In:
Scientific Reports, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Vol. 11, No. 1 ( 2021-01-28)
Abstract:
The mammalian molecular clock is based on a transcription-translation feedback loop (TTFL) comprising the Period1, 2 ( Per1, 2 ), Cryptochrome1, 2 ( Cry1, 2 ), and Brain and Muscle ARNT-Like 1 ( Bmal1 ) genes. The robustness of the TTFL is attributed to genetic redundancy among some essential clock genes, deterring genetic studies on molecular clocks using genome editing targeting single genes. To manipulate multiple clock genes in a streamlined and efficient manner, we developed a C RISPR-Cas9-based s ingle a deno-associated viral (AAV) system targeting the c ircadian clock (CSAC) for essential clock genes including Per s, Cry s, or Bmal1 . First, we tested several single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting individual clock genes in silico and validated their efficiency in Neuro2a cells. To target multiple genes, multiplex sgRNA plasmids were constructed using Golden Gate assembly and packaged into AAVs. CSAC efficiency was evident through protein downregulation in vitro and ablated molecular oscillation ex vivo. We also measured the efficiency of CSAC in vivo by assessing circadian rhythms after injecting CSAC into the suprachiasmatic nuclei of Cas9-expressing knock-in mice. Circadian locomotor activity and body temperature rhythms were severely disrupted in these mice, indicating that our CSAC is a simple yet powerful tool for investigating the molecular clock in vivo.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2045-2322
DOI:
10.1038/s41598-021-82287-0
Language:
English
Publisher:
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication Date:
2021
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2615211-3