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. 2024 Sep;300(9):107720.
doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107720. Epub 2024 Aug 28.

Fusion of FokI and catalytically inactive prokaryotic Argonautes enables site-specific programmable DNA cleavage

Affiliations

Fusion of FokI and catalytically inactive prokaryotic Argonautes enables site-specific programmable DNA cleavage

Qiaochu Wang et al. J Biol Chem. 2024 Sep.

Abstract

Site-specific nucleases are crucial for genome engineering applications in medicine and agriculture. The ideal site-specific nucleases are easily reprogrammable, highly specific in target site recognition, and robust in nuclease activities. Prokaryotic Argonaute (pAgo) proteins have received much attention as biotechnological tools due to their ability to recognize specific target sequences without a protospacer adjacent motif, but their lack of intrinsic dsDNA unwinding activity limits their utility in key applications such as gene editing. Recently, we developed a pAgo-based system for site-specific DNA cleavage at physiological temperatures independently of the DNA form, using peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) to facilitate unwinding dsDNA targets. Here, we fused catalytically dead pAgos with the nuclease domain of the restriction endonuclease FokI and named this modified platform PNA-assisted FokI-(d)pAgo (PNFP) editors. In the PNFP system, catalytically inactive pAgo recognizes and binds to a specific target DNA sequence based on a programmable guide DNA sequence; upon binding to the target site, the FokI domains dimerize and introduce precise dsDNA breaks. We explored key parameters of the PNFP system including the requirements of PNA and guide DNAs, the specificity of PNA and guide DNA on target cleavage, the optimal concentration of different components, reaction time for invasion and cleavage, and ideal temperature and reaction buffer, to ensure efficient DNA editing in vitro. The results demonstrated robust site-specific target cleavage by PNFP system at optimal conditions in vitro. We envision that the PNFP system will provide higher editing efficiency and specificity with fewer off-target effects in vivo.

Keywords: FokI nuclease; Prokaryotic Argonautes; catalytically inactive Argonautes; double strand DNA break; genome editing; peptide nucleic acids.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest Authors have a pending patent application on the PNFP editors and their diverse uses and applications in diverse organisms.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PNA-assisted FokI-(d)pAgo cleavage of dsDNA.A, diagram of the PNA-assisted FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of dsDNA. In the first step, two PNA molecules recognize and invade the adjacent target dsDNA sequences. Then, the two FokI-(d)pAgo–gDNA complexes specifically bind to the unwound ssDNA. Finally, the two FokI proteins dimerize at the spacer region between the two FokI-(d)pAgo–gDNA complexes and introduce the double-strand breaks (DSBs). B, sequence information and binding positions of γPNA1, γPNA2, and the two guide DNAs in the modified pMRS-6 nt spacer - IN orientation target. C, top, diagram of the MfeI-linearized, modified pMRS-6 nt spacer - IN orientation target. Bottom, gel images showing the FokI-(d)CbAgo- (top) and FokI-(d)KmAgo- (bottom) mediated cleavage of the noninvaded (Lanes 1–6) and γPNA1&2-invaded (Lanes 10–15) target. FokI-(d)pAgo target cleavage was tested using no guides, single specific guides, a pair of specific guides, and a pair of nonspecific guides. Reactions including (d)pAgo, FokI, or intact pAgo only for cleavage in the presence of two specific guides were included as controls (lanes 7–9 [non-invaded] and 16 to 18 [γPNA1&2-invaded]). In the gel picture the FokI-(d)pAgo is either FokI-(d)CbAgo or FokI-(d)KmAgo, the (d)pAgo is either (d)CbAgo or (d)KmAgo, and the pAgo is either CbAgo or KmAgo. The SacI restriction enzyme size control is shown in lane 19. Lane M, 1-kb plus DNA marker.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of PNA invasion on the specificity of FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of dsDNA.A, schematic representation showing the FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of dsDNA noninvaded or invaded with either single γPNA or two γPNAs. When using noninvaded dsDNA target, none of the FokI-(d)pAgo–gDNA complexes can bind to the target regions. When the dsDNA target is invaded with single γPNA, only one of the FokI-(d)pAgo–gDNA complexes can recognize and bind to corresponding target region without forming dimer that is required for target cleavage. When the dsDNA target is invaded with two γPNAs simultaneously at adjacent sites, two FokI-(d)pAgo–gDNA complexes can bind to the unwound ssDNA regions in close proximity, allowing their dimerization and subsequent DSB generation. B, gel images showing the FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of the MfeI-linearized, modified pMRS-6 nt spacer - IN orientation target either noninvaded (lanes 1–4) or invaded by γPNA1 only (lanes 5–8), γPNA2 only (lanes 9–12), by both γPNA1&2 (lanes 13–16), or by two nonspecific γPNA (lane 18). These targets were then treated with FokI-(d)CbAgo (top gel) or FokI-(d)KmAgo (bottom gel) preloaded with no guides, a single specific guide, a pair of specific guides, or a pair of nonspecific guides. The cleavage of a target invaded with nonspecific PNAs (γPNA5&6) preloaded with a pair of specific guides by FokI-(d)pAgo was included as a control. The SacI restriction enzyme size control is shown in lane 19. Lane M, 1-kb plus DNA marker.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Time course analysis of γPNA invasion and FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of dsDNA.A, gel images showing the FokI-(d)CbAgo- (top) and FokI-(d)KmAgo- (bottom) mediated cleavage of MfeI-linearized, modified pMRS-6 nt spacer - IN orientation target invaded with γPNA1&2 for 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h,16 h, or 24 h (lanes 3–16, two invasion-time reactions were carried out for each time point). The cleavage reaction was conducted for 45 min. Noninvaded targets (lanes 1 and 2) and the SacI restriction enzyme size control (lane 17) were included as controls. B, gel images showing the FokI-(d)CbAgo- (top) and FokI-(d)KmAgo- (bottom) mediated cleavage of a MfeI-linearized noninvaded (lanes 1–6) target and a target invaded with γPNA1&2 for 5 h (lanes 7–12) in cleavage reactions conducted for 0 min, 15 min, 30 min, 45 min, 60 min, or 90 min. The SacI restriction enzyme size control is shown in lane 13. Lane M, 1-kb plus DNA marker.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Effect of different temperatures on γPNA invasion and FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of dsDNA.A, gel images showing the FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of a modified pMRS-6 nt spacer - IN orientation target at different temperatures (20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C, 40 °C, 45 °C, and 37 °C) after invasion with γPNA1&2 at 37 °C (lanes 1–7). B, gel images showing the FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of the target at 37 °C after invasion with γPNA1&2 at different temperatures (20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C, 40 °C, 45 °C, and 37 °C) (lanes 1–7). C, gel images showing the FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of the target when cleavage and γPNA invasion were conducted at the same temperature (20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C, 40 °C, 45 °C, and 37 °C) (Lanes 1–7). In all gels, FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of noninvaded DNA is shown in lane 8 and the SacI restriction enzyme size control is shown in lane 9. Lane M, 1-kb plus DNA marker.
Figure 5
Figure 5
FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage in different buffers. Gel images showing the FokI-(d)CbAgo- (top) and FokI-(d)KmAgo- (bottom) mediated cleavage of the MfeI-linearized, noninvaded (lanes 1–9) and γPNA1&2-invaded (lanes 10–18) modified pMRS-6 nt spacer - IN orientation target in different buffers. The SacI restriction enzyme size control is shown in lane 19. Lane M, 1-kb plus DNA marker.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Effect of guide length and type on FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of dsDNA.A, gel images showing the effect of guide length on FokI-(d)CbAgo- (top) and FokI-(d)KmAgo- (bottom) mediated cleavage of a BsrGI-linearized, modified pMRS-γPNA3/4-6 nt spacer target. The target invaded with γPNA3&4 was incubated with FokI-(d)pAgo preloaded with a pair of guide DNAs of 10 nt, 12 nt, 14 nt, 16 nt, 18 nt, or 20 nt in length (lanes 1–6). Noninvaded target incubated with FokI-(d)pAgo preloaded with 16-nt-long guides was included as a control (Lane 7). The SacI restriction enzyme size control is shown in lane 8. Lane M, 1-kb plus DNA marker. B, gel images showing the FokI-(d)CbAgo- (top) and FokI-(d)KmAgo- (bottom) mediated cleavage of the MfeI-linearized, modified pMRS-6 nt spacer - IN orientation target employing different types of guides. The noninvaded (lanes 1–4) or γPNA1&2-invaded (lanes 5–8) target was incubated with FokI-(d)pAgo preloaded with 5′-phosphorylated phosphorothioated guides (PT-guides; PT bond at every position) (lanes 1 and 5), 5′-phosphorylated RNA guides (RNA guides) (lanes 2 and 6), 5′-phosphorylated DNA guides (5′ P-DNA guides) (lanes 3 and 7), or no guides (lanes 4 and 8). The SacI restriction enzyme size control is shown in lane 9. Lane M, 1-kb plus DNA marker.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Effect of PNA and guide length on FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of dsDNA.A, diagrams showing the target region of modified pMRS-γPNA3/4-6 nt spacer target and invasion sites of γPNA3, γPNA4, truncated versions of γPNA3&4, and corresponding guide DNAs. Tm indicates melting temperature. B, gel images showing the FokI-(d)CbAgo- (top) or FokI-(d)KmAgo- (bottom) mediated cleavage of the BsrGI-linearized, modified pMRS, γPNA3/4-invaded, 6-nt spacer, IN orientation target invaded by 10-nt (lane 1), 14-nt (lane 2), 16-nt (lane 3), or 20-nt (lane 4) -long γPNA3 and γPNA4. FokI-(d)pAgo proteins were preloaded with 16-nt-long guide DNAs (1561 and 1545). Noninvaded target cleavage with FokI-(d)pAgos (lane 5) and SacI-digested (lane 6) samples were included as controls. Lane M, 1-kb plus DNA marker. C, gel images showing the FokI-(d)CbAgo- (top) or FokI-(d)KmAgo- (bottom) mediated cleavage of the target invaded by 10-nt (lane 1), 14-nt (lane 2), 16-nt (lane 3), or 20-nt (lane 4) -long γPNA3 and γPNA4 with different guide DNA lengths. FokI-(d)pAgo proteins were pre-loaded with 10-nt, 14-nt, 16-nt, or 20-nt-long guide DNAs. Noninvaded target cleavage with FokI-(d)pAgos (lane 5) and SacI-digested (lane 6) samples were included as controls. Lane M, 1-kb plus DNA marker.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Effect of guide mismatches on FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage of dsDNA. Gel images showing the FokI-(d)CbAgo- (top) or FokI-(d)KmAgo- (bottom) mediated cleavage of the γPNA1&2-invaded, modified pMRS-6 nt spacer - IN orientation target. FokI-(d)pAgo proteins were preloaded with different gDNAs containing 1 to 6 mismatches at different positions in the guide architecture. FokI-(d)pAgo–mediated cleavage on the γPNA1&2-invaded target using specific guides (lanes 16 and 35) and nonspecific guides (lanes 17 and 36), and on a noninvaded target using specific guides (lanes 18 and 37), together with the SacI-digested (noninvaded) samples (lanes 19 and 38) were included as controls. Lane M, 1-kb plus DNA marker.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Cleavage site identification of FokI-(d)pAgo on different targets.A, BsaI-linearized γPNA1&2-invaded, modified pMRS-15 nt spacer - OUT orientation target bound with guide DNA1 and guide DNA2 represented on top. Sanger sequencing reads of FokI-(d)CbAgo and FokI-(d)KmAgo cleaved products using forward primer and reverse primer represented below. B, BsaI-linearized, γPNA1&2-invaded, modified pMRS-6 nt spacer - IN orientation target bound with guide DNA1 and guide DNA2 represented on top. Sanger sequencing reads of FokI-(d)CbAgo and FokI-(d)KmAgo cleaved products using forward primer and reverse primer represented below. Arrows indicate the approximate cleavage positions of FokI-(d)pAgo. Arrow marks and box indicate the approximate cleavage positions of FokI-(d)CbAgo and FokI-(d)KmAgo; asterisk is the mismatched nucleotide read after Sanger sequencing.

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