CRISPR-Cas3 induces broad and unidirectional genome editing in human cells

Nat Commun. 2019 Dec 6;10(1):5302. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13226-x.

Abstract

Although single-component Class 2 CRISPR systems, such as type II Cas9 or type V Cas12a (Cpf1), are widely used for genome editing in eukaryotic cells, the application of multi-component Class 1 CRISPR has been less developed. Here we demonstrate that type I-E CRISPR mediates distinct DNA cleavage activity in human cells. Notably, Cas3, which possesses helicase and nuclease activity, predominantly triggered several thousand base pair deletions upstream of the 5'-ARG protospacer adjacent motif (PAM), without prominent off-target activity. This Cas3-mediated directional and broad DNA degradation can be used to introduce functional gene knockouts and knock-ins. As an example of potential therapeutic applications, we show Cas3-mediated exon-skipping of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene in patient-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These findings broaden our understanding of the Class 1 CRISPR system, which may serve as a unique genome editing tool in eukaryotic cells distinct from the Class 2 CRISPR system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • CRISPR-Associated Proteins / classification
  • CRISPR-Associated Proteins / genetics*
  • CRISPR-Associated Proteins / metabolism
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems / genetics*
  • Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
  • DNA Cleavage
  • DNA Helicases / metabolism
  • Exons
  • Gene Editing / methods*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics
  • Gene Knockout Techniques / methods
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
  • Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / genetics
  • Sequence Deletion

Substances

  • CRISPR-Associated Proteins
  • DNA Helicases