A detailed cell-free transcription-translation-based assay to decipher CRISPR protospacer-adjacent motifs. 2018

Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States.

The RNA-guided nucleases derived from the CRISPR-Cas systems in bacteria and archaea have found numerous applications in biotechnology, including genome editing, imaging, and gene regulation. However, the discovery of novel Cas nucleases has outpaced their characterization and subsequent exploitation. A key step in characterizing Cas nucleases is determining which protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) sequences they recognize. Here, we report advances to an in vitro method based on an E. coli cell-free transcription-translation system (TXTL) to rapidly elucidate PAMs recognized by Cas nucleases. The method obviates the need for cloning Cas nucleases or gRNAs, does not require the purification of protein or RNA, and can be performed in less than a day. To advance our previously published method, we incorporated an internal GFP cleavage control to assess the extent of library cleavage as well as Sanger sequencing of the cleaved library to assess PAM depletion prior to next-generation sequencing. We also detail the methods needed to construct all relevant DNA constructs, and how to troubleshoot the assay. We finally demonstrate the technique by determining PAM sequences recognized by the Neisseria meningitidis Cas9, revealing subtle sequence requirements of this highly specific PAM. The overall method offers a rapid means to identify PAMs recognized by diverse CRISPR nucleases, with the potential to greatly accelerate our ability to characterize and harness novel CRISPR nucleases across their many uses.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009345 Neisseria meningitidis A species of gram-negative, aerobic BACTERIA. It is a commensal and pathogen only of humans, and can be carried asymptomatically in the NASOPHARYNX. When found in cerebrospinal fluid it is the causative agent of cerebrospinal meningitis (MENINGITIS, MENINGOCOCCAL). It is also found in venereal discharges and blood. There are at least 13 serogroups based on antigenic differences in the capsular polysaccharides; the ones causing most meningitis infections being A, B, C, Y, and W-135. Each serogroup can be further classified by serotype, serosubtype, and immunotype. Diplokokkus intracellularis meningitidis,Meningococcus,Micrococcus intracellularis,Micrococcus meningitidis,Micrococcus meningitidis cerebrospinalis,Neisseria weichselbaumii
D010957 Plasmids Extrachromosomal, usually CIRCULAR DNA molecules that are self-replicating and transferable from one organism to another. They are found in a variety of bacterial, archaeal, fungal, algal, and plant species. They are used in GENETIC ENGINEERING as CLONING VECTORS. Episomes,Episome,Plasmid
D004247 DNA A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine). DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D004926 Escherichia coli A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc. Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D000076987 CRISPR-Associated Protein 9 An RNA-guided endodeoxyribonuclease that associates with CRISPR SEQUENCES in STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES and other bacteria where it participates in an adaptive immune function to cleave foreign DNA complimentary to small GUIDE RNA (sgRNAs). Structurally, Cas9 consists of an ALPHA-HELIX module and a nuclease module connected by a single helix. The nuclease module contains two enzymatic domains: RuvC, which cleaves non-target DNA strand, and an HNH nuclease domain, which cleaves the target strand. Specificity for the DNA target depends on the presence of a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequence, a 2-6 nucleotide DNA sequence immediately following the sequence targeted by Cas9. Cas9 Endonuclease,Cas9 Enzyme,Cas9 Protein,CRISPR Associated Protein 9,Endonuclease, Cas9,Enzyme, Cas9
D000094704 RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems A component of CRISPR-Cas SYSTEMS. Cas endodeoxyribonucleases assemble with a guide RNA complex, a hybrid of CRISPR RNA (crRNA) and transactivating crRNA (tracrRNA) molecules, to form an active complex that cleaves DNA. crRNA and tracrRNA can be synthetically fused into a single RNA molecule, namely single guide RNA. Synthetic sgRNA is used with CRISPR-Cas SYSTEMS for targeted GENE EDITING. CRISPR Guide RNA,CRISPR-Cas Systems sgRNA (Single Guide RNA),Guide RNA (CRISPR-Cas Systems),Guide RNA, CRISPR-Cas Systems,RNA, CRISPR Guide,RNA, Guide (CRISPR-Cas Systems),RNA, Single Guide,RNA, Single-Guide,Single Guide RNA,Single-Guide RNA,Transactivating crRNA,crRNA,crRNA, Transactivating,sgRNA (CRISPR-Cas Systems),sgRNA (Single-Guide RNA),tracrRNA,Guide RNA, CRISPR,Guide RNA, CRISPR Cas Systems,Guide RNA, Single
D001709 Biotechnology Body of knowledge related to the use of organisms, cells or cell-derived constituents for the purpose of developing products which are technically, scientifically and clinically useful. Alteration of biologic function at the molecular level (i.e., GENETIC ENGINEERING) is a central focus; laboratory methods used include TRANSFECTION and CLONING technologies, sequence and structure analysis algorithms, computer databases, and gene and protein structure function analysis and prediction. Biotechnologies
D014158 Transcription, Genetic The biosynthesis of RNA carried out on a template of DNA. The biosynthesis of DNA from an RNA template is called REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION. Genetic Transcription
D014176 Protein Biosynthesis The biosynthesis of PEPTIDES and PROTEINS on RIBOSOMES, directed by MESSENGER RNA, via TRANSFER RNA that is charged with standard proteinogenic AMINO ACIDS. Genetic Translation,Peptide Biosynthesis, Ribosomal,Protein Translation,Translation, Genetic,Protein Biosynthesis, Ribosomal,Protein Synthesis, Ribosomal,Ribosomal Peptide Biosynthesis,mRNA Translation,Biosynthesis, Protein,Biosynthesis, Ribosomal Peptide,Biosynthesis, Ribosomal Protein,Genetic Translations,Ribosomal Protein Biosynthesis,Ribosomal Protein Synthesis,Synthesis, Ribosomal Protein,Translation, Protein,Translation, mRNA,mRNA Translations
D015723 Gene Library A large collection of DNA fragments cloned (CLONING, MOLECULAR) from a given organism, tissue, organ, or cell type. It may contain complete genomic sequences (GENOMIC LIBRARY) or complementary DNA sequences, the latter being formed from messenger RNA and lacking intron sequences. DNA Library,cDNA Library,DNA Libraries,Gene Libraries,Libraries, DNA,Libraries, Gene,Libraries, cDNA,Library, DNA,Library, Gene,Library, cDNA,cDNA Libraries

Related Publications

Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
November 2017, Nucleic acids research,
Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
June 2022, BMC genomic data,
Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
February 2020, Methods (San Diego, Calif.),
Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
November 2017, Journal of the American Chemical Society,
Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
March 2024, Foodborne pathogens and disease,
Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
February 2019, The EMBO journal,
Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
November 2015, Genome biology,
Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
January 2019, Synthetic biology (Oxford, England),
Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
January 2022, Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.),
Colin S Maxwell, and Thomas Jacobsen, and Ryan Marshall, and Vincent Noireaux, and Chase L Beisel
May 2024, Nucleic acids research,
Copied contents to your clipboard!