Exploiting DNA Endonucleases to Advance Mechanisms of DNA Repair

The earliest methods of genome editing, such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFN) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), utilize customizable DNA-binding motifs to target the genome at specific loci. While these approaches provided sequence-specific gene-editing capacity, the labori...

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Main Authors: Marlo K. Thompson, Robert W. Sobol, Aishwarya Prakash
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
Series:Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/6/530
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author Marlo K. Thompson
Robert W. Sobol
Aishwarya Prakash
author_facet Marlo K. Thompson
Robert W. Sobol
Aishwarya Prakash
author_sort Marlo K. Thompson
collection DOAJ
description The earliest methods of genome editing, such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFN) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), utilize customizable DNA-binding motifs to target the genome at specific loci. While these approaches provided sequence-specific gene-editing capacity, the laborious process of designing and synthesizing recombinant nucleases to recognize a specific target sequence, combined with limited target choices and poor editing efficiency, ultimately minimized the broad utility of these systems. The discovery of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat sequences (CRISPR) in <i>Escherichia coli</i> dates to 1987, yet it was another 20 years before CRISPR and the CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins were identified as part of the microbial adaptive immune system, by targeting phage DNA, to fight bacteriophage reinfection. By 2013, CRISPR/Cas9 systems had been engineered to allow gene editing in mammalian cells. The ease of design, low cytotoxicity, and increased efficiency have made CRISPR/Cas9 and its related systems the designer nucleases of choice for many. In this review, we discuss the various CRISPR systems and their broad utility in genome manipulation. We will explore how CRISPR-controlled modifications have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms of genome stability, using the modulation of DNA repair genes as examples.
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spelling doaj.art-cab4a73c98ce41b6b64600b51ea6ea9f2023-11-22T00:03:39ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372021-06-0110653010.3390/biology10060530Exploiting DNA Endonucleases to Advance Mechanisms of DNA RepairMarlo K. Thompson0Robert W. Sobol1Aishwarya Prakash2Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama Health, Mobile, AL 36604, USAMitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama Health, Mobile, AL 36604, USAMitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama Health, Mobile, AL 36604, USAThe earliest methods of genome editing, such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFN) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), utilize customizable DNA-binding motifs to target the genome at specific loci. While these approaches provided sequence-specific gene-editing capacity, the laborious process of designing and synthesizing recombinant nucleases to recognize a specific target sequence, combined with limited target choices and poor editing efficiency, ultimately minimized the broad utility of these systems. The discovery of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat sequences (CRISPR) in <i>Escherichia coli</i> dates to 1987, yet it was another 20 years before CRISPR and the CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins were identified as part of the microbial adaptive immune system, by targeting phage DNA, to fight bacteriophage reinfection. By 2013, CRISPR/Cas9 systems had been engineered to allow gene editing in mammalian cells. The ease of design, low cytotoxicity, and increased efficiency have made CRISPR/Cas9 and its related systems the designer nucleases of choice for many. In this review, we discuss the various CRISPR systems and their broad utility in genome manipulation. We will explore how CRISPR-controlled modifications have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms of genome stability, using the modulation of DNA repair genes as examples.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/6/530CRISPRgene editingbase excision repairmismatch repairhomologous recombinationnon-homologous end-joining
spellingShingle Marlo K. Thompson
Robert W. Sobol
Aishwarya Prakash
Exploiting DNA Endonucleases to Advance Mechanisms of DNA Repair
Biology
CRISPR
gene editing
base excision repair
mismatch repair
homologous recombination
non-homologous end-joining
title Exploiting DNA Endonucleases to Advance Mechanisms of DNA Repair
title_full Exploiting DNA Endonucleases to Advance Mechanisms of DNA Repair
title_fullStr Exploiting DNA Endonucleases to Advance Mechanisms of DNA Repair
title_full_unstemmed Exploiting DNA Endonucleases to Advance Mechanisms of DNA Repair
title_short Exploiting DNA Endonucleases to Advance Mechanisms of DNA Repair
title_sort exploiting dna endonucleases to advance mechanisms of dna repair
topic CRISPR
gene editing
base excision repair
mismatch repair
homologous recombination
non-homologous end-joining
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/6/530
work_keys_str_mv AT marlokthompson exploitingdnaendonucleasestoadvancemechanismsofdnarepair
AT robertwsobol exploitingdnaendonucleasestoadvancemechanismsofdnarepair
AT aishwaryaprakash exploitingdnaendonucleasestoadvancemechanismsofdnarepair