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Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) are useful vectors for transducing cells in vitro and in vivo. Targeting of specific cell subsets with AAV is limited by the broad tropism of AAV serotypes. Nanobodies are single immunoglobulin variable domains from heavy chain antibodies that naturally occur in camelids. Their small size and high solubility allow easy reformatting into fusion proteins. In this chapter we provide protocols for inserting a P2X7-specific nanobody into a surface loop of the VP1 capsid protein of AAV2. Such nanobody-displaying recombinant AAV allow 50- to 500-fold stronger transduction of P2X7-expressing cells than the parental AAV. We provide protocols for monitoring the transduction of P2X7-expressing cells by nanobody-displaying rAAV by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy.

Display of short peptides on the surface of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) is a powerful technology for the generation of gene therapy vectors with altered cell specificities and/or transduction efficiencies. Following its extensive prior use in the best characterized AAV serotype 2 (AAV2), recent reports also indicate the potential of other AAV isolates as scaffolds for peptide display. In this study, we systematically explored the respective capacities of 13 different AAV capsid variants to tolerate 27 peptides inserted on the surface followed by production of reporter-encoding vectors. Single-round screening in pre-arrayed 96-well plates permitted rapid and simple identification of superior vectors in >90 cell types, including T cells and primary cells. Notably, vector performance depended not only on the combination of capsid, peptide, and cell type, but also on the position of the inserted peptide and the nature of flanking residues. For optimal data availability and accessibility, all results were assembled in a searchable online database offering multiple output styles. Finally, we established a reverse-transduction pipeline based on vector pre-spotting in 96- or 384-well plates that facilitates high-throughput library panning. Our comprehensive illustration of the vast potential of alternative AAV capsids for peptide display should accelerate their in vivo screening and application as unique gene therapy vectors.

Despite rapid development and deployment of vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), clinically relevant modalities to curb the pandemic by directly attacking the virus on a genetic level remain highly desirable and are urgently needed. Here we comprehensively illustrate the capacity of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors co-expressing a cocktail of three short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs; RNAi triggers) directed against the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp and N genes as versatile and effective antiviral agents. In cultured monkey cells and human gut organoids, our most potent vector, SAVIOR (SARS virus repressor), suppressed SARS-CoV-2 infection to background levels. Strikingly, in control experiments using single shRNAs, multiple SARS-CoV-2 escape mutants quickly emerged from infected cells within 24–48 h. Importantly, such adverse viral adaptation was fully prevented with the triple-shRNA AAV vector even during long-term cultivation. In addition, AAV-SAVIOR efficiently purged SARS-CoV-2 in a new model of chronically infected human intestinal cells. Finally, intranasal AAV-SAVIOR delivery using an AAV9 capsid moderately diminished viral loads and/or alleviated disease symptoms in hACE2-transgenic or wild-type mice infected with human or mouse SARS-CoV-2 strains, respectively. Our combinatorial and customizable AAV/RNAi vector complements ongoing global efforts to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and holds great potential for clinical translation as an original and flexible preventive or therapeutic antiviral measure., Graphical abstract, Becker et al. report a novel, direct-acting strategy to suppress SARS-CoV-2 replication ex vivo and in vivo that is based on a recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector co-expressing three short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) against three different target regions in the SARS-CoV-2 genome that are conserved in multiple strains, including omicron.

Preclinical studies on gene delivery into mouse lymphocytes are often hampered by insufficient activity of lentiviral (LV) and adeno-associated vectors (AAVs) as well as missing tools for cell type selectivity when considering in vivo gene therapy. Here, we selected designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) binding to murine CD8. The top-performing DARPin was displayed as targeting ligand on both vector systems. When used on engineered measles virus (MV) glycoproteins, the resulting mCD8-LV transduced CD8+ mouse lymphocytes with near-absolute (>99%) selectivity. Despite its lower functional titer, mCD8-LV achieved 4-fold higher gene delivery to CD8+ cells than conventional VSV-LV when added to whole mouse blood. Addition of mCD8-LV encoding a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) specific for mouse CD19 to splenocytes resulted in elimination of B lymphocytes and lymphoma cells. For display on AAV, the DARPin was inserted into the GH2-GH3 loop of the AAV2 capsid protein VP1, resulting in a DARPin-targeted AAV we termed DART-AAV. Stocks of mCD8-AAV contained similar genome copies as AAV2 but were >20-fold more active in gene delivery in mouse splenocytes, while exhibiting >99% specificity for CD8+ cells. These results suggest that receptor targeting can overcome blocks in transduction of mouse splenocytes., Graphical abstract, Mouse models are crucial for translating viral vectors into clinical gene therapy and cancer immunotherapy. For gene delivery to mouse T lymphocytes, Buchholz and colleagues addressed lentiviral and AAV vectors to murine CD8, a marker on cytotoxic T cells, which resulted in strong gene transfer with high target-cell selectivity.

Human brain cells generated by in vitrocell programming provide exciting prospects for disease modeling, drug discovery and cell therapy. These applications frequently require efficient and clinically compliant tools for genetic modification of the cells. Recombinant Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) fulfill these prerequisites for a number of reasons, including the availability of a myriad of AAV capsid variants with distinct cell type specificity (also called tropism). Here, weharnessed a customizable parallel screening approach to assessa panel of natural or synthetic AAV capsid variants for their efficacy in lineage-related human neural cell types.We identified common lead candidates suited for the transduction of directly converted,early-stage induced neural stem cells (iNSCs), induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived later-stage, radial glia-like neuralprogenitors,as well as differentiated astrocytic and mixed neuroglial cultures.We then selected a subsetof these candidates for functional validation in iNSCs and iPSC-derived astrocytes, usingshRNA-induced downregulation of the citrate transporter SLC25A1 and overexpression of the transcription factor NGN2 for proofs-of-concept. Our study provides a comparative overview ofthe susceptibility of different human cell programming-derived brain cell types to AAV transduction and a critical discussionof the assets and limitations of the specific AAV capsidscreening approach.

Human brain cells generated by in vitro cell programming provide exciting prospects for disease modeling, drug discovery and cell therapy. These applications frequently require efficient and clinically compliant tools for genetic modification of the cells. Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) fulfill these prerequisites for a number of reasons, including the availability of a myriad of AAV capsid variants with distinct cell type specificity (also called tropism). Here, we harnessed a customizable parallel screening approach to assess a panel of natural or synthetic AAV capsid variants for their efficacy in lineage-related human neural cell types. We identified common lead candidates suited for the transduction of directly converted, early-stage induced neural stem cells (iNSCs), induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived later-stage, radial glia-like neural progenitors, as well as differentiated astrocytic and mixed neuroglial cultures. We then selected a subset of these candidates for functional validation in iNSCs and iPSC-derived astrocytes, using shRNA-induced downregulation of the citrate transporter SLC25A1 and overexpression of the transcription factor NGN2 for proofs-of-concept. Our study provides a comparative overview of the susceptibility of different human cell programming-derived brain cell types to AAV transduction and a critical discussion of the assets and limitations of this specific AAV capsid screening approach.

SummaryVariants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are replacing the initial wild-type strain, jeopardizing current efforts to contain the pandemic. Amino acid exchanges in the spike protein are of particular concern as they can render the virus more transmissible or reduce vaccine efficacy. Here, we conducted whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 positive samples from the Rhine-Neckar district in Germany during January-March 2021. We detected a total of 166 samples positive for a variant with a distinct mutational pattern in the spike gene comprising L18F, L452R, N501Y, A653V, H655Y, D796Y and G1219V with a later gain of A222V. This variant was designated A.27.RN according to its phylogenetic clade classification. It emerged in parallel with the B.1.1.7 variant, increased to >50% of all SARS-CoV-2 variants by week five. Subsequently it decreased to

We present membrane-based steric exclusion chromatography (SXC) as a universal capture step for purification of adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene transfer vectors independent of their serotype and surface characteristics. SXC is performed by mixing an unpurified cell culture supernatant containing AAV particles with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and feeding the mixture onto a chromatography filter unit. The purified AAV particles are recovered by flushing the unit with a solution lacking PEG. SXC is an inexpensive single-use method that permits to concentrate, purify, and re-buffer AAV particles with yields95% and80% impurity clearance. SXC could theoretically be employed at industrial scales with units of nearly 20 m

EClinicalMedicine 39, 101082 (2021). doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101082, Published by Elsevier, Amsterdam

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) remains a major health threat. Viral capsid uncoating and nuclear import of the viral genome are critical for productive infection. The size of the HIV-1 capsid is generally believed to exceed the diameter of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), indicating that capsid uncoating has to occur prior to nuclear import. Here, we combined correlative light and electron microscopy with subtomogram averaging to capture the structural status of reverse transcription-competent HIV-1 complexes in infected T cells. We demonstrate that the diameter of the NPCin cellulois sufficient for the import of apparently intact, coneshaped capsids. Subsequent to nuclear import, we detected disrupted and empty capsid fragments, indicating that uncoating of the replication complex occurs by breaking the capsid open, and not by disassembly into individual subunits. Our data directly visualize a key step in HIV-1 replication and enhance our mechanistic understanding of the viral life cycle.

Rapid large-scale testing is essential for controlling the ongoing pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The standard diagnostic pipeline for testing SARS-CoV-2 presence in patients with an ongoing infection is predominantly based on pharyngeal swabs, from which the viral RNA is extracted using commercial kits, followed by reverse transcription and quantitative PCR detection. As a result of the large demand for testing, commercial RNA extraction kits may be limited and, alternatively, non-commercial protocols are needed. Here, we provide a magnetic bead RNA extraction protocol that is predominantly based on in-house made reagents and is performed in 96-well plates supporting large-scale testing. Magnetic bead RNA extraction was benchmarked against the commercial QIAcube extraction platform. Comparable viral RNA detection sensitivity and specificity were obtained by fluorescent and colorimetric reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) using a primer set targeting the N gene, as well as RT-qPCR using a primer set targeting the E gene, showing that the RNA extraction protocol presented here can be combined with a variety of detection methods at high throughput. Importantly, the presented diagnostic workflow can be quickly set up in a laboratory without access to an automated pipetting robot.

Accumulation of trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) on immune-related gene promoters underlies robust transcription during trained immunity. However, the molecular basis for this remains unknown. Here we show three-dimensional chromatin topology enables immune genes to engage in chromosomal contacts with a subset of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) we have defined as immune gene–priming lncRNAs (IPLs). We show that the prototypical IPL, UMLILO, acts in cis to direct the WD repeat-containing protein 5 (WDR5)–mixed lineage leukemia protein 1 (MLL1) complex across the chemokine promoters, facilitating their H3K4me3 epigenetic priming. This mechanism is shared amongst several trained immune genes. Training mediated by β-glucan epigenetically reprograms immune genes by upregulating IPLs in manner dependent on nuclear factor of activated T cells. The murine chemokine topologically associating domain lacks an IPL, and the Cxcl genes are not trained. Strikingly, the insertion of UMLILO into the chemokine topologically associating domain in mouse macrophages resulted in training of Cxcl genes. This provides strong evidence that lncRNA-mediated regulation is central to the establishment of trained immunity. This study shows that immune-related genes are primed for transcription by proximal lncRNAs. One such lncRNA, UMLILO, directs the WDR5–MLL1 complex to CXCL chemokine promoters, facilitating H3K4me3 deposition.

The rapid development of CRISPR–Cas technologies brought a personalized and targeted treatment of genetic disorders into closer reach. To render CRISPR-based therapies precise and safe, strategies to confine the activity of Cas(9) to selected cells and tissues are highly desired. Here, we developed a cell type-specific Cas-ON switch based on miRNA-regulated expression of anti-CRISPR (Acr) proteins. We inserted target sites for miR-122 or miR-1, which are abundant specifically in liver and cardiac muscle cells, respectively, into the 3′UTR of Acr transgenes. Co-expressing these with Cas9 and sgRNAs resulted in Acr knockdown and released Cas9 activity solely in hepatocytes or cardiomyocytes, while Cas9 was efficiently inhibited in off-target cells. We demonstrate control of genome editing and gene activation using a miR-dependent AcrIIA4 in combination with different Streptococcus pyogenes (Spy)Cas9 variants (full-length Cas9, split-Cas9, dCas9-VP64). Finally, to showcase its modularity, we adapted our Cas-ON system to the smaller and more target-specific Neisseria meningitidis (Nme)Cas9 orthologue and its cognate inhibitors AcrIIC1 and AcrIIC3. Our Cas-ON switch should facilitate cell-specific activity of any CRISPR–Cas orthologue, for which a potent anti-CRISPR protein is known.

Summary Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) remains a major health threat. Viral capsid uncoating and nuclear import of the viral genome are critical for productive infection. The size of the HIV-1 capsid is generally believed to exceed the diameter of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), indicating that capsid uncoating has to occur prior to nuclear import. Here, we combined correlative light and electron microscopy with subtomogram averaging to capture the structural status of reverse transcription-competent HIV-1 complexes in infected T cells. We demonstrated that the diameter of the NPC in cellulo is sufficient for the import of apparently intact, cone-shaped capsids. Subsequent to nuclear import, we detected disrupted and empty capsid fragments, indicating that uncoating of the replication complex occurs by breaking the capsid open, and not by disassembly into individual subunits. Our data directly visualize a key step in HIV-1 replication and enhance our mechanistic understanding of the viral life cycle., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • Nuclear translocation of HIV-1 capsids is captured by 3D CLEM/cryo-ET • Nuclear pore complexes in T cells are sufficiently dilated to accommodate HIV-1 capsids • Cone-shaped HIV-1 capsids translocate through nuclear pore complexes • Inside the nucleus HIV-1 capsids rupture and release their interior, Visualization of nuclear translocation of HIV-1 capsids by 3D correlative fluorescence light and electron microscope, combined with cryoelectron tomography, demonstrates that nuclear pore complexes in infected T cells are sufficiently dilated to allow cone-shaped HIV-1 capsids to pass through.

Comparing the prose-rhythm in the direct speeches of the Corpus Caesarianum produces another proof for Caesar being not the author of the writings Bellum Alexandrinum, Bellum Africum and Bellum Hispaniense.

In the version of this article initially published, ‘+’ and ‘–’ labels were missing from the graph keys at the bottom of Fig. 8d. The error has been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the article.

Nuclear entry of HIV-1 replication complexes through intact nuclear pore complexes is critical for successful infection. The host protein cleavage-and-polyadenylation-specificity-factor-6 (CPSF6) has been implicated in different stages of early HIV-1 replication. Applying quantitative microscopy of HIV-1 reverse-transcription and pre-integration-complexes (RTC/PIC), we show that CPSF6 is strongly recruited to nuclear replication complexes but absent from cytoplasmic RTC/PIC in primary human macrophages. Depletion of CPSF6 or lack of CPSF6 binding led to accumulation of HIV-1 subviral complexes at the nuclear envelope of macrophages and reduced infectivity. Two-color stimulated-emission-depletion microscopy indicated that under these circumstances HIV-1 complexes are retained inside the nuclear pore and undergo CA-multimer dependent CPSF6 clustering adjacent to the nuclear basket. We propose that nuclear entry of HIV-1 subviral complexes in macrophages is mediated by consecutive binding of Nup153 and CPSF6 to the hexameric CA lattice., eLife digest Viruses are miniscule parasites that hijack the resources of a cell to make more of themselves. For many, this involves getting inside the nucleus, the fortress that protects the cell’s genetic information. To do so, viruses need to first find a way through a double-layered membrane called the nuclear envelope, which only opens up when a cell divides. Yet, the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) can infect cells that no longer divide, and in which the nucleus’ walls never come down. The virus cores then head for the nuclear pores, heavily guarded holes in the nuclear envelope that allow the cell's own molecules to go in and out of the nucleus. But HIV-1 is too big to fit through, as its genetic information is encased in a capsid, a coat made of a complex assembly of proteins. However, research shows that these capsid proteins can bind to host proteins at the pore or even inside the nucleus. For example, the capsid protein can recognize the pore protein Nup153, or the nuclear protein CPSF6. These interactions could help the virus make its way in, but how these events unfold is still unclear. To explore this, Bejarano, Peng et al. attached fluorescent labels to HIV-1 and watched as it infected non-dividing cells. Rather than completely get rid of their capsid before they crossed the pores, the virus particles hung on to a large part of their lattice. This remaining coat then attached to CPSF6; when this protein was missing or could not bind to capsid proteins, the viral complexes got stuck in the nuclear pores. This suggests that the capsid lattice could first interact with Nup153 inside the pores: then, CPSF6 would take over, knocking Nup153 away and pulling HIV-1 into the nucleus. Armed with this knowledge, virologists and drug developers could try to block HIV-1 from entering the cell’s nucleus; they could also start to dissect how drugs that target the HIV-1 capsid work. Ultimately, HIV-1 may serve as a model to unravel how large objects can pass the nuclear pore, which may help us understand how molecules are constantly trafficked in and out of the nucleus.

Over the last decade, the role of the assembly-activating protein (AAP) has begun to be dissected for the formation of adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsids based on different viral serotypes. Recently, the authors' group has specifically studied AAP's relevance during production of AAV gene therapy vectors in mammalian or insect cells, and AAP was found to be essential for capsid protein stabilization and generation of functional vector particles. Here, the lingering question is additionally addressed of whether molecular AAV evolution via DNA family shuffling of viral capsid genes would perturb AAP functionality due to concurrent and inadvertent recombination of the AAP open reading frame. To this end, a battery of complementary experiments was conducted in which: (1) the ability of chimeric AAP from AAVDJ, a hybrid of serotypes 2, 8, and 9, was tested to rescue AAP knockouts in the three parental serotypes; (2) the functionality of 60 chimeric AAPs extracted from five shuffled, unselected capsid libraries was measured; (3) whether production of different shuffled libraries, 10 wild-type serotypes or 25 individual chimeric capsids, can be enhanced by overexpression of AAP cocktails was assessed; and (4) the activity of 12 chimeric AAPs isolated from a shuffled library that was iteratively selected in vivo in mouse livers was studied. Collectively, the data demonstrate a remarkable tolerance of AAP for recombination via DNA family shuffling, evidenced by the findings that (1) all chimeric AAPs studied here retained at least partial activity, even in cases where the cognate hybrid capsid may be non-functional, and that (2) ectopic AAP overexpression did not enhance production of shuffled AAV chimeras or libraries, implying that the inherently encoded hybrid AAP variants are sufficiently active. Together, this work provides compelling evidence that AAP is not rate limiting during AAV capsid shuffling and thereby relieves a major concern in the field of AAV vector evolution.

Accumulation of trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) on immune-related gene promoters underlies robust transcription during trained immunity. However, the molecular basis for this remains unknown. Here we show three-dimensional chromatin topology enables immune genes to engage in chromosomal contacts with a subset of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) we have defined as immune gene-priming lncRNAs (IPLs). We show that the prototypical IPL, UMLILO, acts in cis to direct the WD repeat-containing protein 5 (WDR5)-mixed lineage leukemia protein 1 (MLL1) complex across the chemokine promoters, facilitating their H3K4me3 epigenetic priming. This mechanism is shared amongst several trained immune genes. Training mediated by β-glucan epigenetically reprograms immune genes by upregulating IPLs in manner dependent on nuclear factor of activated T cells. The murine chemokine topologically associating domain lacks an IPL, and the Cxcl genes are not trained. Strikingly, the insertion of UMLILO into the chemokine topologically associating domain in mouse macrophages resulted in training of Cxcl genes. This provides strong evidence that lncRNA-mediated regulation is central to the establishment of trained immunity.

The discovery that adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) encodes an eighth protein, called assembly-activating protein (AAP), transformed our understanding of wild-type AAV biology. Concurrently, it raised questions about the role of AAP during production of recombinant vectors based on natural or molecularly engineered AAV capsids. Here, we show that AAP is indeed essential for generation of functional recombinant AAV2 vectors in both mammalian and insect cell-based vector production systems. Surprisingly, we observed that AAV2 capsid proteins VP1 to -3 are unstable in the absence of AAP2, likely due to rapid proteasomal degradation. Inhibition of the proteasome led to an increase of intracellular VP1 to -3 but neither triggered assembly of functional capsids nor promoted nuclear localization of the capsid proteins. Together, this underscores the crucial and unique role of AAP in the AAV life cycle, where it rapidly chaperones capsid assembly, thus preventing degradation of free capsid proteins. An expanded analysis comprising nine alternative AAV serotypes (1, 3 to 9, and rh10) showed that vector production always depends on the presence of AAP, with the exceptions of AAV4 and AAV5, which exhibited AAP-independent, albeit low-level, particle assembly. Interestingly, AAPs from all 10 serotypes could cross-complement AAP-depleted helper plasmids during vector production, despite there being distinct intracellular AAP localization patterns. These were most pronounced for AAP4 and AAP5, congruent with their inability to rescue an AAV2/AAP2 knockout. We conclude that AAP is key for assembly of genuine capsids from at least 10 different AAV serotypes, which has implications for vectors derived from wild-type or synthetic AAV capsids. IMPORTANCE Assembly of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) is regulated by the assembly-activating protein (AAP), whose open reading frame overlaps with that of the viral capsid proteins. As the majority of evidence was obtained using virus-like particles composed solely of the major capsid protein VP3, AAP's role in and relevance for assembly of genuine AAV capsids have remained largely unclear. Thus, we established a trans -complementation assay permitting assessment of AAP functionality during production of recombinant vectors based on complete AAV capsids and derived from any serotype. We find that AAP is indeed a critical factor not only for AAV2, but also for generation of vectors derived from nine other AAV serotypes. Moreover, we identify a new role of AAP in maintaining capsid protein stability in mammalian and insect cells. Thereby, our study expands our current understanding of AAV/AAP biology, and it concomitantly provides insights into the importance of AAP for AAV vector production.

Astrocytes, the most abundant cells in the mammalian brain, perform key functions and are involved in several neurodegenerative diseases. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can persist in astrocytes, contributing to the HIV burden and neurological dysfunctions in infected individuals. While a comprehensive approach to HIV cure must include the targeting of HIV-1 in astrocytes, dedicated tools for this purpose are still lacking. Here we report a novel Adeno-associated virus-based vector (AAV9P1) with a synthetic surface peptide for transduction of astrocytes. Analysis of AAV9P1 transduction efficiencies with single brain cell populations, including primary human brain cells, as well as human brain organoids demonstrated that AAV9P1 targeted terminally differentiated human astrocytes much more efficiently than neurons. We then investigated whether AAV9P1 can be used to deliver HIV-inhibitory genes to astrocytes. To this end we generated AAV9P1 vectors containing genes for HIV-1 proviral editing by CRISPR/Cas9. Latently HIV-1 infected astrocytes transduced with these vectors showed significantly diminished reactivation of proviruses, compared with untransduced cultures. Sequence analysis identified mutations/deletions in key HIV-1 transcriptional control regions. We conclude that AAV9P1 is a promising tool for gene delivery to astrocytes and may facilitate inactivation/destruction of persisting HIV-1 proviruses in astrocyte reservoirs.

Malaria, caused by protozoan Plasmodium parasites, remains a prevalent infectious human disease due to the lack of an efficient and safe vaccine. This is directly related to the persisting gaps in our understanding of the parasite's interactions with the infected host, especially during the clinically-silent yet essential liver stage of Plasmodium development. Previously, we and others showed that genetically-attenuated parasites (GAP) that arrest in the liver induce sterile immunity, but only upon multiple administrations. Here, we comprehensively studied hepatic gene and miRNA expression in GAP-injected mice, and found both a broad activation of IFNγ-associated pathways and a significant increase of murine microRNA-155 (miR-155), that was especially pronounced in non-parenchymal cells including liver-resident macrophages (Kupffer cells). Remarkably, ectopic upregulation of this miRNA in the liver of mice using robust hepatotropic Adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8) vectors enhanced GAP's protective capacity substantially. In turn, this AAV8-mediated miR-155 expression permitted a reduction of GAP injections needed to achieve complete protection against infectious parasite challenge from previously three to only one. Our study highlights a crucial role of mammalian miRNAs in Plasmodium liver infection in vivo and concurrently implies their great potential as future immune-augmenting agents in improved vaccination regimes against malaria and other diseases.

Human immunodeficiency virus Gag drives assembly of virions in infected cells and interacts with host factors which facilitate or restrict viral replication. Although several Gag-binding proteins have been characterized, understanding of virus–host interactions remains incomplete. In a series of six affinity purification screens, we have identified protein candidates for interaction with HIV-1 Gag. Proteins previously found in virions or identified in siRNA screens for host factors influencing HIV-1 replication were recovered. Helicases, translation factors, cytoskeletal and motor proteins, factors involved in RNA degradation and RNA interference were enriched in the interaction data. Cellular networks of cytoskeleton, SR proteins and tRNA synthetases were identified. Most prominently, components of cytoplasmic RNA transport granules were co-purified with Gag. This study provides a survey of known Gag–host interactions and identifies novel Gag binding candidates. These factors are associated with distinct molecular functions and cellular pathways relevant in host–pathogen interactions.

Deliberate silencing of disease-associated genes using RNA interference (RNAi) has become a most powerful therapeutic option in the battle against cancer, infections and other human disorders. Yet, recent evidence suggests that over-dosing RNAi can have detrimental side effects on cells and tissues, and cause toxicities and lethalities in small animals. Unlike previously noted adverse effects, these new phenomena are unrelated to RNAi sequences but rather involve saturation of cellular gene silencing pathways. Considering the importance of these alarming findings for the clinical translation of RNAi technologies, we review the underlying mechanisms and discuss potential solutions.

Short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) have emerged as a novel therapeutic modality, but there is increasing concern over nonspecific effects in vivo. Here, we used viral vectors to express shRNAs against endogenous p53 in livers of conditional MYC-transgenic mice. As expected, the shRNAs silenced hepatic p53 and accelerated liver tumorigenesis when MYC was concurrently expressed. Surprisingly, various irrelevant control shRNAs similarly induced a rapid onset of tumorigenesis, comparable to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), a potent carcinogen. We found that even marginal shRNA doses can already trigger histologically detectable hepatoxicity and increased hepatocyte apoptosis. Moreover, we noted that shRNA expression globally dysregulated hepatic microRNA (miRNA) expression, and that shRNA levels and activity further increased in the presence of MYC. In MYC-expressing transgenic mice, the marginal shRNA-induced liver injury sufficed to further stimulate hepatocellular division that was in turn associated with markedly increased expression of the mitotic cyclin B1. Hence, even at low doses, shRNAs can cause low-level hepatoxicity that can facilitate the ability of the MYC oncogene to induce liver tumorigenesis. Our data warrant caution regarding the possible carcinogenic potential of shRNAs when used as clinical agent, particularly in circumstances where tissues are genetically predisposed to cellular transformation and proliferation.

Interferons (IFNs) are key players in the antiviral response. IFN sensing by the cell activates transcription of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) able to induce an antiviral state by affecting viral replication and release. IFN also induces the expression of ISGs that function as negative regulators to limit the strength and duration of IFN response. The ISGs identified so far belong to coding genes. However, only a small proportion of the transcriptome corresponds to coding transcripts and it has been estimated that there could be as many coding as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). To address whether IFN can also regulate the expression of lncRNAs, we analyzed the transcriptome of HuH7 cells treated or not with IFNα2 by expression arrays. Analysis of the arrays showed increased levels of several well-characterized coding genes that respond to IFN both at early or late times. Furthermore, we identified several IFN-stimulated or -downregulated lncRNAs (ISRs and IDRs). Further validation showed that ISR2, 8, and 12 expression mimics that of their neighboring genes GBP1, IRF1, and IL6, respectively, all related to the IFN response. These genes are induced in response to different doses of IFNα2 in different cell lines at early (ISR2 or 8) or later (ISR12) time points. IFNβ also induced the expression of these lncRNAs. ISR2 and 8 were also induced by an influenza virus unable to block the IFN response but not by other wild-type lytic viruses tested. Surprisingly, both ISR2 and 8 were significantly upregulated in cultured cells and livers from patients infected with HCV. Increased levels of ISR2 were also detected in patients chronically infected with HIV. This is relevant as genome-wide guilt-by-association studies predict that ISR2, 8, and 12 may function in viral processes, in the IFN pathway and the antiviral response. Therefore, we propose that these lncRNAs could be induced by IFN to function as positive or negative regulators of the antiviral response.

Its remarkable ease and efficiency make the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) DNA editing machinery highly attractive as a new tool for experimental gene annotation and therapeutic genome engineering in eukaryotes. Here, we report a versatile set of plasmids and vectors derived from adeno-associated virus (AAV) that allow robust and specific delivery of the two essential CRISPR components - Cas9 and chimeric g(uide)RNA - either alone or in combination. All our constructs share a modular design that enables simple and stringent guide RNA (gRNA) cloning as well as rapid exchange of promoters driving Cas9 or gRNA. Packaging into potent synthetic AAV capsids permits CRISPR delivery even into hard-to-transfect targets, as shown for human T-cells. Moreover, we demonstrate the feasibility to direct Cas9 expression to or away from hepatocytes, using a liver-specific promoter or a hepatic miRNA binding site, respectively. We also report a streamlined and economical protocol for detection of CRISPR-induced mutations in less than 3 h. Finally, we provide original evidence that AAV/CRISPR vectors can be exploited for gene engineering in vivo, as exemplified in the liver of adult mice. Our new tools and protocols should foster the broad application of CRISPR technology in eukaryotic cells and organisms, and accelerate its clinical translation into humans.

The CRISPR/Cas9 system currently revolutionizes the gene therapy field due to the unique ease and efficiency with which it can be exploited for targeted DNA editing in mammalian cells. It only requires a small g(uide)RNA that directs the Cas9 protein to a specific DNA sequence which is then cleaved by Cas9. In the absence of a homologous exogenous template, the ensuing double-stranded DNA break is repaired by non-homologous end joining, an error-prone cellular mechanism frequently resulting in insertions or deletions that disrupt the original sequence. While useful in principle to perturb the expression of disease-associated genes, rapidly evolving targets such as human viruses will require concurrent expression of multiple gRNAs to thwart adverse mutational escape. To fill in this gap, we created novel highly customizable AAV vectors permitting multiplexing of up to three gRNAs in a single self-complementary vector backbone. Notably, our constructs readily accommodate and deliver minimal expression cassettes only consisting of gRNA(s) and promoter(s) with total sizes as little as 250 bp, which reduces the amount of ectopic DNA and improves vector safety. We demonstrated the power of our vectors by their use for simultaneous knock-out of three key players in apoptosis signaling, exemplifying their usefulness for dissection of cellular pathways. In addition, we engineered corresponding AAV backbones for shRNA expression, to be able to eventually juxtapose targeting on the DNA (CRISPR) and the RNA (RNAi) level in a single vector. Therefore, we made all constructs compatible with Golden Gate Assembly which minimizes work while maximizing flexibility, in turn paving the way for high-throughput cloning and screening of combinatorial RNAi/CRISPR libraries. Notably, the vectors offer three different RNA polymerase III promoters – U6, H1 or 7SK – for expression of gRNA or shRNA, thus allowing users to fine-tune g/shRNA levels and to alleviate toxic effects from over-expression. Finally, we also assembled a library of promoters for Cas9 expression comprising viral, synthetic and mammalian variants, to further expand the options for customization of our AAV/TRISPR system according to specific targets and needs. Indeed, as described in more detail in a separate abstract (Borner et al.), the selection of optimal gRNA/Cas9 vector designs even permits potent disruption of very challenging targets, such as integrated proviral HIV-1 DNA in T cells. Likewise, the use of proper regulatory elements is crucial for potent in vivo CRISPR-mediated targeting of endogenous genes in the mouse liver, as noted for the miR-122 microRNA. Considering the high degree of versatility of our vector designs, as well as the additional options for in vivo re-targeting through AAV capsid engineering, we expect our novel AAV-TRISPR kit for combinatorial gRNA/shRNA expression to substantially foster future efforts to co-exploit RNAi and CRISPR, and to benefit a multitude of human gene therapy applications.

Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors represent some of the most potent and promising vehicles for therapeutic human gene transfer due to a unique combination of beneficial properties(1). These include the apathogenicity of the underlying wildtype viruses and the highly advanced methodologies for production of high-titer, high-purity and clinical-grade recombinant vectors(2). A further particular advantage of the AAV system over other viruses is the availability of a wealth of naturally occurring serotypes which differ in essential properties yet can all be easily engineered as vectors using a common protocol(1,2). Moreover, a number of groups including our own have recently devised strategies to use these natural viruses as templates for the creation of synthetic vectors which either combine the assets of multiple input serotypes, or which enhance the properties of a single isolate. The respective technologies to achieve these goals are either DNA family shuffling(3), i.e. fragmentation of various AAV capsid genes followed by their re-assembly based on partial homologies (typically80% for most AAV serotypes), or peptide display(4,5), i.e. insertion of usually seven amino acids into an exposed loop of the viral capsid where the peptide ideally mediates re-targeting to a desired cell type. For maximum success, both methods are applied in a high-throughput fashion whereby the protocols are up-scaled to yield libraries of around one million distinct capsid variants. Each clone is then comprised of a unique combination of numerous parental viruses (DNA shuffling approach) or contains a distinctive peptide within the same viral backbone (peptide display approach). The subsequent final step is iterative selection of such a library on target cells in order to enrich for individual capsids fulfilling most or ideally all requirements of the selection process. The latter preferably combines positive pressure, such as growth on a certain cell type of interest, with negative selection, for instance elimination of all capsids reacting with anti-AAV antibodies. This combination increases chances that synthetic capsids surviving the selection match the needs of the given application in a manner that would probably not have been found in any naturally occurring AAV isolate. Here, we focus on the DNA family shuffling method as the theoretically and experimentally more challenging of the two technologies. We describe and demonstrate all essential steps for the generation and selection of shuffled AAV libraries (Fig. 1), and then discuss the pitfalls and critical aspects of the protocols that one needs to be aware of in order to succeed with molecular AAV evolution.

RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a powerful technique for studying loss-of-function phenotypes by specific down-regulation of gene expression, allowing the investigation of virus-host interactions by large-scale high-throughput RNAi screens. Here we present a robust and sensitive small interfering RNA screening platform consisting of an experimental setup, single-cell image and statistical analysis as well as bioinformatics. The workflow has been established to elucidate host gene functions exploited by viruses, monitoring both suppression and enhancement of viral replication simultaneously by fluorescence microscopy. The platform comprises a two-stage procedure in which potential host factors are first identified in a primary screen and afterwards re-tested in a validation screen to confirm true positive hits. Subsequent bioinformatics allows the identification of cellular genes participating in metabolic pathways and cellular networks utilised by viruses for efficient infection. Our workflow has been used to investigate host factor usage by the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), but can also be adapted to other viruses. Importantly, we expect that the description of the platform will guide further screening approaches for virus-host interactions. The ViroQuant-CellNetworks RNAi Screening core facility is an integral part of the recently founded BioQuant centre for systems biology at the University of Heidelberg and will provide service to external users in the near future.

As the only mammalian Argonaute protein capable of directly cleaving mRNAs in a small RNA-guided manner, Argonaute-2 (Ago2) is a keyplayer in RNA interference (RNAi) silencing via small interfering (si) or short hairpin (sh) RNAs. It is also a rate-limiting factor whose saturation by si/shRNAs limits RNAi efficiency and causes numerous adverse side effects. Here, we report a set of versatile tools and widely applicable strategies for transient or stable Ago2 co-expression, which overcome these concerns. Specifically, we engineered plasmids and viral vectors to co-encode a codon-optimized human Ago2 cDNA along with custom shRNAs. Furthermore, we stably integrated this Ago2 cDNA into a panel of standard human cell lines via plasmid transfection or lentiviral transduction. Using various endo- or exogenous targets, we demonstrate the potential of all three strategies to boost mRNA silencing efficiencies in cell culture by up to 10-fold, and to facilitate combinatorial knockdowns. Importantly, these robust improvements were reflected by augmented RNAi phenotypes and accompanied by reduced off-targeting effects. We moreover show that Ago2/shRNA-co-encoding vectors can enhance and prolong transgene silencing in livers of adult mice, while concurrently alleviating hepatotoxicity. Our customizable reagents and avenues should broadly improve future in vitro and in vivo RNAi experiments in mammalian systems. Published version