Name: zinc-finger nuclease enhanced gene targeting in human embryonic stem cells
Uploaded: 2014-08-23T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Zinc-finger Nuclease Enhanced Gene Targeting in Human Embryonic Stem Cells at JoVE.com

Work described in this protocol was made possible by funding from the Victorian Government as part of an collaborative alliance with the Californian Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

All procedures are carried out in a sterile laminar flow hood. All media and solutions are equilibrated to 37 &#176;C unless otherwise specified.
1. Expansion of Human PSCs (hESCs and hiPSCs, WA-09 used in this Protocol) for Transfection
Note: It is not necessary to expand hESCs on Matrigel or Geltrex. hESCs expanded on mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) can be used for electroporation or nucleofection following a MEF removal step (see section 2.8).
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The generation of reporter cell lines offers a powerful means to track, visualize and isolate cells of interest from a heterogeneous population derived from hESCs.&#160; However, gene targeting via conventional homologous recombination has proven to be extremely inefficient for human ESCs3.&#160; In this protocol we describe a relatively simple technique for introducing a RP into exon one of the PITX3 locus, in hESCs using a widely available targeting vector together with ZFNs.&#160; In our hands the ...

Current embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation protocols result in heterogeneous cell populations, particularly with respect to the derivation of specific neuronal phenotypes.&#160; Thus, although cultures contain the desired cellular phenotype, other neuronal, non-neuronal and un-differentiated cell types are often present1.&#160; These characteristics limit the application of ESC derived cell sources for use in cell replacement therapy and in vitro disease modeling.
Genetic reporter cell lines offer a means to visualize, track and isolate cells of interest, provided that the expression of the reporter protein (RP) reproduces endogenous expression.&#160; Use of promoters immediately upstream of a gene coding region can be used to derive crude genetic reporters but such constructs lack the precise regulatory elements that control endogenous gene expression.&#160; In contrast, homologous recombination offers the opportunity to ensure high-fidelity expression of the RP.&#160; In the past, targeting vectors designed for homologous recombination at specific loci of interest have been used to target RPs in mouse ESCs (mESCs) using electroporation as a means of DNA delivery1,2.&#160; However the generation of reporter cell lines via conventional homologous recombination is extremely inefficient for human ESCs (hESCs), and thus has only been documented in a handful of cases (reviewed in3). By using an engineered chimeric protein containing a fusion of a FokI nuclease with site-specific zinc-finger motifs, known collectively as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), DNA double-strand breaks can be introduced at pre-determined genomic loci.&#160; When a DNA vector with homology to both sides of the DNA double strand break is added, the genomic site can be repaired by homologous recombination, allowing the incorporation of the DNA donor sequence. This technique has proved useful for genomic editing in both human primary cells4,5 and hESCs6,7.&#160; More recent work has utilized transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), transcription factors used by plant pathogens8, to aid in the design of site-specific nucleases9.
In the following protocol we demonstrate the generation of a hESC reporter cell line by electroporation of an EGFP containing homologous targeting vector6 together with ZFNs for the human Pituitary homeobox 3 (PITX3) locus.&#160; Following antibiotic selection for 2-3 weeks, hESCs with correctly integrated DNA can be manually picked, expanded and screened initially via PCR, and subsequently validated by Southern blotting.

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zinc-finger nuclease enhanced gene targeting in human embryonic stem cells

One major limitation with current human embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation protocols is the generation of heterogeneous cell populations.&#160;These cultures contain the cells of interest, but are also contaminated with undifferentiated ESCs, non-neural derivatives and other neuronal subtypes.&#160; This limits their use in in vitro and in vivo applications, such as in vitro modeling for drug discovery or cell replacement therapy. To help overcome this, reporter cell lines, which offer a means to visualize, track and isolate cells of interest, can be engineered.&#160;However, to achieve this in human embryonic stem cells via conventional homologous recombination is extremely inefficient.&#160;This protocol describes targeting of the Pituitary homeobox 3 (PITX3) locus in human embryonic stem cells using custom designed zinc-finger nucleases, which introduce site-specific double-strand DNA breaks, together with a PITX3-EGFP-specific DNA donor vector. Following the generation of the PITX3 reporter cell line, it can then be differentiated using published protocols for use in studies such as in vitro Parkinson&#8217;s disease modeling or cell replacement therapy.

Following co-electroporation of the custom designed PITX3 zinc-finger pair together with the PITX3-EGFP-specific DNA donor vector, and subsequent puromycin selection, positive hESC clones were initially detected via genomic PCR screening (Figure 1). Southern blot hybridization of these PCR positive clones with 5&#8217; and 3&#8217; specific probes confirmed correct targeting to exon 1 of the PITX3 locus (Figure 2), with an efficiency of 19%. Immunofluo...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Zinc-finger Nuclease Enhanced Gene Targeting in Human Embryonic Stem Cells at JoVE.com

Zinc-finger Nuclease Enhanced Gene Targeting in Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Reporter cell lines offer a means to visualize, track and isolate cells of interest from heterogeneous populations.&#160;However, gene-targeting using conventional homologous recombination in human embryonic stem cells is extremely inefficient. Herein, we describe targeting CNS midbrain specific transcription factor PITX3 locus with EGFP using zinc-finger nuclease enhanced homologous recombination.

One major limitation with current human embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation protocols is the generation of heterogeneous cell ...

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