<named-content content-type="genus-species">Candida albicans</named-content> Gene Deletion with a Transient CRISPR-Cas9 System
ABSTRACT Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated gene 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) systems are used for a wide array of genome-editing applications in organisms ranging from fungi to plants and animals. Recently, a CRISPR-Cas9 system has been developed for the dipl...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2016-06-01
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| Series: | mSphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphere.00130-16 |
| _version_ | 1818834792880275456 |
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| author | Kyunghun Min Yuichi Ichikawa Carol A. Woolford Aaron P. Mitchell |
| author_facet | Kyunghun Min Yuichi Ichikawa Carol A. Woolford Aaron P. Mitchell |
| author_sort | Kyunghun Min |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated gene 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) systems are used for a wide array of genome-editing applications in organisms ranging from fungi to plants and animals. Recently, a CRISPR-Cas9 system has been developed for the diploid fungal pathogen Candida albicans; the system accelerates genetic manipulation dramatically [V. K. Vyas, M. I. Barrasa, and G. R. Fink, Sci Adv 1(3):e1500248, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500248 ]. We show here that the CRISPR-Cas9 genetic elements can function transiently, without stable integration into the genome, to enable the introduction of a gene deletion construct. We describe a transient CRISPR-Cas9 system for efficient gene deletion in C. albicans. Our observations suggest that there are two mechanisms that lead to homozygous deletions: (i) independent recombination of transforming DNA into each allele and (ii) recombination of transforming DNA into one allele, followed by gene conversion of the second allele. Our approach will streamline gene function analysis in C. albicans, and our results indicate that DNA can function transiently after transformation of this organism. IMPORTANCE The fungus Candida albicans is a major pathogen. Genetic analysis of this organism has revealed determinants of pathogenicity, drug resistance, and other unique biological features, as well as the identities of prospective drug targets. The creation of targeted mutations has been greatly accelerated recently through the implementation of CRISPR genome-editing technology by Vyas et al. [Sci Adv 1(3):e1500248, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500248 ]. In this study, we find that CRISPR elements can be expressed from genes that are present only transiently, and we develop a transient CRISPR system that further accelerates C. albicans genetic manipulation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T02:40:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ad6ef1cac9904be79eab9291e5684364 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2379-5042 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T02:40:27Z |
| publishDate | 2016-06-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | mSphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-ad6ef1cac9904be79eab9291e56843642022-12-21T20:39:08ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologymSphere2379-50422016-06-011310.1128/mSphere.00130-16<named-content content-type="genus-species">Candida albicans</named-content> Gene Deletion with a Transient CRISPR-Cas9 SystemKyunghun Min0Yuichi Ichikawa1Carol A. Woolford2Aaron P. Mitchell3Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAABSTRACT Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated gene 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) systems are used for a wide array of genome-editing applications in organisms ranging from fungi to plants and animals. Recently, a CRISPR-Cas9 system has been developed for the diploid fungal pathogen Candida albicans; the system accelerates genetic manipulation dramatically [V. K. Vyas, M. I. Barrasa, and G. R. Fink, Sci Adv 1(3):e1500248, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500248 ]. We show here that the CRISPR-Cas9 genetic elements can function transiently, without stable integration into the genome, to enable the introduction of a gene deletion construct. We describe a transient CRISPR-Cas9 system for efficient gene deletion in C. albicans. Our observations suggest that there are two mechanisms that lead to homozygous deletions: (i) independent recombination of transforming DNA into each allele and (ii) recombination of transforming DNA into one allele, followed by gene conversion of the second allele. Our approach will streamline gene function analysis in C. albicans, and our results indicate that DNA can function transiently after transformation of this organism. IMPORTANCE The fungus Candida albicans is a major pathogen. Genetic analysis of this organism has revealed determinants of pathogenicity, drug resistance, and other unique biological features, as well as the identities of prospective drug targets. The creation of targeted mutations has been greatly accelerated recently through the implementation of CRISPR genome-editing technology by Vyas et al. [Sci Adv 1(3):e1500248, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500248 ]. In this study, we find that CRISPR elements can be expressed from genes that are present only transiently, and we develop a transient CRISPR system that further accelerates C. albicans genetic manipulation.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphere.00130-16Candida albicansgenetics |
| spellingShingle | Kyunghun Min Yuichi Ichikawa Carol A. Woolford Aaron P. Mitchell <named-content content-type="genus-species">Candida albicans</named-content> Gene Deletion with a Transient CRISPR-Cas9 System mSphere Candida albicans genetics |
| title | <named-content content-type="genus-species">Candida albicans</named-content> Gene Deletion with a Transient CRISPR-Cas9 System |
| title_full | <named-content content-type="genus-species">Candida albicans</named-content> Gene Deletion with a Transient CRISPR-Cas9 System |
| title_fullStr | <named-content content-type="genus-species">Candida albicans</named-content> Gene Deletion with a Transient CRISPR-Cas9 System |
| title_full_unstemmed | <named-content content-type="genus-species">Candida albicans</named-content> Gene Deletion with a Transient CRISPR-Cas9 System |
| title_short | <named-content content-type="genus-species">Candida albicans</named-content> Gene Deletion with a Transient CRISPR-Cas9 System |
| title_sort | named content content type genus species candida albicans named content gene deletion with a transient crispr cas9 system |
| topic | Candida albicans genetics |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphere.00130-16 |
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