal a network in which Act1 assembles RNPs on the 3' UTRs of select mRNAs and consequently controls receptor-mediated mRNA stabilization and translation during inflammation.

Perfecting Targeting in CRISPR.

CRISPR-based genome editing holds promise for genome engineering and other applications in diverse organisms. Defining and improving the genome-wide and transcriptome-wide specificities of these editing tools are essential for realizing their full potential in basic research and biomedical therapeutics. This review provides an overview of CRISPR-based DNA- and RNA-editing technologies, methods to quantify their specificities, and key solutions to reduce off-target effects for research and improve therapeutic applications.

Diagnosing destabilization risk in global land carbon sinks.

Global net land carbon uptake or net biome production (NBP) has increased during recent decades1. Whether its temporal variability and autocorrelation have changed during this period, however, remains elusive, even though an increase in both could indicate an increased potential for a destabilized carbon sink2,3. Here, we investigate the trends and controls of net terrestrial carbon uptake and its temporal variability and autocorrelation from 1981 to 2018 using two atmospheric-inversion models, the amplitude of the seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO2 concentration derived from nine monitoring stations distributed across the Pacific Ocean and dynamic global vegetation models. We find that annual NBP and its interdecadal variability increased globally whereas temporal autocorrelation decreased. We observe a separation of regions characterized by increasingly variable NBP, associated with warm regions and increasingly variable temperatures, lower and weaker positive trends in NBP and regions where NBP became stronger and less variable. Plant species richness presented a concave-down parabolic spatial relationship with NBP and its variability at the global scale whereas nitrogen deposition generally increased NBP. Increasing temperature and its increasing variability appear as the most important drivers of declining and increasingly variable NBP. Our results show increasing variability of NBP regionally that can be mostly attributed to climate change and that may point to destabilization of the coupled carbon-climate system.

Structural basis for self-cleavage prevention by tag:anti-tag pairing complementarity in type VI Cas13 CRISPR systems.

Bacteria and archaea apply CRISPR-Cas surveillance complexes to defend against foreign invaders. These invading genetic elements are captured and integrated into the CRISPR array as spacer elements, guiding sequence-specific DNA/RNA targeting and cleavage. Recently, in vivo studies have shown that target RNAs with extended complementarity with repeat sequences flanking the target element (tag:anti-tag pairing) can dramatically reduce RNA cleavage by the type VI-A Cas13a system. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of Leptotrichia shahii LshCas13acrRNA in complex with target RNA harboring tag:anti-tag pairing complementarity, with the observed conformational changes providing a molecular explanation for inactivation of the composite HEPN domain cleavage activity. These structural insights, together with in vitro biochemical and in vivo cell-based assays on key mutants, define the molecular principles underlying Cas13a's capacity to target and discriminate between self and non-self RNA targets. Our studies illuminate approaches to regulate Cas13a's cleavage activity, thereby influencing Cas13a-mediated biotechnological applications.

Fever Promotes T Lymphocyte Trafficking via a Thermal Sensory Pathway Involving Heat Shock Protein 90 and α4 Integrins.

Fever is an evolutionarily conserved response that confers survival benefits during infection. However, the underlying mechanism remains obscure. Here, we report that fever promoted T lymphocyte trafficking through heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90)-induced α4 integrin activation and signaling in T cells. By inducing selective binding of Hsp90 to α4 integrins, but not ß2 integrins, fever increased α4-integrin-mediated T cell adhesion and transmigration. Mechanistically, Hsp90 bound to the α4 tail and activated α4 integrins via inside-out signaling. Moreover, the N and C termini of one Hsp90 molecule simultaneously bound to two α4 tails, leading to dimerization and clustering of α4 integrins on the cell membrane and subsequent activation of the FAK-RhoA pathway. Abolishment of Hsp90-α4 interaction inhibited fever-induced T cell trafficking to draining lymph nodes and impaired the clearance of bacterial infection. Our findings identify the Hsp90-α4-integrin axis as a thermal sensory pathway that promotes T lymphocyte trafficking and enhances immune surveillance during infection.

One-step generation of mice carrying reporter and conditional alleles by CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome engineering.

The type II bacterial CRISPR/Cas system is a novel genome-engineering technology with the ease of multiplexed gene targeting. Here, we created reporter and conditional mutant mice by coinjection of zygotes with Cas9 mRNA and different guide RNAs (sgRNAs) as well as DNA vectors of different sizes. Using this one-step procedure we generated mice carrying a tag or a fluorescent reporter construct in the Nanog, the Sox2, and the Oct4 gene as well as Mecp2 conditional mutant mice. In addition, using sgRNAs targeting two separate sites in the Mecp2 gene, we produced mice harboring the predicted deletions of about 700 bps. Finally, we analyzed potential off-targets of five sgRNAs in gene-modified mice and ESC lines and identified off-target mutations in only rare instances.

One-step generation of mice carrying mutations in multiple genes by CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome engineering.

Mice carrying mutations in multiple genes are traditionally generated by sequential recombination in embryonic stem cells and/or time-consuming intercrossing of mice with a single mutation. The CRISPR/Cas system has been adapted as an efficient gene-targeting technology with the potential for multiplexed genome editing. We demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas-mediated gene editing allows the simultaneous disruption of five genes (Tet1, 2, 3, Sry, Uty--8 alleles) in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells with high efficiency. Coinjection of Cas9 mRNA and single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting Tet1 and Tet2 into zygotes generated mice with biallelic mutations in both genes with an efficiency of 80%. Finally, we show that coinjection of Cas9 mRNA/sgRNAs with mutant oligos generated precise point mutations simultaneously in two target genes. Thus, the CRISPR/Cas system allows the one-step generation of animals carrying mutations in multiple genes, an approach that will greatly accelerate the in vivo study of functionally redundant genes and of epistatic gene interactions.

ABO genotype alters the gut microbiota by regulating GalNAc levels in pigs.

The composition of the intestinal microbiome varies considerably between individuals and is correlated with health1. Understanding the extent to which, and how, host genetics contributes to this variation is essential yet has proved to be difficult, as few associations have been replicated, particularly in humans2. Here we study the effect of host genotype on the composition of the intestinal microbiota in a large mosaic pig population. We show that, under conditions of exacerbated genetic diversity and environmental uniformity, microbiota composition and the abundance of specific taxa are heritable. We map a quantitative trait locus affecting the abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae species and show that it is caused by a 2.3 kb deletion in the gene encoding N-acetyl-galactosaminyl-transferase that underpins the ABO blood group in humans. We show that this deletion is a ≥3.5-million-year-old trans-species polymorphism under balancing selection. We demonstrate that it decreases the concentrations of N-acetyl-galactosamine in the gut, and thereby reduces the abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae that can import and catabolize N-acetyl-galactosamine. Our results provide very strong evidence for an effect of the host genotype on the abundance of specific bacteria in the intestine combined with insights into the molecular mechanisms that underpin this association. Our data pave the way towards identifying the same effect in rural human populations.

Generation of genetically modified mice by oocyte injection of androgenetic haploid embryonic stem cells.

Haploid cells are amenable for genetic analysis. Recent success in the derivation of mouse haploid embryonic stem cells (haESCs) via parthenogenesis has enabled genetic screening in mammalian cells. However, successful generation of live animals from these haESCs, which is needed to extend the genetic analysis to the organism level, has not been achieved. Here, we report the derivation of haESCs from androgenetic blastocysts. These cells, designated as AG-haESCs, partially maintain paternal imprints, express classical ESC pluripotency markers, and contribute to various tissues, including the germline, upon injection into diploid blastocysts. Strikingly, live mice can be obtained upon injection of AG-haESCs into MII oocytes, and these mice bear haESC-carried genetic traits and develop into fertile adults. Furthermore, gene targeting via homologous recombination is feasible in the AG-haESCs. Our results demonstrate that AG-haESCs can be used as a genetically tractable fertilization agent for the production of live animals via injection into oocytes.

Development of miniature base editors using engineered IscB nickase.

As a miniature RNA-guided endonuclease, IscB is presumed to be the ancestor of Cas9 and to share similar functions. IscB is less than half the size of Cas9 and thus more suitable for in vivo delivery. However, the poor editing efficiency of IscB in eukaryotic cells limits its in vivo applications. Here we describe the engineering of OgeuIscB and its corresponding ωRNA to develop an IscB system that is highly efficient in mammalian systems, named enIscB. By fusing enIscB with T5 exonuclease (T5E), we found enIscB-T5E exhibited comparable targeting efficiency to SpG Cas9 while showing reduced chromosome translocation effects in human cells. Furthermore, by fusing cytosine or adenosine deaminase with enIscB nickase, we generated miniature IscB-derived base editors (miBEs), exhibiting robust editing efficiency (up to 92%) to induce DNA base conversions. Overall, our work establishes enIscB-T5E and miBEs as versatile tools for genome editing.

Genomic determinants of response and resistance to inotuzumab ozogamicin in B-cell ALL.

ABSTRACT: Inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO) is an antibody-drug conjugate that delivers calicheamicin to CD22-expressing cells. In a retrospective cohort of InO-treated patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, we sought to understand the genomic determinants of the response and resistance to InO. Pre- and post-InO-treated patient samples were analyzed by whole genome, exome, and/or transcriptome sequencing. Acquired CD22 mutations were observed in 11% (3/27) of post-InO-relapsed tumor samples, but not in refractory samples (0/16). There were multiple CD22 mutations per sample and the mechanisms of CD22 escape included epitope loss (protein truncation and destabilization) and epitope alteration. Two CD22 mutant cases were post-InO hyper-mutators resulting from error-prone DNA damage repair (nonhomologous/alternative end-joining repair, or mismatch repair deficiency), suggesting that hypermutation drove escape from CD22-directed therapy. CD22-mutant relapses occurred after InO and subsequent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), suggesting that InO eliminated the predominant clones, leaving subclones with acquired CD22 mutations that conferred resistance to InO and subsequently expanded. Acquired loss-of-function mutations in TP53, ATM, and CDKN2A were observed, consistent with a compromise of the G1/S DNA damage checkpoint as a mechanism for evading InO-induced apoptosis. Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screening of cell lines identified DNTT (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase) loss as a marker of InO resistance. In conclusion, genetic alterations modulating CD22 expression and DNA damage response influence InO efficacy. Our findings highlight the importance of defining the basis of CD22 escape and eradication of residual disease before HSCT. The identified mechanisms of escape from CD22-targeted therapy extend beyond antigen loss and provide opportunities to improve therapeutic approaches and overcome resistance. These trials were registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT01134575, NCT01371630, and NCT03441061.

Structures, mechanisms and applications of RNA-centric CRISPR-Cas13.

Prokaryotes are equipped with a variety of resistance strategies to survive frequent viral attacks or invading mobile genetic elements. Among these, CRISPR-Cas surveillance systems are abundant and have been studied extensively. This Review focuses on CRISPR-Cas type VI Cas13 systems that use single-subunit RNA-guided Cas endonucleases for targeting and subsequent degradation of foreign RNA, thereby providing adaptive immunity. Notably, distinct from single-subunit DNA-cleaving Cas9 and Cas12 systems, Cas13 exhibits target RNA-activated substrate RNase activity. This Review outlines structural, biochemical and cell biological studies toward elucidation of the unique structural and mechanistic principles underlying surveillance effector complex formation, precursor CRISPR RNA (pre-crRNA) processing, self-discrimination and RNA degradation in Cas13 systems as well as insights into suppression by bacteriophage-encoded anti-CRISPR proteins and regulation by endogenous accessory proteins. Owing to its programmable ability for RNA recognition and cleavage, Cas13 provides powerful RNA targeting, editing, detection and imaging platforms with emerging biotechnological and therapeutic applications.

Paxillin family proteins Hic-5 and LPXN promote lipid storage by regulating the ubiquitination degradation of CIDEC.

Many metabolic diseases are caused by disorders of lipid homeostasis. CIDEC, a lipid droplet (LD)-associated protein, plays a critical role in controlling LD fusion and lipid storage. However, regulators of CIDEC remain largely unknown. Here, we established a homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF)-based high-throughput screening method and identified LPXN as a positive regulatory candidate for CIDEC. LPXN and Hic-5, the members of the Paxillin family, are focal adhesion adaptor proteins that contribute to the recruitment of specific kinases and phosphatases, cofactors, and structural proteins, participating in the transduction of extracellular signals into intracellular responses. Our data showed that Hic-5 and LPXN significantly increased the protein level of CIDEC and enhanced CIDEC stability not through triacylglycerol synthesis and FAK signaling pathways. Hic-5 and LPXN reduced the ubiquitination of CIDEC and inhibited its proteasome degradation pathway. Furthermore, Hic-5 and LPXN enlarged LDs and promoted lipid storage in adipocytes. Therefore, we identified Hic-5 and LPXN as novel regulators of CIDEC. Our current findings also suggest intervention with Hic-5 and LPXN might ameliorate ectopic fat storage by enhancing the lipid storage capacity of white adipose tissues.