The precise magic of CRISPR

In this issue of FEBS Open Bio, Shen Li et al., in the laboratory of Hector L. Franco (University of North Carolina), provide a proof‐of‐principle solution for correcting all copies of a gene in the widely used MCF7 breast cancer cell line. The gene for the FOXA1 pioneer transcription factor is loca...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Alexander Kondrashov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-06-01
Series:FEBS Open Bio
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13195
_version_ 1818947217832017920
author Alexander Kondrashov
author_facet Alexander Kondrashov
author_sort Alexander Kondrashov
collection DOAJ
description In this issue of FEBS Open Bio, Shen Li et al., in the laboratory of Hector L. Franco (University of North Carolina), provide a proof‐of‐principle solution for correcting all copies of a gene in the widely used MCF7 breast cancer cell line. The gene for the FOXA1 pioneer transcription factor is localised on chromosome 14, which is present at least 4–5 times in MCF7 cells. To achieve their goal, the authors used a ‘classical’ version of the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Both sgRNA and Cas9 components were expressed from a single vector, which also has a puromycin resistance cassette; this is an essential module for the chosen strategy, because it ensures expression of both sgRNA and Cas9 in selected cells. A targeting template in the form of nonlinearised plasmid was shown to have the best efficiency and was used to introduce a substitution at position 295 in the gene encoding FOXA1 to change a codon encoding lysine into a codon encoding glutamine (K295Q). The strategy suggested by Li and co‐authors is an important development towards genome editing of multiple copy genes in a polyploid environment like cancer cells. One important application of the technique could be in creating models to study the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms in cancer progression and metastasis. Isogenic cancer lines carrying polymorphic variants of key drug targets could be used to optimise anticancer treatment protocols, laying a foundation for personalised therapy.
first_indexed 2024-12-20T08:27:24Z
format Article
id doaj.art-4a3c5042704643adace3ea448a84c44b
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2211-5463
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-20T08:27:24Z
publishDate 2021-06-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series FEBS Open Bio
spelling doaj.art-4a3c5042704643adace3ea448a84c44b2022-12-21T19:46:47ZengWileyFEBS Open Bio2211-54632021-06-011161520152310.1002/2211-5463.13195The precise magic of CRISPRAlexander Kondrashov0Division of Cancer and Stem Cells University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute UKIn this issue of FEBS Open Bio, Shen Li et al., in the laboratory of Hector L. Franco (University of North Carolina), provide a proof‐of‐principle solution for correcting all copies of a gene in the widely used MCF7 breast cancer cell line. The gene for the FOXA1 pioneer transcription factor is localised on chromosome 14, which is present at least 4–5 times in MCF7 cells. To achieve their goal, the authors used a ‘classical’ version of the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Both sgRNA and Cas9 components were expressed from a single vector, which also has a puromycin resistance cassette; this is an essential module for the chosen strategy, because it ensures expression of both sgRNA and Cas9 in selected cells. A targeting template in the form of nonlinearised plasmid was shown to have the best efficiency and was used to introduce a substitution at position 295 in the gene encoding FOXA1 to change a codon encoding lysine into a codon encoding glutamine (K295Q). The strategy suggested by Li and co‐authors is an important development towards genome editing of multiple copy genes in a polyploid environment like cancer cells. One important application of the technique could be in creating models to study the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms in cancer progression and metastasis. Isogenic cancer lines carrying polymorphic variants of key drug targets could be used to optimise anticancer treatment protocols, laying a foundation for personalised therapy.https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13195cancerCRISPR/Cas9genome editingpolyploid cells
spellingShingle Alexander Kondrashov
The precise magic of CRISPR
FEBS Open Bio
cancer
CRISPR/Cas9
genome editing
polyploid cells
title The precise magic of CRISPR
title_full The precise magic of CRISPR
title_fullStr The precise magic of CRISPR
title_full_unstemmed The precise magic of CRISPR
title_short The precise magic of CRISPR
title_sort precise magic of crispr
topic cancer
CRISPR/Cas9
genome editing
polyploid cells
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13195
work_keys_str_mv AT alexanderkondrashov theprecisemagicofcrispr
AT alexanderkondrashov precisemagicofcrispr