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Evaluating the role of cis-regulatory tandem DNA repeats in human disease and evolution

Research Project

Project/Area Number 21H02460
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 43050:Genome biology-related
Research InstitutionKyoto University

Principal Investigator

Woltjen Knut  京都大学, iPS細胞研究所, 准教授 (50589489)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) 川路 英哉  公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, ゲノム医学研究センター, 副センター長 (20525406)
依馬 正次  滋賀医科大学, 動物生命科学研究センター, 教授 (60359578)
井上 詞貴  京都大学, 高等研究院, 特定准教授 (60525369)
Project Period (FY) 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2023)
Budget Amount *help
¥17,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥13,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,020,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥5,070,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,170,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥5,850,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,350,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥6,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,500,000)
Keywordsゲノム編集 / ゲノム解析 / DNAリピート / ヒトiPS細胞 / CRISPR-Cas9 / iPS細胞 / レポーターアッセイ
Outline of Research at the Start

The expansion of genomic tandem repeats is coincident with the rapid evolutionary trajectory of hominid species. However, apart from a few rare examples, associations between repeat sequences and biological function remain statistical. How extensively have non-coding DNA repeat variants influenced primate brain evolution and human neurological disease? In this study we will develop a variant classification and genome editing framework in primate stem cells for defining the role of tandem repeats in primate gene regulation and their influence on disease and evolution.

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Repetitive sequences are poorly understood regions of the human genome. Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTRs) are strings of DNA repeats that change in number between individuals. These changes can affect gene expression and may cause disease. To understand these relationships, we developed a novel gene editing technique to change VNTR copy numbers in human cells. After characterizing the copy number differences of 5 naturally occurring VNTRs across 22 human iPS cell lines, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to cut each repeat, triggering a cellular DNA repair that reduces repeat number to one. We repeated this process but protecting some repeats from being cut, enabling the generation of cells with intermediate repeat numbers, something which has never been previously achieved. We used this method to generate iPS cells with VNTRs of various copy numbers to model human disease. With these novel tools, we have begun to study VNTRs more broadly across the human genome and in non-human primate models.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

VNTR copy-number editing is a new gene editing technique that allows scientists to study causal relationships between repetitive DNA and human disease. Achieving this in human iPS cells enables disease modeling of a new variety of genetic disorders in virtually all cell types of the body

Report

(4 results)
  • 2023 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2022 Annual Research Report
  • 2021 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (14 results)

All 2024 2023 2022

All Journal Article (1 results) Presentation (13 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 2 results,  Invited: 4 results)

  • [Journal Article] On the edge of deletion: Using natural and engineered microhomology to edit the human genome2024

    • Author(s)
      Martinez-Galvez Gabriel、Lee Suji、Niwa Ryo、Woltjen Knut
    • Journal Title

      Gene and Genome Editing

      Volume: 7 Pages: 100033-100033

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.ggedit.2024.100033

    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Discovery and generation of polymorphic copy number variants in human induced Pluripotent Stem cells2024

    • Author(s)
      Xiaoyan Ren, Gabriel Felipe Martinez-Galvez, Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      CiRA Retreat 2023
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Genome Editing in Human iPS Cells for Modeling Infectious and Genetic Disease2024

    • Author(s)
      Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      ゲノム編集医療概論
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Discovery and generation of polymorphic copy number variants in human iPS cells2023

    • Author(s)
      Xiaoyan Ren, Gabriel Felipe Martinez-Galvez, Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      第3回研究交流サロン
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Discovery and generation of polymorphic copy number variants in human induced Pluripotent Stem cells2023

    • Author(s)
      Xiaoyan Ren, Gabriel Felipe Martinez-Galvez, Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      CiRA International Symposium 2023
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Limiting Cas9 accessibility within repetitive DNA generates polymorphic copy-number variants in iPS cells2023

    • Author(s)
      Gabriel Felipe Martinez-Galvez, Xiaoyan Ren, Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      日本分子生物学会第46回大会
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Genome Editing in Human iPS Cells for Modeling Infectious and Genetic Disease2023

    • Author(s)
      Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      2023 Till & McCulloch Meetings
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
  • [Presentation] Genome Editing in Human iPS Cells for Modeling Infectious and Genetic Disease2023

    • Author(s)
      Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      国際キャリア基礎と実践
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Limiting Cas9 accessibility within repetitive DNA generates polymorphic copy-number variants in iPS cells2023

    • Author(s)
      Gabriel Felipe Martinez-Galvez, Xiaoyan Ren, Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      2023 Till & McCulloch Meetings
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] A comparative analysis of DNA double strand break repair predictors for template-less precision gene editing2022

    • Author(s)
      Gabriel Felipe Martinez-Galvez
    • Organizer
      日本ゲノム編集学会第7回大会
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Deploying MENdel MMEJ prediction for the efficient generation of frameshift deletions and disease modeling in human induced pluripotent stem cells2022

    • Author(s)
      Gabriel Felipe Martinez-Galvez
    • Organizer
      CiRA Retreat 2022
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Modeling genetic and infectious disease using Gene Editing and iPS Cell technologies2022

    • Author(s)
      Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      International Conference on Trends and Challenges in Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Total control of the human genome by reprogramming and precision editing2022

    • Author(s)
      Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      School of Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series, UBC, Canada
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] ヒトiPS細胞における精密なゲノム編集技術2022

    • Author(s)
      Knut Woltjen
    • Organizer
      第21 回日本再生医療学会総会
    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report
    • Invited

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Published: 2021-04-28   Modified: 2025-01-30  

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