IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-37507-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Prime editing with genuine Cas9 nickases minimizes unwanted indels

Author

Listed:
  • Jaesuk Lee

    (Institute for Basic Science
    Seoul National University)

  • Kayeong Lim

    (Institute for Basic Science
    Korea Institute of Science and Technology)

  • Annie Kim

    (Institute for Basic Science)

  • Young Geun Mok

    (Institute for Basic Science
    GreenGene Inc)

  • Eugene Chung

    (Institute for Basic Science
    Seoul National University)

  • Sung-Ik Cho

    (Institute for Basic Science
    Seoul National University
    Yonsei University College of Medicine)

  • Ji Min Lee

    (Institute for Basic Science
    Seoul National University)

  • Jin-Soo Kim

    (Institute for Basic Science
    National University of Singapore)

Abstract

Unlike CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases, which yield DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), Cas9 nickases (nCas9s), which are created by replacing key catalytic amino-acid residues in one of the two nuclease domains of S. pyogenesis Cas9 (SpCas9), produce nicks or single-strand breaks. Two SpCas9 variants, namely, nCas9 (D10A) and nCas9 (H840A), which cleave target (guide RNA-pairing) and non-target DNA strands, respectively, are widely used for various purposes, including paired nicking, homology-directed repair, base editing, and prime editing. In an effort to define the off-target nicks caused by these nickases, we perform Digenome-seq, a method based on whole genome sequencing of genomic DNA treated with a nuclease or nickase of interest, and find that nCas9 (H840A) but not nCas9 (D10A) can cleave both strands, producing unwanted DSBs, albeit less efficiently than wild-type Cas9. To inactivate the HNH nuclease domain further, we incorporate additional mutations into nCas9 (H840A). Double-mutant nCas9 (H840A + N863A) does not exhibit the DSB-inducing behavior in vitro and, either alone or in fusion with the M-MLV reverse transcriptase (prime editor, PE2 or PE3), induces a lower frequency of unwanted indels, compared to nCas9 (H840A), caused by error-prone repair of DSBs. When incorporated into prime editor and used with engineered pegRNAs (ePE3), we find that the nCas9 variant (H840A + N854A) dramatically increases the frequency of correct edits, but not unwanted indels, yielding the highest purity of editing outcomes compared to nCas9 (H840A).

Suggested Citation

  • Jaesuk Lee & Kayeong Lim & Annie Kim & Young Geun Mok & Eugene Chung & Sung-Ik Cho & Ji Min Lee & Jin-Soo Kim, 2023. "Prime editing with genuine Cas9 nickases minimizes unwanted indels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-37507-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37507-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-37507-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-37507-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Arik Shams & Sean A. Higgins & Christof Fellmann & Thomas G. Laughlin & Benjamin L. Oakes & Rachel Lew & Shin Kim & Maria Lukarska & Madeline Arnold & Brett T. Staahl & Jennifer A. Doudna & David F. S, 2021. "Comprehensive deletion landscape of CRISPR-Cas9 identifies minimal RNA-guided DNA-binding modules," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Andrew V. Anzalone & Peyton B. Randolph & Jessie R. Davis & Alexander A. Sousa & Luke W. Koblan & Jonathan M. Levy & Peter J. Chen & Christopher Wilson & Gregory A. Newby & Aditya Raguram & David R. L, 2019. "Search-and-replace genome editing without double-strand breaks or donor DNA," Nature, Nature, vol. 576(7785), pages 149-157, December.
    3. Xiaosa Li & Lina Zhou & Bao-Qing Gao & Guangye Li & Xiao Wang & Ying Wang & Jia Wei & Wenyan Han & Zixian Wang & Jifang Li & Runze Gao & Junjie Zhu & Wenchao Xu & Jing Wu & Bei Yang & Xiaodong Sun & L, 2022. "Highly efficient prime editing by introducing same-sense mutations in pegRNA or stabilizing its structure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Alexis C. Komor & Yongjoo B. Kim & Michael S. Packer & John A. Zuris & David R. Liu, 2016. "Programmable editing of a target base in genomic DNA without double-stranded DNA cleavage," Nature, Nature, vol. 533(7603), pages 420-424, May.
    5. Nicole M. Gaudelli & Alexis C. Komor & Holly A. Rees & Michael S. Packer & Ahmed H. Badran & David I. Bryson & David R. Liu, 2017. "Programmable base editing of A•T to G•C in genomic DNA without DNA cleavage," Nature, Nature, vol. 551(7681), pages 464-471, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zeyu Lu & Lingtian Zhang & Qing Mu & Junyang Liu & Yu Chen & Haoyuan Wang & Yanjun Zhang & Rui Su & Ruijun Wang & Zhiying Wang & Qi Lv & Zhihong Liu & Jiasen Liu & Yunhua Li & Yanhong Zhao, 2024. "Progress in Research and Prospects for Application of Precision Gene-Editing Technology Based on CRISPR–Cas9 in the Genetic Improvement of Sheep and Goats," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Chao Yang & Zhenzhen Ma & Keshan Wang & Xingxiao Dong & Meiyu Huang & Yaqiu Li & Xiagu Zhu & Ju Li & Zhihui Cheng & Changhao Bi & Xueli Zhang, 2023. "HMGN1 enhances CRISPR-directed dual-function A-to-G and C-to-G base editing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Jeonghun Kwon & Minyoung Kim & Seungmin Bae & Anna Jo & Youngho Kim & Jungjoon K. Lee, 2022. "TAPE-seq is a cell-based method for predicting genome-wide off-target effects of prime editor," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Dominique L. Brooks & Manuel J. Carrasco & Ping Qu & William H. Peranteau & Rebecca C. Ahrens-Nicklas & Kiran Musunuru & Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh & Xiao Wang, 2023. "Rapid and definitive treatment of phenylketonuria in variant-humanized mice with corrective editing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Daphne Collias & Elena Vialetto & Jiaqi Yu & Khoa Co & Éva d. H. Almási & Ann-Sophie Rüttiger & Tatjana Achmedov & Till Strowig & Chase L. Beisel, 2023. "Systematically attenuating DNA targeting enables CRISPR-driven editing in bacteria," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Luke Hoberecht & Pirunthan Perampalam & Aaron Lun & Jean-Philippe Fortin, 2022. "A comprehensive Bioconductor ecosystem for the design of CRISPR guide RNAs across nucleases and technologies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-20, December.
    7. Chengdong Zhang & Yuan Yang & Tao Qi & Yuening Zhang & Linghui Hou & Jingjing Wei & Jingcheng Yang & Leming Shi & Sang-Ging Ong & Hongyan Wang & Hui Wang & Bo Yu & Yongming Wang, 2023. "Prediction of base editor off-targets by deep learning," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. Guiquan Zhang & Yao Liu & Shisheng Huang & Shiyuan Qu & Daolin Cheng & Yuan Yao & Quanjiang Ji & Xiaolong Wang & Xingxu Huang & Jianghuai Liu, 2022. "Enhancement of prime editing via xrRNA motif-joined pegRNA," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Ronghao Chen & Yu Cao & Yajing Liu & Dongdong Zhao & Ju Li & Zhihui Cheng & Changhao Bi & Xueli Zhang, 2023. "Enhancement of a prime editing system via optimal recruitment of the pioneer transcription factor P65," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    10. Qichen Yuan & Xue Gao, 2022. "Multiplex base- and prime-editing with drive-and-process CRISPR arrays," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    11. Huawei Tong & Haoqiang Wang & Xuchen Wang & Nana Liu & Guoling Li & Danni Wu & Yun Li & Ming Jin & Hengbin Li & Yinghui Wei & Tong Li & Yuan Yuan & Linyu Shi & Xuan Yao & Yingsi Zhou & Hui Yang, 2024. "Development of deaminase-free T-to-S base editor and C-to-G base editor by engineered human uracil DNA glycosylase," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    12. Kun Jia & Yan-ru Cui & Shisheng Huang & Peihong Yu & Zhengxing Lian & Peixiang Ma & Jia Liu, 2022. "Phage peptides mediate precision base editing with focused targeting window," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    13. Xiangfeng Kong & Hainan Zhang & Guoling Li & Zikang Wang & Xuqiang Kong & Lecong Wang & Mingxing Xue & Weihong Zhang & Yao Wang & Jiajia Lin & Jingxing Zhou & Xiaowen Shen & Yinghui Wei & Na Zhong & W, 2023. "Engineered CRISPR-OsCas12f1 and RhCas12f1 with robust activities and expanded target range for genome editing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    14. Péter István Kulcsár & András Tálas & Zoltán Ligeti & Sarah Laura Krausz & Ervin Welker, 2022. "SuperFi-Cas9 exhibits remarkable fidelity but severely reduced activity yet works effectively with ABE8e," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    15. You-Jeong Kim & Dayoung Yun & Jungjoon K. Lee & Cheulhee Jung & Aram J. Chung, 2024. "Highly efficient CRISPR-mediated genome editing through microfluidic droplet cell mechanoporation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    16. Yi-Li Feng & Qian Liu & Ruo-Dan Chen & Si-Cheng Liu & Zhi-Cheng Huang & Kun-Ming Liu & Xiao-Ying Yang & An-Yong Xie, 2022. "DNA nicks induce mutational signatures associated with BRCA1 deficiency," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    17. Michael Kosicki & Felicity Allen & Frances Steward & Kärt Tomberg & Yangyang Pan & Allan Bradley, 2022. "Cas9-induced large deletions and small indels are controlled in a convergent fashion," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    18. Peter N. Ciaccia & Zhuobin Liang & Anabel Y. Schweitzer & Eli Metzner & Farren J. Isaacs, 2024. "Enhanced eMAGE applied to identify genetic factors of nuclear hormone receptor dysfunction via combinatorial gene editing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    19. Marion Rosello & Malo Serafini & Luca Mignani & Dario Finazzi & Carine Giovannangeli & Marina C. Mione & Jean-Paul Concordet & Filippo Del Bene, 2022. "Disease modeling by efficient genome editing using a near PAM-less base editor in vivo," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    20. Yuting Chen & Eriona Hysolli & Anlu Chen & Stephen Casper & Songlei Liu & Kevin Yang & Chenli Liu & George Church, 2022. "Multiplex base editing to convert TAG into TAA codons in the human genome," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-37507-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.