Precise genome modification in the crop species Zea mays using zinc-finger nucleases.

Agricultural biotechnology is limited by the inefficiencies of conventional random mutagenesis and transgenesis. Because targeted genome modification in plants has been intractable, plant trait engineering remains a laborious, time-consuming and unpredictable undertaking. Here we report a broadly applicable, versatile solution to this problem: the use of designed zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) that induce a double-stranded break at their target locus. We describe the use of ZFNs to modify endogenous loci in plants of the crop species Zea mays. We show that simultaneous expression of ZFNs and delivery of a simple heterologous donor molecule leads to precise targeted addition of an herbicide-tolerance gene at the intended locus in a significant number of isolated events. ZFN-modified maize plants faithfully transmit these genetic changes to the next generation. Insertional disruption of one target locus, IPK1, results in both herbicide tolerance and the expected alteration of the inositol phosphate profile in developing seeds. ZFNs can be used in any plant species amenable to DNA delivery; our results therefore establish a new strategy for plant genetic manipulation in basic science and agricultural applications.

Functional genomics, proteomics, and regulatory DNA analysis in isogenic settings using zinc finger nuclease-driven transgenesis into a safe harbor locus in the human genome.

Isogenic settings are routine in model organisms, yet remain elusive for genetic experiments on human cells. We describe the use of designed zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) for efficient transgenesis without drug selection into the PPP1R12C gene, a "safe harbor" locus known as AAVS1. ZFNs enable targeted transgenesis at a frequency of up to 15% following transient transfection of both transformed and primary human cells, including fibroblasts and hES cells. When added to this locus, transgenes such as expression cassettes for shRNAs, small-molecule-responsive cDNA expression cassettes, and reporter constructs, exhibit consistent expression and sustained function over 50 cell generations. By avoiding random integration and drug selection, this method allows bona fide isogenic settings for high-throughput functional genomics, proteomics, and regulatory DNA analysis in essentially any transformed human cell type and in primary cells.

Transcriptional activation of Brassica napus ß-ketoacyl-ACP synthase II with an engineered zinc finger protein transcription factor.

Targeted gene regulation via designed transcription factors has great potential for precise phenotypic modification and acceleration of novel crop trait development. Canola seed oil composition is dictated largely by the expression of genes encoding enzymes in the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway. In the present study, zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) were designed to bind DNA sequences common to two canola ß-ketoacyl-ACP Synthase II (KASII) genes downstream of their transcription start site. Transcriptional activators (ZFP-TFs) were constructed by fusing these ZFP DNA-binding domains to the VP16 transcriptional activation domain. Following transformation using Agrobacterium, transgenic events expressing ZFP-TFs were generated and shown to have elevated KASII transcript levels in the leaves of transgenic T(0) plants when compared to 'selectable marker only' controls as well as of T(1) progeny plants when compared to null segregants. In addition, leaves of ZFP-TF-expressing T(1) plants contained statistically significant decreases in palmitic acid (consistent with increased KASII activity) and increased total C18. Similarly, T(2) seed displayed statistically significant decreases in palmitic acid, increased total C18 and reduced total saturated fatty acid contents. These results demonstrate that designed ZFP-TFs can be used to regulate the expression of endogenous genes to elicit specific phenotypic modifications of agronomically relevant traits in a crop species.

Zinc-finger nuclease-driven targeted integration into mammalian genomes using donors with limited chromosomal homology.

We previously demonstrated high-frequency, targeted DNA addition mediated by the homology-directed DNA repair pathway. This method uses a zinc-finger nuclease (ZFN) to create a site-specific double-strand break (DSB) that facilitates copying of genetic information into the chromosome from an exogenous donor molecule. Such donors typically contain two approximately 750 bp regions of chromosomal sequence required for homology-directed DNA repair. Here, we demonstrate that easily-generated linear donors with extremely short (50 bp) homology regions drive transgene integration into 5-10% of chromosomes. Moreover, we measure the overhangs produced by ZFN cleavage and find that oligonucleotide donors with single-stranded 5' overhangs complementary to those made by ZFNs are efficiently ligated in vivo to the DSB. Greater than 10% of all chromosomes directly incorporate this exogenous DNA via a process that is dependent upon and guided by complementary 5' overhangs on the donor DNA. Finally, we extend this non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ)-based technique by directly inserting donor DNA comprising recombinase sites into large deletions created by the simultaneous action of two separate ZFN pairs. Up to 50% of deletions contained a donor insertion. Targeted DNA addition via NHEJ complements our homology-directed targeted integration approaches, adding versatility to the manipulation of mammalian genomes.

EGF regulates plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) by a pathway involving c-Src, PKCdelta, and sphingosine kinase 1 in glioblastoma cells.

Patients with gliomas expressing high levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) have a shorter overall survival prognosis. Moreover, EGF enhances PAI-1 expression in glioma cells. Although multiple known signaling cascades are activated by EGF in glioma cells, we show for the first time that EGF enhances expression of PAI-1 via sequential activation of c-Src, protein kinase C delta (PKCdelta), and sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1), the enzyme that produces sphingosine-1-phosphate. EGF induced rapid phosphorylation of c-Src and PKCdelta and concomitant translocation of PKCdelta as well as SphK1 to the plasma membrane. Down-regulation of PKCdelta abolished EGF-induced SphK1 translocation and up-regulation of PAI-1 by EGF; whereas, down-regulation of PKCalpha had no effect on the EGF-induced PAI-1 activation but enhanced its basal expression. Similarly, inhibition of c-Src activity by PP2 blocked both EGF-induced translocation of SphK1 and PKCdelta to the plasma membrane and up-regulation of PAI-1 expression. Furthermore, SphK1 was indispensable for both EGF-induced c-Jun phosphorylation and PAI-1 expression. Collectively, our results provide a functional link between three critical downstream targets of EGF, c-Src, PKCdelta, and SphK1 that have all been implicated in regulating motility and invasion of glioma cells.

Nuclear factor-1-X regulates astrocyte-specific expression of the alpha1-antichymotrypsin and glial fibrillary acidic protein genes.

Discrete tissue-specific changes in chromatin structure of the distal serpin subcluster on human chromosome 14q32.1 allow a single gene encoding alpha1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) to be expressed in astrocytes and glioma cells. This astrocyte-specific regulation involves activatory protein-1 (AP-1) because overexpression of dominant-negative c-jun(TAM67) abolishes ACT expression in glioma cells. Here we identify a new regulatory element, located within the -13-kb enhancer of the ACT gene, that binds nuclear factor-1 (NFI) and is indispensable for the full basal transcriptional activity of the ACT gene. Furthermore, down-regulation of NFI expression by siRNA abolishes basal ACT expression in glioma cells. However, NFI does not mediate astrocyte-specific expression by itself, but likely cooperates with AP-1. A detailed analysis of the 14-kb long 5'-flanking region of the ACT gene indicated the presence of adjacent NFI and AP-1 elements that colocalized with DNase I-hypersensitive sites found in astrocytes and glioma cells. Interestingly, knock-down of NFI expression also specifically abrogates the expression of glial acidic fibrillary protein (GFAP), which is an astrocyte-specific marker protein. Mutations introduced into putative NFI and AP-1 elements within the 5'-flanking region of the GFAP gene also diminished basal expression of the reporter. In addition, we found, using isoform-specific siRNAs, that NFI-X regulates the astrocyte-specific expression of ACT and GFAP. We propose that NFI-X cooperates with AP-1 by an unknown mechanism in astrocytes, which results in the expression of a subset of astrocyte-specific genes.

Astrocyte-specific expression of the alpha1-antichymotrypsin and glial fibrillary acidic protein genes requires activator protein-1.

An amyloid-associated serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin), alpha(1)-antichymotrypsin (ACT), is encoded by a gene located within the distal serpin subcluster on human chromosome 14q32.1. The expression of these distal serpin genes is determined by tissue-specific chromatin structures that allow their ubiquitous expression in hepatocytes; however, their expression is limited to a single ACT gene in astrocytes. In astrocytes and glioma cells, six specific DNase I-hypersensitive sites (DHSs) were found located exclusively in the 5'-flanking region of the ACT gene. We identified two enhancers that mapped to the two DHSs at -13 kb and -11.5 kb which contain activator protein-1 (AP-1) binding sites, both of which are critical for basal astrocyte-specific expression of ACT reporters. In vivo, these elements are occupied by c-jun homodimers in unstimulated cells and c-jun/c-fos heterodimers in interleukin-1-treated cells. Moreover, functional c-jun is required for the expression of ACT in glioma cells because both transient and stable inducible overexpression of dominant-negative c-jun(TAM67) specifically abrogates basal and reduces cytokine-induced expression of ACT. Expression-associated methylation of lysine 4 of histone H3 was also lost in these cells, but the DHS distribution pattern and global histone acetylation were not changed upstream of the ACT locus. Interestingly, functional AP-1 is also indispensable for the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), which is an astrocyte-specific marker. We propose that AP-1 is a key transcription factor that, in part, controls astrocyte-specific expression of genes including the ACT and GFAP genes.

A novel mechanism of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 activation by interleukin-1 in primary human astrocytes.

Reactive astrogliosis is the gliotic response to brain injury with activated astrocytes and microglia being the major effector cells. These cells secrete inflammatory cytokines, proteinases, and proteinase inhibitors that influence extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. In astrocytes, the expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) is up-regulated by interleukin-1 (IL-1), which is a major neuroinflammatory cytokine. We report that IL-1 activates TIMP-1 expression via both the IKK/NF-kappaB and MEK3/6/p38/ATF-2 pathways in astrocytes. The activation of the TIMP-1 gene can be blocked by using pharmacological inhibitors, including BAY11-7082 and SB202190, overexpression of the dominant-negative inhibitor of NF-kappaB (IkappaBalphaSR), or by the knock-down of p65 subunit of NF-kappaB. Binding of activated NF-kappaB (p50/p65 heterodimer) and ATF-2 (homodimer) to two novel regulatory elements located -2.7 and -2.2 kb upstream of the TIMP-1 transcription start site, respectively, is required for full IL-1-responsiveness. Mutational analysis of these regulatory elements and their weak activity when linked to the minimal tk promoter suggest that cooperative binding is required to activate transcription. In contrast to astrocytes, we observed that TIMP-1 is expressed at lower levels in gliomas and is not regulated by IL-1. We provide evidence that the lack of TIMP-1 activation in gliomas results from either dysfunctional IKK/NF-kappaB or MEK3/6/p38/ATF-2 activation by IL-1. In summary, we propose a novel mechanism of TIMP-1 regulation, which ensures an increased supply of the inhibitor after brain injury, and limits ECM degradation. This mechanism does not function in gliomas, and may in part explain the increased invasiveness of glioma cells.

Astrocyte- and hepatocyte-specific expression of genes from the distal serpin subcluster at 14q32.1 associates with tissue-specific chromatin structures.

The distal serpin subcluster contains genes encoding alpha1-antichymotrypsin (ACT), protein C inhibitor (PCI), kallistatin (KAL) and the KAL-like protein, which are expressed in hepatocytes, but only the act gene is expressed in astrocytes. We show here that the tissue-specific expression of these genes associates with astrocyte- and hepatocyte-specific chromatin structures. In hepatocytes, we identified 12 Dnase I-hypersensitive sites (DHSs) that were distributed throughout the entire subcluster, with the promoters of expressed genes accessible to restriction enzyme digestion. In astrocytes, only six DHSs were located exclusively in the 5' flanking region of the act gene, with its promoter also accessible to restriction enzyme digestion. The acetylation of histone H3 and H4 was found throughout the subcluster in both cell types but this acetylation did not correlate with the expression pattern of these serpin genes. Analysis of histone modifications at the promoters of the act and pci genes revealed that methylation of histone H3 on lysine 4 correlated with their expression pattern in both cell types. In addition, inhibition of methyltransferase activity resulted in suppression of ACT and PCI mRNA expression. We propose that lysine 4 methylation of histone H3 correlates with the tissue-specific expression pattern of these serpin genes.

Duration of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin gene activation by interleukin-1 is determined by efficiency of inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B alpha resynthesis in primary human astrocytes.

Expression of alpha1antichymotrypsin (ACT) is significantly activated by interleukin-1 (IL-1) in human astrocytes; however, it is barely affected by IL-1 in hepatocytes. This tissue-specific regulation depends upon an enhancer that contains both nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activating protein 1 (AP-1) elements, and is also observed for an NF-kappaB reporter but not for an AP-1 reporter. We found efficient activation of NF-kappaB binding in both cell types; however, this binding was persistent in glial cells and only transient in hepatocytes. IL-1-activated NF-kappaB complexes consisted of p65 and p50, with p65 transiently phosphorylated on serine 536 in glial cells whereas more persistently in hepatic cells. Overexpression of p65 or constitutively active IKKbeta (inhibitor of NF-kappaB kinase beta) resulted in an efficient activation of the ACT reporter in hepatic cells, indicating that a specific mechanism exists in these cells terminating IL-1 signaling. IL-1 effectively induced the degradation of inhibitor of NF-kappaBalpha (IkBalpha) and IkBepsilon in both cell types but IkBbeta was not affected. However, IkBalpha was resynthesized much more rapidly in hepatic cells in comparison to glial cells. In addition, the initial levels of IkBalpha were much lower in glial cells. We propose that the tissue-specific regulation of the ACT gene expression by IL-1 is determined by different efficiencies of IkBalpha resynthesis in glial and hepatic cells.

Mechanism of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 regulation by oncostatin M and interleukin-1 in human astrocytes.

Glial cells that produce and respond to various cytokines mediate inflammatory processes in the brain. Here, we show that oncostatin M (OSM) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) regulate the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) in human astrocytes. Using the PAI-1 reporter constructs we show that the -58 to -51 proximal element mediates activation by both cytokines. This element is already bound by c-fos/c-jun heterodimers in unstimulated astrocytes, and treatment with cytokine strongly stimulates both expression of c-fos and binding of c-fos/c-jun heterodimers. In addition, IL-1 activates an inhibitory mechanism that down-regulates PAI-1 expression after longer exposure to this cytokine. Overexpression of dominant-negative signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT1), STAT3, STAT5 and inhibitor of nuclear factor-kappaB (IkappaB) suppressed OSM/IL-1-induced expression of the PAI-1 reporter construct. We conclude that OSM and IL-1 regulate the PAI-1 gene expression via up-regulating c-fos levels and subsequent binding of c-fos/c-jun heterodimers to the proximal element of the PAI-1 gene.