• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1228-1237
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• 2023

The CRISPR-Cas system has emerged as the most efficient genome editing technique for a wide range of cells. Delivery of the Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complex (Cas9 RNP) has gained popularity. The objective of this study was to develop a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based assay to quantify the double-strand break reaction mediated by Cas9 RNP. To accomplish this, the dextransucrase gene (dsr) from Leuconostoc citreum was selected as the target DNA. The Cas9 protein was produced using recombinant Escherichia coli BL21, and two sgRNAs were synthesized through in vitro transcription to facilitate binding with the dsr gene. Under optimized in vitro conditions, the 2.6 kb dsr DNA was specifically cleaved into 1.1 and 1.5 kb fragments by both Cas9-sgRNA365 and Cas9-sgRNA433. By monitoring changes in dsr concentration using qPCR, the endonuclease activities of the two Cas9 RNPs were measured, and their efficiencies were compared. Specifically, the specific activities of dsr365RNP and dsr433RNP were 28.74 and 34.48 (unit/㎍ RNP), respectively. The versatility of this method was also verified using different target genes, uracil phosphoribosyl transferase (upp) gene, of Bifidobacterium bifidum and specific sgRNAs. The assay method was also utilized to determine the impact of high electrical field on Cas9 RNP activity during an efficient electroporation process. Overall, the results demonstrated that the qPCR-based method is an effective tool for measuring the endonuclease activity of Cas9 RNP.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.102-107
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• 2023

Genome editing using CRISPR-associated technology is widely used to modify the genomes rapidly and efficiently on specific DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by Cas9 endonuclease. However, despite swift advance in Cas9 engineering, structural basis of Cas9-recognition and cleavage complex remains unclear. Proper assembly of this complex correlates to effective Cas9 activity, leading to high efficacy of genome editing events. Here, we develop a CRISPR/Cas9-RAD51 plasmid constitutively expressing RAD51, which can bind to single-stranded DNA for DSB repair. We show that the efficiency of CRISPR-mediated genome editing can be significantly improved by expressing RAD51, responsible for DSB repair via homologous recombination (HR), in both gene knock-out and knock-in processes. In cells with CRISPR/Cas9-RAD51 plasmid, expression of the target genes (cohesin SMC3 and GAPDH) was reduced by more than 1.9-fold compared to the CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid for knock-out of genes. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9-RAD51 enhanced the knock-in efficiency of DsRed donor DNA. Thus, the CRISPR/Cas9-RAD51 system is useful for applications requiring precise and efficient genome edits not accessible to HR-deficient cell genome editing and for developing CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout technology.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.70-76
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• 2020

The CRISPR-Cas system provides an adaptive immunity for bacteria and archaea against invading phages or foreign plasmids. In the type II CRISPR-Cas system, a single effector protein Cas9 and a guide RNA form an RNA-guided endonuclease complex that can degrade DNA targets of foreign origin. To avoid the Cas9-mediated destruction, phages evolved anti-CRISPR (Acr) proteins that neutralize the host bacterial immunity by inactivating the CRISPR-Cas system. Here we report the backbone ¹H, ¹⁵N, and ¹³C resonance assignments of AcrIIA5 that inhibits the endonuclease activity of type II-A Streptococcus thermophilus Cas9 and also Streptococcus pyogenesis Cas9 using triple resonance nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The backbone chemical shifts of AcrIIA5 predict a disordered region at the N-terminus, followed by an αββββαβββ fold.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.71-75
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• 2018

The CRISPR-Cas system is the adaptive immune system in bacteria and archaea against invading phages or foreign plasmids. In the type II CRISPR-Cas system, an endonuclease Cas9 cleaves DNA targets of phages as directed by guide RNA comprising crRNA and tracrRNA. To avoid targeting and destruction by Cas9, phages employ anti-CRISPR (Acr) proteins that act against host bacterial immunity by inactivating the CRISPR-Cas system. Here we report the backbone $^1H$, $^{15}N$, and $^{13}C$ resonance assignments of AcrIIA4 that inhibits endonuclease activity of type II-A Listeria monocytogenes Cas9 and also Streptococcus pyogenesis Cas9 using triple resonance nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The secondary structures of AcrIIA4 predicted by the backbone chemical shifts show an ${\alpha}{\beta}{\beta}{\beta}{\alpha}{\alpha}$ fold, which is used to determine the solution structure.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2023

This study reports on the preparation of sodium caseinate-cardanol (CasNa/CL)-based papers coated with different amounts of bentonite (BN) for use as a sustainable packaging material. Their chemical and morphological structures, mechanical properties, water vapor permeability, surface properties, and antioxidant activity of coated papers was assessed as a function of the BN content. The drying of the CasNa/CL coated papers led to the formation of pinholes on their surfaces owing to the presence of trapped water resulting from the difference in the drying rate between the external surface and the inside of the coated layers. Increasing the BN content reduced the pinholes on surface of CasNa/CL/BN coated papers and highly decreased the water vapor transmittance rate of the papers from 387.3±1.9 g/m²·day to 269.25±4.5 g/m²·day. Free radical scavenging assays indicated the addition of CL to the CasNa exhibited the antioxidant activity and antioxidant activity of CasNa/CL/BN did not changed as increase of BN contents. The improved water vapor barrier property and antioxidant activity of CasNa/CL/BN coated papers can be promised for various packaging applications.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.505-514
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• 2022

Background: The roots of Panax ginseng contain two types of tetracyclic triterpenoid saponins, namely, protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type saponins and protopanaxatiol (PPT)-type saponins. In P. ginseng, the protopanaxadiol 6-hydroxylase (PPT synthase) enzyme catalyses protopanaxatriol (PPT) production from protopanaxadiol (PPD). In this study, we constructed homozygous mutant lines of ginseng by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of the PPT synthase gene and obtained the mutant ginseng root lines having complete depletion of the PPT-type ginsenosides. Methods: Two sgRNAs (single guide RNAs) were designed for target mutations in the exon sequences of the two PPT synthase genes (both PPTa and PPTg sequences) with the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Transgenic ginseng roots were generated through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The mutant lines were screened by ginsenoside analysis and DNA sequencing. Result: Ginsenoside analysis revealed the complete depletion of PPT-type ginsenosides in three putative mutant lines (Cr4, Cr7, and Cr14). The reduction of PPT-type ginsenosides in mutant lines led to increased accumulation of PPD-type ginsenosides. The gene editing in the selected mutant lines was confirmed by targeted deep sequencing. Conclusion: We have established the genome editing protocol by CRISPR/Cas9 system in P. ginseng and demonstrated the mutated roots producing only PPD-type ginsenosides by depleting PPT-type ginsenosides. Because the pharmacological activity of PPD-group ginsenosides is significantly different from that of PPT-group ginsenosides, the new type of ginseng mutant producing only PPD-group ginsenosides may have new pharmacological characteristics compared to wild-type ginseng. This is the first report to generate target-induced mutations for the modification of saponin biosynthesis in Panax species using CRISPR-Cas9 system.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.234-243
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• 2023

The recent advances in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) enable to precisely edit the desired bases in hPSCs to be used for the establishment of isogenic disease models and autologous ex vivo cell therapy. The knock-in approach based on the homologous directed repair with Cas9 endonuclease, causing DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), produces not only insertion and deletion (indel) mutations but also deleterious large deletions. On the contrary, due to the lack of Cas9 endonuclease activity, base editors (BEs) such as adenine base editor (ABE) and cytosine base editor (CBE) allow precise base substitution by conjugated deaminase activity, free from DSB formation. Despite the limitation of BEs in transition substitution, precise base editing by BEs with no massive off-targets is suggested to be a prospective alternative in hPSCs for clinical applications. Considering the unique cellular characteristics of hPSCs, a few points should be considered. Herein, we describe an updated and optimized protocol for base editing in hPSCs. We also describe an improved methodology for CBE-based C to T substitutions, which are generally lower than A to G substitutions in hPSCs.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.205-211
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• 2023

INTS14/VWA9, a component of the integrator complex subunits, plays a pivotal role in regulating the fate of numerous nascent RNAs transcribed by RNA polymerase II, particularly in the biogenesis of small nuclear RNAs and enhancer RNAs. Despite its significance, a comprehensive mutation model for developmental research has been lacking. To address this gap, we aimed to investigate the expression patterns of INTS14 during zebrafish embryonic development. We generated ints14 mutant strains using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. We validated the gRNA activity by co-injecting Cas9 protein and a single guide RNA into fertilized zebrafish eggs, subsequently confirming the presence of a 6- or 9-bp deletion in the ints14 gene. In addition, we examined the two mutant alleles through PCR analysis, T7E1 assay, TA-cloning, and sequencing. For the first time, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to create a model in which some sequences of the ints14 gene were removed. This breakthrough opens new avenues for in-depth exploration of the role of ints14 in animal diseases. The mutant strains generated in this study can provide a valuable resource for further investigations into the specific consequences of ints14 gene deletion during zebrafish development. This research establishes a foundation for future studies exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of ints14, its interactions with other genes or proteins, and its broader implications for biological processes.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.185-202
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• 2010

This study was designed to investigate the possibility that the optimization problem solving activities based on the instrumented CAS can have an influence on the sequence of mathematics curriculum in secondary mathematics education. Some optimization problem solving activities based on CAS were constructed and executed to eleventh grade(the penultimate year of Korean high school) 7 students for nine class hours. They have experienced using CAS in mathematics class for three months, but never learned calculus. The data which consists of classroom observations(audio and video taped) and post-unit interviews with students were analyzed. In the analysis, with CAS, students can highly deal with the applied optimization problems made up of calculus, cubic equation, solution of radical equation, and graph analysis which never learned. This result shows CAS may have an influence on the sequence of mathematics curriculum in secondary mathematics education.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.534-542
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• 2021

Single-molecular guide RNA (sgRNA) plays a role in recognizing the DNA target sequence in CRISPR technology for genome editing and gene expression control. In this study, we systematically compared the length of the target recognition sequence in sgRNAs required for genome editing using Cas9-NG (an engineered Cas9 recognizing 5'-NG as PAM sequence) and gene expression control using deactivated Cas9-NG (dCas9-NG) by targeting the gal promoter in E. coli. In the case of genome editing, the truncation of three nucleotides in the target recognition sequence (TRS) of sgRNA was allowed. In gene expression regulation, we observed that target recognition and binding were possible even if eleven nucleotides were deleted from twenty nucleotides of the TRS. When 4 or more nucleotides are truncated in the TRS of the sgRNA, it is thought that the sgRNA/Cas9-NG complex can specifically bind to the target DNA sequence, but lacks endonuclease activity to perform genome editing. Our study will be helpful in the development of artificial transcription factors and various CRISPR technologies in the field of synthetic biology.