Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-assisted gene targeting enables rapid and precise genetic manipulation of mammalian neural stem cells.

Mammalian neural stem cell (NSC) lines provide a tractable model for discovery across stem cell and developmental biology, regenerative medicine and neuroscience. They can be derived from foetal or adult germinal tissues and continuously propagated in vitro as adherent monolayers. NSCs are clonally expandable, genetically stable, and easily transfectable - experimental attributes compatible with targeted genetic manipulations. However, gene targeting, which is crucial for functional studies of embryonic stem cells, has not been exploited to date in NSC lines. Here, we deploy CRISPR/Cas9 technology to demonstrate a variety of sophisticated genetic modifications via gene targeting in both mouse and human NSC lines, including: (1) efficient targeted transgene insertion at safe harbour loci (Rosa26 and AAVS1); (2) biallelic knockout of neurodevelopmental transcription factor genes; (3) simple knock-in of epitope tags and fluorescent reporters (e.g. Sox2-V5 and Sox2-mCherry); and (4) engineering of glioma mutations (TP53 deletion; H3F3A point mutations). These resources and optimised methods enable facile and scalable genome editing in mammalian NSCs, providing significant new opportunities for functional genetic analysis.

An efficient and scalable pipeline for epitope tagging in mammalian stem cells using Cas9 ribonucleoprotein.

CRISPR/Cas9 can be used for precise genetic knock-in of epitope tags into endogenous genes, simplifying experimental analysis of protein function. However, Cas9-assisted epitope tagging in primary mammalian cell cultures is often inefficient and reliant on plasmid-based selection strategies. Here, we demonstrate improved knock-in efficiencies of diverse tags (V5, 3XFLAG, Myc, HA) using co-delivery of Cas9 protein pre-complexed with two-part synthetic modified RNAs (annealed crRNA:tracrRNA) and single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide (ssODN) repair templates. Knock-in efficiencies of ~5-30%, were achieved without selection in embryonic stem (ES) cells, neural stem (NS) cells, and brain-tumor-derived stem cells. Biallelic-tagged clonal lines were readily derived and used to define Olig2 chromatin-bound interacting partners. Using our novel web-based design tool, we established a 96-well format pipeline that enabled V5-tagging of 60 different transcription factors. This efficient, selection-free and scalable epitope tagging pipeline enables systematic surveys of protein expression levels, subcellular localization, and interactors across diverse mammalian stem cells.

Kinetochore-microtubule error correction is driven by differentially regulated interaction modes.

For proper chromosome segregation, sister kinetochores must interact with microtubules from opposite spindle poles (bi-orientation). To establish bi-orientation, aberrant kinetochore-microtubule attachments are disrupted (error correction) by aurora B kinase (Ipl1 in budding yeast). Paradoxically, during this disruption, new attachments are still formed efficiently to enable fresh attempts at bi-orientation. How this is possible remains an enigma. Here we show that kinetochore attachment to the microtubule lattice (lateral attachment) is impervious to aurora B regulation, but attachment to the microtubule plus end (end-on attachment) is disrupted by this kinase. Thus, a new lateral attachment is formed without interference, then converted to end-on attachment and released if incorrect. This process continues until bi-orientation is established and stabilized by tension across sister kinetochores. We reveal how aurora B specifically promotes disruption of the end-on attachment through phospho-regulation of kinetochore components Dam1 and Ndc80. Our results reveal fundamental mechanisms for promoting error correction for bi-orientation.