CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout in the mouse brain using in utero electroporation

Sci Rep. 2016 Feb 9:6:20611. doi: 10.1038/srep20611.

Abstract

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has recently been adapted for generating knockout mice to investigate physiological functions and pathological mechanisms. Here, we report a highly efficient procedure for brain-specific disruption of genes of interest in vivo. We constructed pX330 plasmids expressing humanized Cas9 and single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) against the Satb2 gene, which encodes an AT-rich DNA-binding transcription factor and is responsible for callosal axon projections in the developing mouse brain. We first confirmed that these constructs efficiently induced double-strand breaks (DSBs) in target sites of exogenous plasmids both in vitro and in vivo. We then found that the introduction of pX330-Satb2 into the developing mouse brain using in utero electroporation led to a dramatic reduction of Satb2 expression in the transfected cerebral cortex, suggesting DSBs had occurred in the Satb2 gene with high efficiency. Furthermore, we found that Cas9-mediated targeting of the Satb2 gene induced abnormalities in axonal projection patterns, which is consistent with the phenotypes previously observed in Satb2 mutant mice. Introduction of pX330-NeuN using our procedure also resulted in the efficient disruption of the NeuN gene. Thus, our procedure combining the CRISPR/Cas9 system and in utero electroporation is an effective and rapid approach to achieve brain-specific gene knockout in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems*
  • Cerebral Cortex / embryology*
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
  • Electroporation / instrumentation
  • Electroporation / methods*
  • Female
  • Gene Knockout Techniques / instrumentation
  • Gene Knockout Techniques / methods*
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Matrix Attachment Region Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Matrix Attachment Region Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Pregnancy
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Uterus*

Substances

  • Matrix Attachment Region Binding Proteins
  • SATB2 protein, mouse
  • Transcription Factors