RESUMEN
Zebrafish is a widely used model organism in genetics, developmental biology, pathology, and immunology research. Due to their fast reproduction, large numbers, transparent early embryos, and high genetic conservation with the human genome, zebrafish have been used as a model for studying human and fish viral diseases. In particular, the ability to easily perform forward and reverse genetics and lacking a functional adaptive immune response during the early period of development establish the zebrafish as a favored option to assess the functional implication of specific genes in the antiviral innate immune response and the pathogenesis of viral diseases. In this chapter, we detail protocols for the antiviral innate immunity analysis using the zebrafish model, including the generation of gene-overexpression zebrafish, generation of gene-knockout zebrafish by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 technology, methods of viral infection in zebrafish larvae, analyzing the expression of antiviral genes in zebrafish larvae using qRT-PCR, Western blotting and transcriptome sequencing, and in vivo antiviral assays. These experimental protocols provide effective references for studying the antiviral immune response in the zebrafish model.
Asunto(s)
Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Inmunidad Innata , Pez Cebra , Animales , Pez Cebra/inmunología , Pez Cebra/genética , Pez Cebra/virología , Inmunidad Innata/genética , Virosis/inmunología , Virosis/genética , Técnicas de Inactivación de Genes , Animales Modificados GenéticamenteRESUMEN
A germinal disc located on the egg yolk surface drives genetic modification. Windowed and surrogate eggshell incubation methods have been developed, but these exhibit limited abilities to generate transgenic chickens. In the present study, we investigated the frequency of observing the germinal disc according to the preincubation positioning direction and time and found that it depended on those conditions, but only a few chicks (2.8-5.6%) hatched using the windowed method. Then, we attempted to improve surrogate method via one- or two-step procedures. All eggs, including surrogates that were 10 g heavier than the donor eggs, were obtained from a poultry flock of the same age. With the one-step surrogate method, where the donor egg was transferred only once through a 3.5 cm hole on the point end, at the first day of preincubation, into the surrogate egg, the survival rate at day 4 was 30.8%, and the hatching rate was 11.8%. With the two-step surrogate method (transfer was on the 1st and 4th day of incubation), the survival rate at day 4 was improved to 90.7%, and a hatching rate of 70.0% was achieved. Therefore, this method can be effective for in ovo artificial incubation.
Asunto(s)
Pollos , Cáscara de Huevo , Animales , Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Técnicas Reproductivas Asistidas , Clonación de Organismos/métodos , Embrión de Pollo , FemeninoRESUMEN
The innate immune response is triggered rapidly after injury and its spatiotemporal dynamics are critical for regeneration; however, many questions remain about its exact role. Here we show that MyD88, a key component of the innate immune response, controls not only the inflammatory but also the fibrotic response during zebrafish cardiac regeneration. We find in cryoinjured myd88-/- ventricles a significant reduction in neutrophil and macrophage numbers and the expansion of a collagen-rich endocardial population. Further analyses reveal compromised PI3K/AKT pathway activation in the myd88-/- endocardium and increased myofibroblasts and scarring. Notably, endothelial-specific overexpression of myd88 reverses these neutrophil, fibrotic and scarring phenotypes. Mechanistically, we identify the endocardial-derived chemokine gene cxcl18b as a target of the MyD88 signaling pathway, and using loss-of-function and gain-of-function tools, we show that it controls neutrophil recruitment. Altogether, these findings shed light on the pivotal role of MyD88 in modulating inflammation and fibrosis during tissue regeneration.
Asunto(s)
Fibrosis , Inmunidad Innata , Factor 88 de Diferenciación Mieloide , Regeneración , Transducción de Señal , Proteínas de Pez Cebra , Pez Cebra , Animales , Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Quimiocinas CXC/genética , Quimiocinas CXC/metabolismo , Endocardio/metabolismo , Endocardio/patología , Endocardio/inmunología , Corazón/fisiopatología , Inmunidad Innata/genética , Macrófagos/metabolismo , Macrófagos/inmunología , Factor 88 de Diferenciación Mieloide/genética , Factor 88 de Diferenciación Mieloide/metabolismo , Miofibroblastos/metabolismo , Miofibroblastos/patología , Infiltración Neutrófila , Neutrófilos/metabolismo , Neutrófilos/inmunología , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinasas/metabolismo , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinasas/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-akt/metabolismo , Regeneración/genética , Proteínas de Pez Cebra/genética , Proteínas de Pez Cebra/metabolismoRESUMEN
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are vital for producing sperm and eggs and are crucial for conserving chicken germplasm and creating genetically modified chickens. However, efforts to use PGCs for preserving native chicken germplasm and genetic modification via CRISPR/Cas9 are limited. Here we show that we established 289 PGC lines from eight Chinese chicken populations with an 81.6% success rate. We regenerated Piao chickens by repropagating cryopreserved PGCs and transplanting them into recipient chickens, achieving a 12.7% efficiency rate. These regenerated chickens carried mitochondrial DNA from female donor PGC and the rumplessness mutation from both male and female donors. Additionally, we created the TYRP1 (tyrosinase-related protein 1) knockout (KO) PGC lines via CRISPR/Cas9. Transplanting KO cells into male recipients and mating them with wild-type hens produced four TYRP1 KO chickens with brown plumage due to reduced eumelanin production. Our work demonstrates efficient PGC culture, cryopreservation, regeneration, and gene editing in chickens.
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Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Pollos , Criopreservación , Células Germinativas , Animales , Pollos/genética , Células Germinativas/metabolismo , Femenino , Masculino , Oxidorreductasas/genética , Oxidorreductasas/metabolismo , Edición Génica/métodos , Regeneración/genética , Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Quimera/genética , Técnicas de Inactivación de GenesRESUMEN
CRISPR homing gene drives can suppress pest populations by targeting female fertility genes, converting wild-type alleles into drive alleles in the germline of drive heterozygotes. fsRIDL (female-specific Release of Insects carrying a Dominant Lethal) is a self-limiting population suppression strategy involving continual release of transgenic males carrying female lethal alleles. Here, we propose an improved pest suppression system called "Release of Insects carrying a Dominant-sterile Drive" (RIDD), combining performance characteristics of homing drive and fsRIDL. We construct a split RIDD system in Drosophila melanogaster by creating a 3-gRNA drive disrupting the doublesex female exon. Drive alleles bias their inheritance in males, while drive alleles and resistance alleles formed by end-joining cause dominant female sterility. Weekly releases of RIDD males progressively suppressed and eventually eliminated cage populations. Modeling shows that RIDD is substantially stronger than SIT and fsRIDL. RIDD is also self-limiting, potentially allowing targeted population suppression.
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Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Proteínas de Drosophila , Drosophila melanogaster , Tecnología de Genética Dirigida , Animales , Femenino , Masculino , Drosophila melanogaster/genética , Tecnología de Genética Dirigida/métodos , Proteínas de Drosophila/genética , Proteínas de Drosophila/metabolismo , Alelos , Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Genes Dominantes , Control Biológico de Vectores/métodos , Infertilidad/genética , Infertilidad/terapia , ARN Guía de Sistemas CRISPR-Cas/genética , Proteínas de Unión al ADNRESUMEN
Genetically modified organisms are commonly used in disease research and agriculture but the precise genomic alterations underlying transgenic mutations are often unknown. The position and characteristics of transgenes, including the number of independent insertions, influences the expression of both transgenic and wild-type sequences. We used long-read, Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) to sequence and assemble two transgenic strains of Caenorhabditis elegans commonly used in the research of neurodegenerative diseases: BY250 (pPdat-1::GFP) and UA44 (GFP and human α-synuclein), a model for Parkinson's research. After scaffolding to the reference, the final assembled sequences were â¼102 Mb with N50s of 17.9 Mb and 18.0 Mb, respectively, and L90s of six contiguous sequences, representing chromosome-level assemblies. Each of the assembled sequences contained more than 99.2% of the Nematoda BUSCO genes found in the C. elegans reference and 99.5% of the annotated C. elegans reference protein-coding genes. We identified the locations of the transgene insertions and confirmed that all transgene sequences were inserted in intergenic regions, leaving the organismal gene content intact. The transgenic C. elegans genomes presented here will be a valuable resource for Parkinson's research as well as other neurodegenerative diseases. Our work demonstrates that long-read sequencing is a fast, cost-effective way to assemble genome sequences and characterize mutant lines and strains.
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Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Caenorhabditis elegans , Secuenciación de Nanoporos , Transgenes , Caenorhabditis elegans/genética , Animales , Transgenes/genética , Animales Modificados Genéticamente/genética , Secuenciación de Nanoporos/métodos , alfa-Sinucleína/genética , Genoma de los Helmintos , Mutagénesis Insercional , Humanos , Proteínas Fluorescentes Verdes/genética , Proteínas Fluorescentes Verdes/metabolismoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Infertility is a growing global health concern affecting millions of couples worldwide. Among several factors, an extreme body weight adversely affects reproductive functions. Leptin is a well-known adipokine that serves as an endocrine signal between adiposity and fertility. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the effects of high leptin level on female reproduction remain unclear. METHODS: Transgenic pigs overexpressing leptin (â) were produced by backcrossing and screened for leptin overexpression. The growth curve, fat deposition, reproductive performance, apoptosis, serum hormones and cholesterol production, RNA sequencing, and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) of the leptin-overexpressing pigs and wild-type group were evaluated. RESULTS: Transgenic pigs overexpressing leptin (â) were obtained, which exhibited significantly reduced body weight, body size, and back fat thickness. These pigs manifested a late onset of puberty (330 ± 54.3 vs. 155 ± 14.7 days), irregular estrous behavior characterized by increased inter-estrous interval (29.2 ± 0 vs. 21.3 ± 0.7 days), and more number of matings until pregnancy (at least 3 times). This reproductive impairment in leptin pigs was related to hormonal imbalances characterized by increased levels of FSH, LH, prolactin, E2, P4, and TSH, altered steroidogenesis such as increased levels of serum cholesterol esters along with steroidogenic markers (StAR, CYP19A), and ovarian dysfunctions manifested by neutrophilic infiltration and low expression of caspase-3 positive cells in the ovaries. Moreover, bulk RNA sequencing of the ovaries also revealed neutrophilic infiltration followed by upregulation of inflammation-related genes. Furthermore, snRNA-seq reflected that leptin overexpression triggered immune response, suppressed follicle development and luteinization, resulting in metabolic dysfunction and hormone imbalance in the ovary. CONCLUSIONS: Low body weight in leptin overexpressing pigs adversely affects the reproductive performance, causing delayed puberty, irregular estrous cycles, and reduced breeding efficiency. This is linked to metabolic imbalances, an increased immune response, and altered ovarian functions. This study provides a theoretical basis for the complex mechanisms underlying leptin, and infertility by employing leptin-overexpressing female pigs.
Asunto(s)
Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Leptina , Reproducción , Animales , Femenino , Leptina/sangre , Porcinos , Reproducción/fisiología , Modelos Animales de EnfermedadRESUMEN
Here, we introduce 'TICIT', targeted integration by CRISPR-Cas9 and integrase technologies, which utilizes the site-specific DNA recombinase - phiC31 integrase - to insert large DNA fragments into CRISPR-Cas9 target loci. This technique, which relies on first knocking in a 39-basepair phiC31 landing site via CRISPR-Cas9, enables researchers to repeatedly perform site-specific transgenesis at the exact genomic location with high precision and efficiency. We applied this approach to devise a method for the instantaneous determination of a zebrafish's genotype simply by examining its color. When a zebrafish mutant line must be propagated as heterozygotes due to homozygous lethality, employing this method allows facile identification of a population of homozygous mutant embryos even before the mutant phenotypes manifest. Thus, it should facilitate various downstream applications, such as large-scale chemical screens. We demonstrated that TICIT could also create reporter fish driven by an endogenous promoter. Further, we identified a landing site in the tyrosinase gene that could support transgene expression in a broad spectrum of tissue and cell types. In sum, TICIT enables site-specific DNA integration without requiring complex donor DNA construction. It can yield consistent transgene expression, facilitate diverse applications in zebrafish, and may be applicable to cells in culture and other model organisms.
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Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Genotipo , Integrasas , Pez Cebra , Integrasas/genética , Integrasas/metabolismo , Animales , Pez Cebra/genética , Técnicas de Transferencia de Gen , Técnicas de Genotipaje , Transgenes , Genes Reporteros , Edición Génica/métodos , Animales Modificados GenéticamenteRESUMEN
Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare neurodegenerative disease caused due to aggregation of Huntingtin (HTT) protein. This study involves the cloning of 40 DnaJ chaperones from Drosophila, and overexpressing them in yeasts and fly models of HD. Accordingly, DnaJ chaperones were catalogued as enhancers or suppressors based on their growth phenotypes and aggregation properties. 2 of the chaperones that came up as targets were CG5001 and P58IPK. Protein aggregation and slow growth phenotype was rescued in yeasts, S2 cells, and Drosophila transgenic lines of HTT103Q with these overexpressed chaperones. Since DnaJ chaperones have protein sequence similarity across species, they can be used as possible tools to combat the effects of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Proteínas de Drosophila , Proteínas del Choque Térmico HSP40 , Proteína Huntingtina , Enfermedad de Huntington , Animales , Humanos , Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Drosophila , Drosophila melanogaster , Proteínas de Drosophila/metabolismo , Proteínas de Drosophila/genética , Proteínas del Choque Térmico HSP40/genética , Proteínas del Choque Térmico HSP40/metabolismo , Proteína Huntingtina/genética , Proteína Huntingtina/metabolismo , Enfermedad de Huntington/genética , Enfermedad de Huntington/metabolismo , Enfermedad de Huntington/patología , Agregado de Proteínas , Agregación Patológica de Proteínas/genética , Saccharomyces cerevisiaeRESUMEN
Aquaculture, the world's fastest-growing food production sector, is critical for addressing food security concerns because of its potential to deliver high-quality, nutrient-rich supplies by 2050. This review assesses the effectiveness of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology in enhancing desirable traits in fish species, including growth rates, muscle quality, disease resistance, pigmentation, and more. It also focuses on the potential effectiveness of the technology in allowing precise and targeted modifications of fish DNA to improve desirable characteristics. Many studies have reported successful applications of CRISPR/Cas9, such as knocking out reproductive genes to control reproduction and sex determination, enhancing feed conversion efficiency, and reducing off-target effects. Additionally, this technology has contributed to environmental sustainability by reducing nitrogen-rich waste and improving the nutritional composition of fish. However, the acceptance of CRISPR/Cas9 modified fish by the public and consumers is hindered by concerns regarding public perception, potential ecological impacts, and regulatory frameworks. To gain public approval and consumer confidence, clear communication about the editing process, as well as data on the safety and environmental considerations of genetically modified fish, are essential. This review paper discusses these challenges, provides possible solutions, and recommends future research on the integration of CRISPR/Cas9 into sustainable aquaculture practices, focusing on the responsible management of genetically modified fish to enable the creation of growth and disease-resistant strains. In conclusion, this review highlights the transformative potential of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in improving fish traits, while also considering the challenges and ethical considerations associated with sustainable and responsible practices in aquaculture.
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Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Acuicultura , Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Peces , Edición Génica , Animales , Acuicultura/métodos , Edición Génica/métodos , Peces/genética , Animales Modificados Genéticamente/genéticaRESUMEN
Prime editor, an editing tool based on the CRISPR/Cas9 system, allows for all 12 types of nucleotide exchanges and arbitrary indels in genomic sequences without the need for inducing DNA double-strand breaks. Despite its flexibility and precision, prime editing efficiency is still low and hindered by various factors such as target sites, editing types, and the length of the primer binding site. In this study, we developed a prime editing system by incorporating an RNA motif at the 3' terminal of the pegRNA and integrating all twin prime editor factors into a single plasmid. These two strategies enhanced prime editing efficiency at target sites by up to 3.58-fold and 2.19-fold, respectively. Subsequently, enhanced prime editor was employed in goat cells and embryos to efficiently insert a 38 bp attB sequence into the Gt(ROSA)26Sor (Rosa26) and C-C motif chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) loci. The enhanced prime editor can mediate 11.9% and 6.8% editing efficiency in parthenogenetic activation of embryos through embryo microinjection. In summary, our study introduces a modified prime editing system with improved editing and transfection efficiency, making it more suitable for inserting foreign sequences into primary cells and embryos. These results broaden the potential applications of prime editing technologies in the production of transgenic animals.
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Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Edición Génica , Genoma , Cabras , Animales , Cabras/genética , Edición Génica/métodos , Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Plásmidos/genéticaRESUMEN
Mutations in the presenilin (PS) genes are a predominant cause of familial Alzheimer's disease (fAD). An ortholog of PS in the genetic model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is sel-12. Mutations in the presenilin genes are commonly thought to lead to fAD by upregulating the expression of amyloid beta (Aß), however this hypothesis has been challenged by recent evidence. As C. elegans lack amyloid beta (Aß), the goal of this work was to examine Aß-independent effects of mutations in sel-12 and PS1/PS2 on behaviour and sensory neuron morphology across the lifespan in a C. elegans model. Olfactory chemotaxis experiments were conducted on sel-12(ok2078) loss-of-function mutant worms. Adult sel-12 mutant worms showed significantly lower levels of chemotaxis to odorants compared to wild-type worms throughout their lifespan, and this deficit increased with age. The chemotaxis phenotype in sel-12 mutant worms is rescued by transgenic over-expression of human wild-type PS1, but not the classic fAD-associated variant PS1C410Y, when expression was driven by either the endogenous sel-12 promoter (Psel-12), a pan-neuronal promoter (Primb-1), or by a promoter whose primary expression was in the sensory neurons responsible for the chemotaxis behavior (Psra-6, Podr-10). The behavioural phenotype was also rescued by over-expressing an atypical fAD-linked mutation in PS1 (PS1ΔS169) that has been reported to leave the Notch pathway intact. An examination of the morphology of polymodal nociceptive (ASH) neurons responsible for the chemotaxis behavior also showed increased neurodegeneration over time in sel-12 mutant worms that could be rescued by the same transgenes that rescued the behaviour, demonstrating a parallel with the observed behavioral deficits. Thus, we report an Aß-independent neurodegeneration in C. elegans that was rescued by cell specific over-expression of wild-type human presenilin.
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Enfermedad de Alzheimer , Péptidos beta-Amiloides , Proteínas de Caenorhabditis elegans , Caenorhabditis elegans , Mutación , Presenilina-1 , Animales , Humanos , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/genética , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/metabolismo , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/patología , Péptidos beta-Amiloides/metabolismo , Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Caenorhabditis elegans/genética , Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolismo , Proteínas de Caenorhabditis elegans/genética , Proteínas de Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolismo , Quimiotaxis/genética , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Presenilina-1/genética , Células Receptoras Sensoriales/metabolismo , Células Receptoras Sensoriales/patologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Methods to suppress pest insect populations using genetic constructs and repeated releases of male homozygotes have recently been shown to be an attractive alternative to older sterile insect techniques based on radiation. Female-specific lethal alleles have substantially increased power, but still require large, sustained transgenic insect releases. Gene drive alleles bias their own inheritance to spread throughout populations, potentially allowing population suppression with a single, small-size release. However, suppression drives often suffer from efficiency issues, and the most well-studied type, homing drives, tend to spread without limit. RESULTS: In this study, we show that coupling female-specific lethal alleles with homing gene drive allowed substantial improvement in efficiency while still retaining the self-limiting nature (and thus confinement) of a lethal allele strategy. Using a mosquito model, we show the required release sizes for population elimination in a variety of scenarios, including different density growth curves, with comparisons to other systems. Resistance alleles reduced the power of this method, but these could be overcome by targeting an essential gene with the drive while also providing rescue. A proof-of-principle demonstration of this system in Drosophila melanogaster was effective in both biasing its inheritance and achieving high lethality among females that inherit the construct in the absence of antibiotic. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our study shows that substantial improvements can be achieved in female-specific lethal systems for population suppression by combining them with various types of gene drive.
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Alelos , Drosophila melanogaster , Tecnología de Genética Dirigida , Animales , Femenino , Tecnología de Genética Dirigida/métodos , Drosophila melanogaster/genética , Masculino , Genes Letales , Control Biológico de Vectores/métodos , Control de Mosquitos/métodos , Animales Modificados Genéticamente/genética , Genes DominantesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD), the most prevalent type of Parkinsonism, is a progressive neurological condition characterized by a range of motor and non-motor symptoms. The complicated etiology of PD is thought to involve a summation of aging, genetic predisposition, and environmental variables. However, the α-synuclein protein plays a significant role in the disease's pathophysiology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The UAS-α-Syn and Ddc-Gal4 strains were crossed to produce offspring referred to as PD flies. The entire population of flies was divided into five groups, each having about 100 flies and five replicates. The control group (w1118) and the PD group not receiving treatment were exposed to lauric acid (LA)/levodopa (LD)-free diet, while the PD groups that received treatments were fed with either a 250 mg/kg LA diet, a 250 mg/kg LD diet, or a combination of the two for 21 days. Longevity, geotaxis, and olfactory assays were performed in addition to other biochemical tests. RESULTS: As a result of the overexpression of α-synuclein, the locomotive capacity, lifespan, and antioxidant status were all significantly (p < .05) reduced, and the apoptotic and neuroinflammatory activities were increased. Nevertheless, the majority of the treated flies improved significantly (p < .05). CONCLUSION: LA, whether combined with LD or not, elicited a significant response in α-synuclein/dopa decarboxylase genetically modified Drosophila melanogaster Parkinsonism models.
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Apoptosis , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Drosophila melanogaster , Ácidos Láuricos , Levodopa , Trastornos Parkinsonianos , Animales , Drosophila melanogaster/efectos de los fármacos , Ácidos Láuricos/farmacología , Ácidos Láuricos/administración & dosificación , Trastornos Parkinsonianos/tratamiento farmacológico , Trastornos Parkinsonianos/metabolismo , Levodopa/farmacología , Levodopa/administración & dosificación , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , alfa-Sinucleína/metabolismo , Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Estrés Oxidativo/efectos de los fármacos , Longevidad/efectos de los fármacos , MasculinoRESUMEN
The utilization of electroporation for delivering CRISPR/Cas9 system components has enabled efficient gene editing in mammalian zygotes, facilitating the development of genome-edited animals. In this study, our research focused on targeting the ACTG1 and MSTN genes in sheep, revealing a threshold phenomenon in electroporation with a voltage tolerance in sheep in vitro fertilization (IVF) zygotes. Various poring voltages near 40 V and pulse durations were examined for electroporating sheep zygotes. The study concluded that stronger electric fields required shorter pulse durations to achieve the optimal conditions for high gene mutation rates and reasonable blastocyst development. This investigation also assessed the quality of Cas9/sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complexes (Cas9 RNPs) and their influence on genome editing efficiency in sheep early embryos. It was highlighted that pre-complexation of Cas9 proteins with single-guide RNA (sgRNA) before electroporation was essential for achieving a high mutation rate. The use of suitable electroporation parameters for sheep IVF zygotes led to significantly high mutation rates and heterozygote ratios. By delivering Cas9 RNPs and single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides (ssODNs) to zygotes through electroporation, targeting the MSTN (Myostatin) gene, a knock-in efficiency of 26% was achieved. The successful generation of MSTN-modified lambs was demonstrated by delivering Cas9 RNPs into IVF zygotes via electroporation.
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Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Electroporación , Fertilización In Vitro , Edición Génica , ARN Guía de Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Ribonucleoproteínas , Cigoto , Animales , Edición Génica/métodos , Electroporación/métodos , Cigoto/metabolismo , Fertilización In Vitro/métodos , Ribonucleoproteínas/genética , Ribonucleoproteínas/metabolismo , ARN Guía de Sistemas CRISPR-Cas/genética , Ovinos , Proteína 9 Asociada a CRISPR/metabolismo , Proteína 9 Asociada a CRISPR/genética , Miostatina/genética , Femenino , Animales Modificados GenéticamenteRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Dauricine (DAU), a benzyl tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid isolated from the root of Menispermum dauricum DC, exhibits promising anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) effects, but its underlying mechanisms remain inadequately investigated. This paper aims to identify potential targets and molecular mechanisms of DAU in AD treatment. METHODS: Network pharmacology and molecular docking simulation method were used to screen and focus core targets. Various transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans models were chosen to validate the anti-AD efficacy and mechanism of DAU. RESULTS: There are 66 potential DAU-AD target intersections identified from 100 DAU and 3036 AD-related targets. Subsequent protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis identified 16 core targets of DAU for anti-AD. PIK3CA, AKT1 and mTOR were predicted to be the central targets with the best connectivity through the analysis of "compound-target-biological process-pathway network". Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities between DAU and PIK3CA, AKT1, and mTOR. In vivo experiments demonstrated that DAU effectively reduced paralysis in AD nematodes caused by Aß aggregation toxicity, downregulated expression of PIK3CA, AKT1, and mTOR homologues (age-1, akt-1, let-363), and upregulated expression of autophagy genes and the marker protein LGG-1. Simultaneously, DAU increased lysosomal content and enhanced degradation of the autophagy-related substrate protein P62. Thioflavin Tï¼Th-Tï¼staining experiment revealed that DAU decreased Aß accumulation in AD nematodes. Further experiments also confirmed DAU's protein scavenging activity in polyglutamine (polyQ) aggregation nematodes. CONCLUSION: Collectively, the mechanism of DAU against AD may be related to the activation of the autophagy-lysosomal protein clearance pathway, which contributes to the decrease of Aß aggregation and the restoration of protein homeostasis.
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Péptidos beta-Amiloides , Bencilisoquinolinas , Caenorhabditis elegans , Animales , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/tratamiento farmacológico , Péptidos beta-Amiloides/metabolismo , Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Bencilisoquinolinas/farmacología , Caenorhabditis elegans/efectos de los fármacos , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Simulación del Acoplamiento Molecular , Farmacología en Red , TetrahidroisoquinolinasRESUMEN
Background: Recent advances linking gut dysbiosis with neurocognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) suggest that the microbiota-gut-brain axis could be targeted for AD prevention, management, or treatment. Objective: We sought to identify probiotics that can delay Aß-induced paralysis. Methods: Using C. elegans expressing human amyloid-ß (Aß)1-42 in body wall muscles (GMC101), we assessed the effects of several probiotic strains on paralysis. Results: We found that Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HA-114 and Bacillus subtilis R0179, but not their supernatants or heat-treated forms, delayed paralysis and prolonged lifespan without affecting the levels of amyloid-ß aggregates. To uncover the mechanism involved, we explored the role of two known pathways involved in neurogenerative diseases, namely mitophagy, via deletion of the mitophagy factor PINK-1, and fatty acid desaturation, via deletion of the Δ9 desaturase FAT-5. Pink-1 deletion in GMC101 worms did not modify the life-prolonging and anti-paralysis effects of HA-114 but reduced the protective effect of R0179 against paralysis without affecting its life-prolonging effect. Upon fat5 deletion in GMC101 worms, the monounsaturated C14:1 and C16:1 FAs conserved their beneficial effect while the saturated C14:0 and C16:0 FAs did not. The beneficial effects of R0179 on both lifespan and paralysis remained unaffected by fat-5 deletion, while the beneficial effect of HA-114 on paralysis and lifespan was significantly reduced. Conclusions: Collectively with clinical and preclinical evidence in other models, our results suggest that HA-114 or R0179 could be studied as potential therapeutical adjuncts in neurodegenerative diseases such as AD.
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Péptidos beta-Amiloides , Bacillus subtilis , Caenorhabditis elegans , Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus , Longevidad , Probióticos , Animales , Longevidad/efectos de los fármacos , Péptidos beta-Amiloides/metabolismo , Péptidos beta-Amiloides/toxicidad , Parálisis , Fragmentos de Péptidos/toxicidad , Fragmentos de Péptidos/metabolismo , Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Humanos , Proteínas de Caenorhabditis elegans/genética , Proteínas de Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolismoRESUMEN
The contribution of endocardial cells (EdCs) to the hematopoietic lineages has been strongly debated. Here, we provide evidence that in zebrafish, the endocardium gives rise to and maintains a stable population of hematopoietic cells. Using single-cell sequencing, we identify an endocardial subpopulation expressing enriched levels of hematopoietic-promoting genes. High-resolution microscopy and photoconversion tracing experiments uncover hematopoietic cells, mainly hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs)/megakaryocyte-erythroid precursors (MEPs), derived from EdCs as well as the dorsal aorta stably attached to the endocardium. Emergence of HSPCs/MEPs in hearts cultured ex vivo without external hematopoietic sources, as well as longitudinal imaging of the beating heart using light sheet microscopy, support endocardial contribution to hematopoiesis. Maintenance of these hematopoietic cells depends on the adhesion factors Integrin α4 and Vcam1 but is at least partly independent of cardiac trabeculation or shear stress. Finally, blocking primitive erythropoiesis increases cardiac-residing hematopoietic cells, suggesting that the endocardium is a hematopoietic reservoir. Altogether, these studies uncover the endocardium as a resident tissue for HSPCs/MEPs and a de novo source of hematopoietic cells.
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Endocardio , Células Madre Hematopoyéticas , Pez Cebra , Animales , Células Madre Hematopoyéticas/citología , Células Madre Hematopoyéticas/metabolismo , Endocardio/citología , Endocardio/metabolismo , Hematopoyesis/fisiología , Corazón/fisiología , Molécula 1 de Adhesión Celular Vascular/metabolismo , Molécula 1 de Adhesión Celular Vascular/genética , Proteínas de Pez Cebra/metabolismo , Proteínas de Pez Cebra/genética , Análisis de la Célula Individual , Linaje de la Célula , Eritropoyesis/fisiología , Animales Modificados GenéticamenteRESUMEN
In order to facilitate cardiovascular research to develop non-invasive optical heart pacing methods, we have generated a double-transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) model suitable for optogenetic pacing. We created a fly stock with both excitatory H134R-ChR2 and inhibitory eNpHR2.0 opsin transgenes. Opsins were expressed in the fly heart using the Hand-GAL4 driver. Here we describe Hand > H134R-ChR2; eNpHR2.0 model characterization including bi-directional heart control (activation and inhibition) upon illumination of light with distinct wavelengths. Optical control and real-time visualization of the heart function were achieved non-invasively using an integrated light stimulation and optical coherence microscopy (OCM) system. OCM produced high-speed and high-resolution imaging; simultaneously, the heart function was modulated by blue (470 nm) or red (617 nm) light pulses causing tachycardia, bradycardia and restorable cardiac arrest episodes in the same animal. The irradiance power levels and illumination schedules were optimized to achieve successful non-invasive bi-directional heart pacing in Drosophila larvae and pupae.
Asunto(s)
Animales Modificados Genéticamente , Bradicardia , Drosophila melanogaster , Optogenética , Animales , Drosophila melanogaster/fisiología , Drosophila melanogaster/genética , Optogenética/métodos , Bradicardia/fisiopatología , Bradicardia/genética , Paro Cardíaco/terapia , Paro Cardíaco/genética , Paro Cardíaco/fisiopatología , Taquicardia/fisiopatología , Taquicardia/genética , ColorRESUMEN
Sensory axons projecting to the central nervous system are organized into topographic maps that represent the locations of sensory stimuli. In some sensory systems, even adjacent sensory axons are arranged topographically, forming "fine-scale" topographic maps. Although several broad molecular gradients are known to instruct coarse topography, we know little about the molecular signaling that regulates fine-scale topography at the level of two adjacent axons. Here, we provide evidence that transsynaptic bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling mediates local interneuronal communication to regulate fine-scale topography in the nociceptive system of Drosophila larvae. We first show that the topographic separation of the axon terminals of adjacent nociceptors requires their common postsynaptic target, the A08n neurons. This phenotype is recapitulated by knockdown of the BMP ligand, Decapentaplegic (Dpp), in these neurons. In addition, removing the Type 2 BMP receptors or their effector (Mad transcription factor) in single nociceptors impairs the fine-scale topography, suggesting the contribution of BMP signaling originated from A08n. This signaling is likely mediated by phospho-Mad in the presynaptic terminals of nociceptors to ensure local interneuronal communication. Finally, reducing Dpp levels in A08n reduces the nociceptor-A08n synaptic contacts. Our data support that transsynaptic BMP signaling establishes the fine-scale topography by facilitating the formation of topographically correct synapses. Local BMP signaling for synapse formation may be a developmental strategy that independently regulates neighboring axon terminals for fine-scale topography.