Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N9/00—Enzymes; Proenzymes; Compositions thereof; Processes for preparing, activating, inhibiting, separating or purifying enzymes
  • C12N9/14—Hydrolases (3)
  • C12N9/16—Hydrolases (3) acting on ester bonds (3.1)
  • C12N9/22—Ribonucleases [RNase]; Deoxyribonucleases [DNase]
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P13/00—Drugs for disorders of the urinary system
  • A61P13/02—Drugs for disorders of the urinary system of urine or of the urinary tract, e.g. urine acidifiers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P13/00—Drugs for disorders of the urinary system
  • A61P13/12—Drugs for disorders of the urinary system of the kidneys
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P17/00—Drugs for dermatological disorders
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P19/00—Drugs for skeletal disorders
  • A61P19/02—Drugs for skeletal disorders for joint disorders, e.g. arthritis, arthrosis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P21/00—Drugs for disorders of the muscular or neuromuscular system
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P21/00—Drugs for disorders of the muscular or neuromuscular system
  • A61P21/02—Muscle relaxants, e.g. for tetanus or cramps
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
  • A61P25/28—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system for treating neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system, e.g. nootropic agents, cognition enhancers, drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P29/00—Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P3/00—Drugs for disorders of the metabolism
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P31/00—Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
  • A61P31/12—Antivirals
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P31/00—Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
  • A61P31/12—Antivirals
  • A61P31/14—Antivirals for RNA viruses
  • A61P31/18—Antivirals for RNA viruses for HIV
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P35/00—Antineoplastic agents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P43/00—Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P7/00—Drugs for disorders of the blood or the extracellular fluid
  • A61P7/04—Antihaemorrhagics; Procoagulants; Haemostatic agents; Antifibrinolytic agents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P9/00—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
  • C07K14/195—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from bacteria
  • C07K14/32—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from bacteria from Bacillus (G)
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N15/00—Mutation or genetic engineering; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification; Use of hosts therefor
  • C12N15/09—Recombinant DNA-technology
  • C12N15/11—DNA or RNA fragments; Modified forms thereof; Non-coding nucleic acids having a biological activity
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N15/00—Mutation or genetic engineering; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification; Use of hosts therefor
  • C12N15/09—Recombinant DNA-technology
  • C12N15/87—Introduction of foreign genetic material using processes not otherwise provided for, e.g. co-transformation
  • C12N15/90—Stable introduction of foreign DNA into chromosome
  • C12N15/902—Stable introduction of foreign DNA into chromosome using homologous recombination
  • C12N15/907—Stable introduction of foreign DNA into chromosome using homologous recombination in mammalian cells
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N9/00—Enzymes; Proenzymes; Compositions thereof; Processes for preparing, activating, inhibiting, separating or purifying enzymes
  • C12N9/14—Hydrolases (3)
  • C12N9/24—Hydrolases (3) acting on glycosyl compounds (3.2)
  • C12N9/2497—Hydrolases (3) acting on glycosyl compounds (3.2) hydrolysing N- glycosyl compounds (3.2.2)
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N9/00—Enzymes; Proenzymes; Compositions thereof; Processes for preparing, activating, inhibiting, separating or purifying enzymes
  • C12N9/14—Hydrolases (3)
  • C12N9/78—Hydrolases (3) acting on carbon to nitrogen bonds other than peptide bonds (3.5)
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide
  • C07K2319/01—Fusion polypeptide containing a localisation/targetting motif
  • C07K2319/09—Fusion polypeptide containing a localisation/targetting motif containing a nuclear localisation signal
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide
  • C07K2319/80—Fusion polypeptide containing a DNA binding domain, e.g. Lacl or Tet-repressor
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N2310/00—Structure or type of the nucleic acid
  • C12N2310/10—Type of nucleic acid
  • C12N2310/20—Type of nucleic acid involving clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats [CRISPR]
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N2800/00—Nucleic acids vectors
  • C12N2800/80—Vectors containing sites for inducing double-stranded breaks, e.g. meganuclease restriction sites
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12Y—ENZYMES
  • C12Y305/00—Hydrolases acting on carbon-nitrogen bonds, other than peptide bonds (3.5)
  • C12Y305/04—Hydrolases acting on carbon-nitrogen bonds, other than peptide bonds (3.5) in cyclic amidines (3.5.4)
  • C12Y305/04005—Cytidine deaminase (3.5.4.5)

Definitions

• Targeted editing of nucleic acid sequences is a highly promising approach for the study of gene function and also has the potential to provide new therapies for human genetic diseases.
• An ideal nucleic acid editing technology possesses three characteristics: (1) high efficiency of installing the desired modification; (2) minimal off-target activity; and (3) the ability to be programmed to edit precisely any site in a given nucleic acid, e.g., any site within the human genome.
• NHEJ and HDR are stochastic processes that typically result in modest gene editing efficiencies as well as unwanted gene alterations that can compete with the desired alteration.
• 8 Since many genetic diseases in principle can be treated by effecting a specific nucleotide change at a specific location in the genome (for example, a C to T change in a specific codon of a gene associated with a disease), 9 the development of a programmable way to achieve such precise gene editing would represent both a powerful new research tool, as well as a potential new approach to gene editing-based human therapeutics.
• Cas9 can be targeted to virtually any target sequence by providing a suitable guide RNA
• Cas9 technology is still limited with respect to the sequences that can be targeted by a strict requirement for a protospacer-adj acent motif (PAM), typically of the nucleotide sequence 5'-NGG-3', that must be present immediately adjacent to the 3 '-end of the targeted DNA sequence in order for the Cas9 protein to bind and act upon the target sequence.
• PAM protospacer-adj acent motif
• the PAM requirement thus limits the sequences that can be efficiently targeted by Cas9 proteins.
• CRISPR clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat
• sgRNA RNA molecule
• the target DNA sequence must be both complementary to the sgRNA and also contain a "protospacer-adj acent motif (PAM) at the 3 '-end of the complementary region in order for the system to function. 14
• PAM protospacer-adj acent motif
• novel Cas9 variants that exhibit activity on target sequences that do not include the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3', where N is any nucleotide) at the 3 '-end.
• Such Cas9 variants are not restricted to target sequences that include the canonical PAM sequence at the 3 '-end.
• Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 has been mostly widely used as a tool for genome engineering.
• This Cas9 protein is a large, multi- domain protein containing two distinct nuclease domains. Point mutations can be introduced into Cas9 to abolish nuclease activity, resulting in a dead Cas9 (dCas9) that still retains its ability to bind DNA in a sgRNA-programmed manner.
• dCas9 dead Cas9
• such Cas9 variants when fused to another protein or domain, can target that protein to virtually any DNA sequence simply by co-expression with an appropriate sgRNA.
• this disclosure also comtemplates fusion proteins comprising such Cas9 variants and a DNA modifying domain ⁇ e.g., a deaminase, a nuclease, a nickase, a recombinase, a methyltransferase, a methylase, an acetylase, an acetyltransferase, a transcriptional activator, or a transcriptional repressor domain), as well as the use of such fusion proteins in correcting mutations in a genome ⁇ e.g., the genome of a human subject) that are associated with disease, or generating mutations in a genome ⁇ e.g., the human genome) to decrease or prevent expression of a gene.
• a DNA modifying domain e.g., a deaminase, a nuclease, a nickase, a recombinase, a methyltransferase, a
• any of the Cas9 proteins provided herein may be fused to a protein that has an enzymatic activity.
• the enzymatic activity modifies a target DNA.
• the enzymatic activity is nuclease activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, DNA repair activity, DNA damage activity, deamination activity, dismutase activity, alkylation activity, depurination activity, oxidation activity, pyrimidine dimer forming activity, integrase activity, transposase activity, recombinase activity, polymerase activity, ligase activity, helicase activity, photolyase activity or glycosylase activity.
• the enzymatic activity is nuclease activity.
• the nuclease activity introduces a double strand break in the target DNA.
• the enzymatic activity modifies a target polypeptide associated with the target DNA.
• the enzymatic activity is methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, kinase activity, phosphatase activity, ubiquitin ligase activity, deubiquitinating activity, adenylation activity, deadenylation activity,
• the target polypeptide is a histone and the enzymatic activity is methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, kinase activity, phosphatase activity, ubiquitin ligase activity or deubiquitinating activity.
• any of the Cas9 proteins provided herein may be fused to a protein that has an enzymatic activity.
• the enzymatic activity modifies a polypeptide associated with DNA (e.g. a histone).
• the enzymatic activity is methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, kinase activity, phosphatase activity, ubiquitin ligase activity (i.e., ubiquitination activity), deubiquitinating activity, adenylation activity, deadenylation activity, SUMOylating activity, deSUMOylating activity, ribosylation activity, deribosylation activity, myristoylation activity, demyristoylation activity glycosylation activity (e.g., from O-GlcNAc transferase) or deglycosylation activity.
• ubiquitin ligase activity i.e., ubiquitination activity
• deubiquitinating activity i.e., ubiquitinating activity
• adenylation activity deadenylation activity
• SUMOylating activity deSUMOylating activity
• the enzymatic activities listed herein catalyze covalent modifications to proteins. Such modifications are known in the art to alter the stability or activity of the target protein (e.g., phosphorylation due to kinase activity can stimulate or silence protein activity depending on the target protein). Of particular interest as protein targets are histones. Histone proteins are known in the art to bind DNA and form complexes known as nucleosomes. Histones can be modified (e.g., by methylation, acetylation, ubuitination, phosphorylation) to elicit structural changes in the surrounding DNA, thus controlling the accessibility of potentially large portions of DNA to interacting factors such as transcription factors, polymerases and the like.
• a single histone can be modified in many different ways and in many different combinations (e.g., trimethylation of lysine 27 of histone 3, H3K27, is associated with DNA regions of repressed transcription while trimethylation of lysine 4 of histone 3, H3K4, is associated with DNA regions of active transcription).
• a site-directed modifying polypeptide with hi stone-modifying activity finds use in the site specific control of DNA structure and can be used to alter the histone modification pattern in a selected region of target DNA. Such methods find use in both research and clinical applications.
• the deaminase domain catalyzes the removal of an amine group from a molecule.
• cytidine deaminase domains deaminate cytosine to yield uracil.
• the nuclease domain has enzymatic activity and may cleave phosphodiester bonds between the nucleotide subunits of nucleic acids.
• recombinase domains which recombine specific sequences of DNA, may be used to manipulate the structure of genomes and to control gene expression.
• methylase domains may be utilized to methylate their respective substrates, while acetylase domains may be used to acetylate their respective substrates.
• acetyltransferase domains may be used to transfer an acetyl group.
• examples of acetyltransferase molecules include, but are not limited to, histone acetyltransferases (e.g., CBP histone acetyltransferase), choline acetyltransferase,
• Transcriptional activator domains are regions of a transcription factor which may activate transcription from a promoter through an interaction or multiple interactions with a DNA binding domain, general transcription factors, and RNA polymerase.
• Transcriptional repressor domins are regions of a transcription factor which may repress transcription from a protomer through an interaction or multiple interactions with a DNA binding domain, general transcription factors, and RNA polymerase.
• the potential of the Cas9 system for genome engineering is immense. Its unique ability to bring proteins to specific sites in a genome programmed by the sgRNA can be developed into a variety of site-specific genome engineering tools beyond nucleases, including transcriptional activators, transcriptional repressors, hi stone-modifying proteins, integrases, deaminases, and recombinases. 11 Some of these potential applications have recently been implemented through dCas9 fusions with transcriptional activators to afford RNA-guided transcriptional activators, 17 ' 18 transcriptional repressors, 16 ' 19 ' 20 and chromatin modification enzymes. 21 Simple co-expression of these fusions with a variety of sgRNAs results in specific expression of the target genes. These seminal studies have paved the way for the design and construction of readily programmable sequence-specific effectors for the precise manipulation of genomes.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide strategies, systems, proteins, nucleic acids, compositions, cells, reagents, methods, and kits that are useful for the targeted binding, editing, and/or cleaving of nucleic acids, including editing a single site within a subject's genome, e.g., a human subject's genome.
• recombinant Cas9 proteins comprise at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, at least seven, at least eight, at least nine, or at least ten mutations as compared to a naturally occurring Cas9 protein, and that exhibit activity on target sequences that do not include the canonical PAM (5 '-NGG-3 ', where N is any nucleotide) at the 3 '-end. Examples of such Cas9 protein mutations are given in Tables 3, 5, 8, and 9.
• fusion proteins of Cas9 and nucleic acid editing enzymes or enzymatic domains, e.g., deaminase domains are provided.
• methods for targeted nucleic acid binding, editing, and/or cleaving are provided.
• reagents and kits for the generation of targeted nucleic acid binding, editing, and/or cleaving proteins e.g., fusion proteins of Cas9 variants and nucleic acid editing enzymes or domains, are provided.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide recombinant Cas9 proteins comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 80%, at least 85%>, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of Cas9 as provided by any of the sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of S.
• pyogenes Cas9 having the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or in a corresponding amino acid residue in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the recombinant Cas9 protein comprises a RuvC and an HNH domain.
• the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of X262T, X294R, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, and X1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of A262T, K294R, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, and E1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• Cas9 proteins comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 80%>, at least 85%>, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of Cas9 as provided by any of the sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:
• amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 262, 267, 294, 405, 409, 480, 543, 694, 1219, 1224, 1256, and 1362 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or in a corresponding amino acid residue in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262; and wherein the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a RuvC and an HNH domain.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of X262T, X267G, X294R, X405I, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, X1219V, X1224K, and X1256K of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10- 262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of A262T, S267G, K294R, F405I, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, E1219V, N1224K, and Q1256K of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• A262T from a first amino acid residue (e.g., A) to a second amino acid residue (e.g., T)
• A amino acid residue
• second amino acid residue e.g., T
• a mutation of an alanine to a threonine e.g., a A262T mutation
• Additional similar amino acid pairs include, but are not limited to, the following:
• any amino of the amino acid mutations provided herein from one amino acid to a threonine may be an amino acid mutation to a serine.
• any amino of the amino acid mutations provided herein from one amino acid to an arginine may be an amino acid mutation to a lysine.
• any amino of the amino acid mutations provided herein from one amino acid to an isoleucine may be an amino acid mutation to an alanine, valine, methionine, or leucine.
• any amino of the amino acid mutations provided herein from one amino acid to a lysine may be an amino acid mutation to an arginine.
• any amino of the amino acid mutations provided herein from one amino acid to an aspartic acid may be an amino acid mutation to a glutamic acid or asparigine.
• any amino of the amino acid mutations provided herein from one amino acid to a valine may be an amino acid mutation to an alanine, isoleucine, methionine, or leucine.
• any amino of the amino acid mutations provided herein from one amino acid to a glycine may be an amino acid mutation to an alanine. It should be appreciated, however, that additional conserved amino acid residues would be recognized by the skilled artisan and any of the amino acid mutations to other conserved amino acid residues are also within the scope of this disclosure.
• the Cas9 protein is a Cas9 domain of a fusion protein.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X1219V mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the mutation is X1219A, X1219I, X1219M, or X1219L.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an E1219V mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the mutation is E1219A, E1219I, E1219M or E1219L.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X480K mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the mutation is X480R.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an E480K mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the mutation is E480R.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X543D mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the mutation isX543N.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an E543D mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10- 262.
• the mutation is E543N.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations X480K, X543D, and X1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations X262T, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, and X1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations X294R, X480K, X543D, X1219V, X1256K, and X1362P of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations X294R, X480K, X543D, X1219V, and X1256K of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations X267G, X294R, X480K, X543D, X1219V, X1224K, and X1256K of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations X262T, X405I, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, and X1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations E480K, E543D, and E1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations A262T, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, and E1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations K294R, E480K, E543D, E1219V, Q1256K, and L1362P of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations K294R, E480K, E543D, E1219V, and Q1256K of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations S267G, K294R, E480K, E543D, E1219V, N1224K, and Q1256K of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations A262T, F405I, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, and E1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the HNH nuclease domain of Cas9 functions to cleave the DNA strand complementary to the guide RNA (gRNA). Its active site consists of a ⁇ -metal fold, and its histidine 840 activates a water molecule to attack the scissile phosphate, which is more electrophilic due to coordination with a magnesium ion, resulting in cleavage of the the 3 '-5' phosphate bond.
• gRNA guide RNA
• the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%), at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 9-262. In some embodiments, the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain is identical to the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 9-262.
• the RuvC domain of Cas9 cleaves the non-target DNA strand. It is encoded by sequentially disparate sites which interact in the tertiary structure to form the RuvC cleaveage domain and consists of an RNase H fold structure.
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 9-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is identical to the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 9-262.
• the Cas9 protein comprises one or more mutations that affects (e.g., inhibits) the ability of Cas9 to cleave one or both strands of a DNA duplex.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a DIOA and/or a H840A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a DIOXi and/or a H840X 2 mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein Xi is any amino acid except for D, and X 2 is any amino acid except for H.
• the Cas9 protein comprises an DIOA mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the Cas9 protein comprises an H at amino acid residue 840 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding residue in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. In some embodiments, the Cas9 protein comprises an H840A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. In some embodiments, the Cas9 protein comprises a D at amino acid residue 10 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding residue in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the Cas9 protein of the present disclosure exhibits activity, for example, increased binding, on a target sequence that does not include the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3') at its 3 '-end as compared to Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide recombinant Cas9 proteins comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of
• Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9 wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 262, 267, 294, 405, 409, 480, 543, 694, 1219, 1224, 1256, and 1362 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein, and wherein the recombinant Cas9 protein exhibits increased activity on a target sequence that does not comprise the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3') at its 3' end as compared to Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided in SEQ ID NO: 9.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two,
• the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 comprises a RuvC and an HNH domain.
• the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9
• the Cas9 protein may exhibit increased binding to the target sequence, may exhibit increased nuclease activity at the target sequence, or may exhibit an increase in other activities, depending on whether the Cas 9 protein is fused to an additional domain, such as an enzyme that has enzymatic activity.
• the enzymatic activity modifies a target DNA.
• the enzymatic activity is nuclease activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, DNA repair activity, DNA damage activity, deamination activity, dismutase activity, alkylation activity, depurination activity, oxidation activity, pyrimidine dimer forming activity, integrase activity, transposase activity, recombinase activity, polymerase activity, ligase activity, helicase activity, photolyase activity or glycosylase activity.
• the enzymatic activity is nuclease activity.
• the nuclease activity introduces a double strand break in the target DNA.
• the enzymatic activity modifies a target polypeptide associated with the target DNA.
• the enzymatic activity is methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, kinase activity, phosphatase activity, ubiquitin ligase activity, deubiquitinating activity, adenylation activity, deadenylation activity,
• the target polypeptide is a histone and the enzymatic activity is methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, kinase activity, phosphatase activity, ubiquitin ligase activity or deubiquitinating activity.
• any of the Cas9 protein is fused to a protein that has an enzymatic activity.
• the enzymatic activity modifies a polypeptide associated with DNA (e.g. a histone).
• the enzymatic activity is methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, kinase activity, phosphatase activity, ubiquitin ligase activity (i.e., ubiquitination activity), deubiquitinating activity, adenylation activity, deadenylation activity, SUMOylating activity, deSUMOylating activity, ribosylation activity, deribosylation activity, myristoylation activity, demyristoylation activity glycosylation activity (e.g., from O-GlcNAc transferase) or deglycosylation activity.
• the enzymatic activities listed herein catalyze covalent modifications to proteins. Such modifications are known in the art to alter the stability or activity of the target protein (e.g., phosphorylation due to kinase activity can stimulate or silence protein activity depending on the target protein). Of particular interest as protein targets are histones. Histone proteins are known in the art to bind DNA and form complexes known as nucleosomes. Histones can be modified (e.g., by methylation, acetylation, ubuitination, phosphorylation) to elicit structural changes in the surrounding DNA, thus controlling the accessibility of potentially large portions of DNA to interacting factors such as transcription factors, polymerases and the like.
• a single histone can be modified in many different ways and in many different combinations (e.g., trimethylation of lysine 27 of histone 3, H3K27, is associated with DNA regions of repressed transcription while trimethylation of lysine 4 of histone 3, H3K4, is associated with DNA regions of active transcription).
• a site-directed modifying polypeptide with hi stone-modifying activity finds use in the site specific control of DNA structure and can be used to alter the histone modification pattern in a selected region of target DNA. Such methods find use in both research and clinical applications.
• the Cas9 protein exhibits activity on a target sequence having a 3' end that is not directly adjacent to, or does not have the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3 '), that is at least 2-fold, at least 3-fold, at least 5-fold, at least 10-fold, at least 50- fold, at least 100-fold, at least 500-fold, at least 1,000-fold, at least 5,000-fold, at least 10,000-fold, at least 50,000-fold, at least 100,000-fold, at least 500,000-fold, or at least 1,000,000-fold increased as compared to the activity of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9 on the same target sequence.
• the 3 '-end of the target sequence is directly adjacent to an AGC, GAG, TTT, GTG, CAA CAC, GAT, TAA, ACG, CGA, or CGT sequence.
• the Cas9 protein activity is measured by a nuclease assay or a nucleic acid binding assay, which are known in the art and would be apparent to the skilled artisan.
• the Cas9 protein may be fused to one or more domains that confer an activity to the protein, such as a nucleic acid editing activity ⁇ e.g., deaminase activity or transcriptional activation activity), which may be measured ⁇ e.g., by a deaminase assay or transcriptional activation assay).
• the Cas9 protein is fused to a deaminase domain and its activity may be measured using a deaminase assay.
• the Cas9 protein is fused to a transcriptional activation domain and its activity may be measured using a transcriptional activation assay, for example, reporter activation assay where the reporter, e.g., GFP or luciferase, among others, is expressed in response to Cas9 binding to a target sequence.
• a transcriptional activation assay for example, reporter activation assay where the reporter, e.g., GFP or luciferase, among others, is expressed in response to Cas9 binding to a target sequence.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises any of the mutations provided herein.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of X262T, X267G, X294R, X405I, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, X1219V, X1224K,
• the mutations may be A262T, S267G, K294R, F405I, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, E1219V, N1224K, Q1256K, and L1362P of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises any of the mutations provided herein.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of X262T, X294R, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, and X1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• X represents any amino acid.
• the mutations may be A262T, K294R, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, or E1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X1219V mutation or an E1219V mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X480K mutation or an E480K mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X543D mutation or a E543D mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 comprises the mutations X480K, X543D, and X1219V; or the mutations E480K, E543D, and E1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 comprises the mutations X262T, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, and X1219V; or the mutations A262T, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, and E1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations X294R, X480K, X543D, X1219V, X1256K, and X1362P; or the mutations K294R, E480K, E543D, E1219V, Q1256K, and L1362P of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations X294R, X480K, X543D, X1219V, and X1256K, or mutations K294R, E480K, E543D, E1219V, and Q1256K of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10- 262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations X267G, X294R, X480K, X543D, X1219V, X1224K, and X1256K; or the mutations S267G, K294R, E480K, E543DE1219V, N1224K, and Q1256K of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the mutations X262T, X405I, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, and X1219V; or the mutations A262T, F405I, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, and E1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid.
• amino acid sequence of the HNH domain is at least
• the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain is identical to the amino acid sequence of any of the HNH domains of SEQ ID NOs: 9-262.
• amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is at least
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is identical to the amino acid sequence of any of the RuvC domains of SEQ ID NOs: 9-262.
• the Cas9 protein comprises at D10A and/or a H840A mutation in the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a D10X 1 and/or a H840X 2 mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X 1 is any amino acid except for D, and wherein X 2 is any amino acid except for H.
• the Cas9 protein comprises an D10A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. In some embodiments, the Cas9 protein comprises an H at amino acid residue 840 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding residue in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. In some embodiments, the Cas9 protein comprises an H840A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10- 262. In some embodiments, the Cas9 protein comprises an D at amino acid residue 10 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding residue in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• fusion proteins comprising a Cas9 protein as provided herein that is fused to a second protein, thus forming a fusion protein.
• the second protein is fused to the N-terminus of the Cas9 protein.
• the second protein is fused to the C-terminus of the Cas9 protein.
• the Cas9 domain and the effector domain are fused via a linker.
• the linker may be as simple as a covalent bond, or it may be a polymeric linker many atoms in length.
• the linker is a polpeptide or based on amino acids. In other embodiments, the linker is not peptide-like.
• the linker is a covalent bond (e.g., a carbon-carbon bond, disulfide bond, carbon-heteroatom bond, etc.). In certain embodiments, the linker is a carbon-nitrogen bond of an amide linkage. In certain embodiments, the linker is a cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched aliphatic or heteroaliphatic linker. In certain embodiments, the linker is polymeric (e.g., polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyamide, polyester, etc.). In certain embodiments, the linker comprises a monomer, dimer, or polymer of aminoalkanoic acid.
• the linker comprises an aminoalkanoic acid (e.g., glycine, ethanoic acid, alanine, beta-alanine, 3-aminopropanoic acid, 4-aminobutanoic acid, 5-pentanoic acid, etc.).
• the linker comprises a monomer, dimer, or polymer of aminohexanoic acid (Ahx).
• the linker is based on a carbocyclic moiety (e.g., cyclopentane, cyclohexane).
• the linker comprises a polyethylene glycol moiety (PEG).
• the linker comprises amino acids.
• the linker comprises a peptide. In certain embodiments, the linker comprises an aryl or heteroaryl moiety. In certain embodiments, the linker is based on a phenyl ring.
• the linker may included funtionalized moieties to facilitate attachment of a nucleophile (e.g., thiol, amino) from the peptide to the linker. Any electrophile may be used as part of the linker. Exemplary electrophiles include, but are not limited to, activated esters, activated amides, Michael acceptors, alkyl halides, aryl halides, acyl halides, and
• the linker comprises a chemical group or molecule linking two molecules or moieties, e.g., two domains of a fusion protein, such as, for example, a nuclease-inactive Cas9 domain and a effector domain (e.g., a deaminase domain).
• the linker comprises one or more amino acid resudues.
• the limker may comprise at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, or more amino acid residues.
• the linker is 3, 9, 16, or 21 amino acids in length.
• the linker comprises a (GGGGS)n (SEQ ID NO: 5), a (G) context, an (EAAAK) n (SEQ ID NO: 6), a (GGS) protest, an
• SGSETPGTSESATPES SEQ ID NO: 7 (also referred to as XTEN), or an (XP) n motif, or a combination of any of these, wherein n is independently an integer between 1 and 30.
• linker comprises a (GGS) 3 motif or a
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide fusion proteins comprising a Cas9 protein as provided herein that is fused to a second protein, thus forming a fusion protein.
• the second protein is fused to the N-terminus of the Cas9 protein.
• the second protein is fused to the C-terminus of the Cas9 protein.
• the Cas9 domain and the effector domain are fused via a nuclear localization sequence (NLS), for example a NLS comprising the amino acid sequence PKKKRKV (SEQ ID NO: 299), MD SLLMNRRKFL YQFKNVRWAKGRRET YLC (SEQ ID NO: 300), or SPKKKRKVEAS (SEQ ID NO: 284).
• NLS nuclear localization sequence
• a NLS may be combined with any of the linkers listed above.
• the effector domain comprises an enzymatic domain.
• the effector domain comprises a nuclease, a nickase, a recombinase, a deaminase, a methyltransferase, a methylase, an acetylase, an acetyltransferase, a
• transcriptional activator or a transcriptional repressor domain, which may have nuclease activity, nickase activity, recombinase activity, deaminase activity, methyltransferase activity, methylase activity, acetylase activity, acetyltransferase activity transcriptional activation activity or transcriptional repression activity, respectively.
• the effector domain is a effector domain.
• the effector domain is a deaminase domain.
• the deaminase is a cytosine deaminase or a cytidine deaminase.
• the deaminase is an apolipoprotein B mRNA- editing complex (APOBEC) family deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBECl deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC2 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3 A deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBECl deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC2 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3 A deaminase. In some embodiments, the deamin
• the deaminase is an APOBEC3E deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3F deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3G deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3H deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC4 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an activation-induced deaminase (AID).
• AID activation-induced deaminase
• the effector domain is at least 80%, at least 85%>, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the deaminase domain of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 263-281.
• the deaminase is a cytidine deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an
• APOBEC apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing complex
• the deaminase is an APOBECl family deaminase.
• the deaminase is an activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID).
• the deaminase is an ACF1/ASE deaminase.
• the deaminase is an adenosine deaminase.
• the deaminase is an AD AT family deaminase.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide fusion proteins comprising a Cas9 protein fused to a effector domain, e.g., a deaminase, and a uracil glycosylase inhibitor (UGI).
• a effector domain e.g., a deaminase
• UGI uracil glycosylase inhibitor
• Some aspects of this disclosure are based on the recognition that such fusion proteins may exhibit an increased nucleic acid editing efficiency as compared to fusion proteins not comprising an UGI domain. Domains such as the deaminase domains and UGI domains have been described and are within the scope of this disclosure. For example domains such as deaminase domains and UGI domains have been described in Provisional Application Nos.
• the effector domain of the fusion protein is a nuclease domain.
• the nuclease domain is a Fokl DNA cleavage domain.
• the fusion protein dimerizes.
• the dimer of the fusion protein is active. For example, two Fokl DNA cleavage domains may dimerize to cleave a nucleic acid.
• the Cas9 protein is fused to a second Cas9 protein.
• the second Cas9 protein is the Cas9 protein of any one of claims 1-345.
• the second Cas9 protein is fused to the N-terminus of the fusion protein.
• the second Cas9 protein is fused to the C-terminus of the fusion protein.
• the Cas9 protein and the second Cas9 protein are fused via a second linker.
• the second linker comprises a (GGGGS) n (SEQ ID NO: 5), a (G) context, an (EAAAK) n (SEQ ID NO: 6), a (GGS) context, an SGSETPGTSESATPES (SEQ ID NO: 7), or an (XP) n motif, or a combination of any of these, wherein n is independently an integer between 1 and 30.
• the second linker comprises a (GGS) 3 motif.
• the target sequence is a DNA sequence.
• the target sequence is a sequence in the genome of a mammal.
• the target sequence is a sequence in the genome of a human.
• the 3 '-end of the target sequence is not immediately adjacent to the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3').
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide methods of using the Cas9 proteins, fusion proteins, or complexes provided herein. For example, some aspects of this disclosure provide methods comprising contacting a DNA molecule (a) with a Cas9 protein or a fusion protein as provided herein and a guide RNA, wherein the guide RNA is about 15-100 nucleotides long and comprises a sequence of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a target sequence; or (b) with a Cas9 protein, a Cas9 fusion protein, or a Cas9 protein or fusion protein complex with a gRNA as provided herein.
• the 3 '-end of the target sequence is not immediately adjacent to the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3'). In some embodiments, the 3 '-end of the target sequence is immediately adjacent to an AGC, GAG, TTT, GTG, or CAA sequence. In some
• the target DNA sequence comprises a sequence associated with a disease or disorder. In some embodiments, the target DNA sequence comprises a point mutation associated with a disease or disorder. In some embodiments, the activity of the Cas9 protein, the Cas9 fusion protein, or the complex results in correction of the point mutation. In some embodiments, the step of contacting is performed in vivo in a subject.
• kits comprising a nucleic acid construct, comprising (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a Cas9 protein or a Cas9 fusion protein as provided herein; and (b) a heterologous promoter that drives expression of the sequence of (a).
• the kit further comprises an expression construct encoding a guide RNA backbone, wherein the construct comprises a cloning site positioned to allow the cloning of a nucleic acid sequence identical or complementary to a target sequence into the guide RNA backbone.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide vectors comprising such polynucleotides.
• the vector comprises a heterologous promoter driving expression of the polynucleotide.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide cells comprising any of the Cas9 proteins, fusion proteins, nucleic acid molecules, and/or a vectors as provided herein.
• the summary above is meant to illustrate, in a non-limiting manner, some of the embodiments, advantages, features, and uses of the technology disclosed herein. Other embodiments, advantages, features, and uses of the technology disclosed herein will be apparent from the Detailed Description, the Drawings, the Examples, and the Claims.
• Figure 1 shows the activity of wild-type Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 on canonical PAM libraries and non-canonical PAM libraries.
• Figure 2 shows the activity of exemplary evolved Cas9 clones on a PAM library after directed evolution.
• Figure 3 shows a comparison of wild-type and evolved Cas9 in a mammalian
• FIGs 4 A to 4B show the binding activity of Cas9 (pJH306) and evolved
• FIG. 4A is a graph representing Cas9 binding activity as a function of % cells above the background
• Figure 4B is a graph showing Cas9 binding activity as a function of mean fluorescence.
• Cas9 proteins used in these experiments were dCas9 proteins fused to a VPR transcriptional activator.
• Figures 5A to 5B show the binding activity of wild type dCas9-VPR
• FIG. 5A is a graph representing Cas9 binding activity as a function of % cells above background fluorescence.
• Figure 5B is a graph showing Cas9 binding activity as a function of mean fluorescence. Cas9 proteins used in these experiments were dCas9 proteins fused to VPR.
• Figure 6 shows dCas9-VPR on all 64 PAM sequences as demonstrated by mean fluorescence on transfected cells gated by iRFP fluorescence.
• WT dCas9-VPR is pJH306.
• FIG. 7 shows in vitro cutting assay.
• WT is wild-type Cas9 (SEQ
• Figure 8 shows a Cas9 fusion protein that can be used to modulate PAM specificity.
• a linked Cas9-dCas9 system that could be used for increasing Cas9 targeting to non-canonical PAMs is shown.
• dCas9 binding to 5'-NGG-3 ' or another PAM could localize Cas9 to an area close to target 2. This localization could help Cas9 cut a previously inaccessible PAM.
• Figures 9A to 9B show dCas9-VPR binding activity on the NNNNN PAM
• Figure 9A is a graph representing dCas9-VPR binding activity on the NNNNN PAM library as a function of the % cells above background fluorescence.
• Figure 9B is a graph representing dCas9-VPR binding activity on the NNNNN PAM library as a function of mean fluorescence.
• Figure 10 shows Cas9 cutting activity using % of cells with GFP loss as a readout.
• Cas9 proteins were tested with two sgRNAs, which either targeted the canonical 5'- NGG-3 ' PAM or a GAT PAM within a GFP gene.
• Figure 11 illustrates double-stranded DNA substrate bound by Cas9:DNA editing enzyme: sgRNA complexes.
• the DNA editing enzyme may be, without limitation, a nuclease, nickase, recombinase, deaminase, methyltransferase, methylase, acetylase, or acetyltransferase.
• Figures 12A to 12D show the results of the PAM depletion assay.
• pJH760 was tested in the PAM depletion assay on four new targets: re2 (Figure 12 A), VEGF (Figure 12B), CLTA ( Figure 12C), and CCR5D ( Figure 12D).
• Figure 13 shows GFP cutting in mammalian cells.
• Figure 14 shows the results of a PAM depletion assay to test pJH760 (xCas9 v 1.0) on the re2 target.
• Figure 15 shows the results of a PAM depletion assay to test pJH760 (xCas9 vl .0) on the VEGF target.
• Figure 16 shows the results of a PAM depletion assay to test pJH760 (xCas9 vl .0) on the CLTA target.
• Figure 17 shows the results of a PAM depletion assay to test pJH760 (xCas9 vl .0) on the CCR5D target.
• Figure 18 shows the results of a PAM depletion assay to test four xCas9v3 mutants on the re2 target.
• Figure 19 shows the results of a PAM depletion assay to test four xCas9v3 mutants on the VEGF target.
• Figure 20 shows the results of a PAM depletion assay to test four xCas9v3 mutants on the CLTA target.
• Cas9 or “Cas9 nuclease” refers to an RNA-guided nuclease comprising a Cas9 protein, or a fragment thereof (e.g., a protein comprising an active or inactive DNA cleavage domain of Cas9, and/or the gRNA binding domain of Cas9).
• a Cas9 nuclease is also referred to sometimes as a casnl nuclease or a CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)-associated nuclease.
• CRISPR is an adaptive immune system that provides protection against mobile genetic elements (viruses, transposable elements and conjugative plasmids).
• CRISPR clusters contain spacers, sequences
• CRISPR clusters are transcribed and processed into CRISPR RNA (crRNA).
• crRNA CRISPR RNA
• tracrRNA trans-encoded small RNA
• rnc endogenous ribonuclease 3
• Cas9 protein The tracrRNA serves as a guide for ribonuclease 3-aided processing of pre-crRNA.
• Cas9/crRNA/tracrRNA endonucleolytically cleaves linear or circular dsDNA target complementary to the spacer.
• RNA single guide RNAs
• sgRNA single guide RNAs
• gNRA single guide RNAs
• Cas9 recognizes a short motif in the CRISPR repeat sequences (the PAM or protospacer adjacent motif) to help distinguish self versus non-self.
• Cas9 nuclease sequences and structures are well known to those of skill in the art (see, e.g., "Complete genome sequence of an Ml strain of Streptococcus pyogenes.” Ferretti et al, J.
• Cas9 orthologs have been described in various species, including, but not limited to, S. pyogenes and S. thermophilus . Additional suitable Cas9 nucleases and sequences will be apparent to those of skill in the art based on this disclosure, and such Cas9 nucleases and sequences include Cas9 sequences from the organisms and loci disclosed in Chylinski, Rhun, and Charpentier, "The tracrRNA and Cas9 families of type II CRISPR-Cas immunity systems" (2013) RNA Biology 10:5, 726-737; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• a Cas9 nuclease has an inactive ⁇ e.g., an inactivated) DNA cleavage domain.
• a nuclease-inactivated Cas9 protein may interchangeably be referred to as a
• DNA cleavage domain of Cas9 is known to include two subdomains, the UNH nuclease subdomain and the RuvCl subdomain.
• the UNH subdomain cleaves the strand complementary to the gRNA, whereas the RuvCl subdomain cleaves the non-complementary strand. Mutations within these subdomains can silence the nuclease activity of Cas9. For example, the mutations DIOA and H840A completely inactivate the nuclease activity of S. pyogenes Cas9 (Jinek et al, Science. 337:816-821(2012); Qi et al, Cell. 28; 152(5): 1173-83 (2013).
• proteins comprising fragments of Cas9 are provided.
• a protein comprises one of two Cas9 domains: (1) the gRNA binding domain of Cas9; or (2) the DNA cleavage domain of Cas9.
• proteins comprising Cas9 or fragments thereof are referred to as "Cas9 variants.”
• a Cas9 variant shares homology to Cas9.
• a Cas9 variant is at least about 70% identical, at least about 80% identical, at least about 90% identical, at least about 95%) identical, at least about 96%> identical, at least about 97%> identical, at least about 98%> identical, at least about 99%> identical, at least about 99.5%> identical, or at least about 99.9%> to wild type Cas9.
• the Cas9 variant comprises a fragment of Cas9 ⁇ e.g., a gRNA binding domain or a DNA-cleavage domain), such that the fragment is at least about 70%) identical, at least about 80%> identical, at least about 90%> identical, at least about 95% identical, at least about 96% identical, at least about 97% identical, at least about 98% identical, at least about 99% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, or at least about 99.9% to the corresponding fragment of wild type Cas9.
• wild type Cas9 corresponds to Cas9 from Streptococcus pyogenes (NCBI Reference Sequence:
• NC 017053.1 SEQ ID NO: l (nucleotide); SEQ ID NO:2 (amino acid)).
• wild type Cas9 corresponds to, or comprises SEQ ID NO:
• wild type Cas9 corresponds to Cas9 from
• Streptococcus pyogenes NCBI Reference Sequence: NC_002737.2, SEQ ID NO: 282 (nucleotide); and Uniport Reference Sequence: Q99ZW2, SEQ ID NO: 9 (amino acid).
• siTGLYETRiDLSQLGGD (SEQ ID NO: 9) (single underline: HNH domain; double underline: RuvC domain)
• Cas9 refers to Cas9 from: Coryne bacterium ulcer ans
• NCBI Refs NC_015683.1, NC_017317.1
• Coryne bacterium diphtheria NCBI Refs:
• NCBI Ref NC 017861.1
• Spiroplasma taiwanense NCBI Ref:
• NC_021846.1 Streptococcus iniae
• NCBI Ref NC_021314.1
• Belliella baltica NCBI Ref: NC_018010.1
• Psychroflexus torquisl NCBI Ref: NC_018721.1
• thermophilus (NCBI Ref: YP_820832.1); Listeria innocua (NCBI Ref: NP_472073.1);
• NCBI Ref Campylobacter jejuni (NCBI Ref: YP_002344900.1); or Neisseria, meningitidis (NCBI Ref: YP 002342100.1) or to a Cas9 from any of the organisms listed in Example 3.
• dCas9 corresponds to, or comprises in part or in whole, a Cas9 amino acid sequence having one or more mutations that inactivate the Cas9 nuclease activity.
• a dCas9 domain comprises D10A and/or H840A mutation.
• Cas9 corresponds to, or comprises in part or in whole, a Cas9 amino acid sequence having one or more mutations that alter Cas9's nuclease activity.
• Cas9 may be a Cas9 nickase, which is a version of Cas9 that generates a single-stranded DNA break at a specific location based on a co-expressed gRNA-defined target sequence, rather than a double-strand DNA break.
• a Cas9 domain comprises D10A mutation (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 301) and/or an H840A mutation (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 302).
• Exemplary Cas9 nickases are shown below. However, it should be appreciated that additional Cas9 nickases that generate a single-stranded DNA break of a DNA duplex would be apparent to the skilled artisan and are within the scope of this disclosure.
• siTGLYETRiDLSQLGGD SEQ ID NO: 301 (single underline: HNH domain; double underline: RuvC domain)
• siTGLYETRiDLSQLGGD SEQ ID NO: 302 (single underline: HNH domain; double underline: RuvC domain)
• dCas9 variants having mutations other than D10A and
• H840A are provided, which, e.g., result in nuclease-inactivated Cas9 (dCas9).
• Such mutations include other amino acid substitutions at D10 and H820, or other substitutions within the nuclease domains of Cas9 (e.g., substitutions in the HNH nuclease subdomain and/or the RuvCl subdomain).
• variants or homologues of dCas9 are provided which are at least about 70% identical, at least about 80% identical, at least about 90% identical, at least about 95% identical, at least about 98% identical, at least about 99% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, or at least about 99.9% identical to SEQ ID NO: 9.
• variants of dCas9 are provided having amino acid sequences which are shorter, or longer than SEQ ID NO: 9, by about 5 amino acids, by about 10 amino acids, by about 15 amino acids, by about 20 amino acids, by about 25 amino acids, by about 30 amino acids, by about 40 amino acids, by about 50 amino acids, by about 75 amino acids, by about 100 amino acids, or more.
• Cas9 fusion proteins as provided herein comprise the full-length amino acid sequence of a Cas9 protein, e.g., one of the sequences provided above. In other embodiments, however, fusion proteins as provided herein do not comprise a full- length Cas9 sequence, but only a fragment thereof.
• a Cas9 fusion protein provided herein comprises a Cas9 fragment, wherein the fragment binds crRNA and tracrRNA or a sgRNA, but does not comprise a functional nuclease domain, e.g., it comprises only a truncated version of a nuclease domain or no nuclease domain at all.
• a Cas9 fragment is at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95% identical, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% of the amino acid length of a corresponding wild type Cas9 protein.
• a Cas9 fragment comprises at least at least 100 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the Cas9 fragment is at least 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, or at least 1600 amino acids of a corresponding wild type Cas9 protein.
• the Cas9 fragment comprises an amino acid sequence that has at least 10, at least 15, at least 20, at least 30, at leat 40, at least 50, at least 60, at least 70, at least 80, at least 90, at least 100, at least 150, at least 200, at least 250, at least 300, at least 350, at least 400, at least 500, at least 600, at least 700, at least 800, at least 900, at least 1000, at least 1100, or at least 1200 identical contiguous amino acid residues of a corresponding wild type Cas9 protein.
• Cas9 refers to Cas9 from: Corynebacterium ulcerans (NCBI Refs: NC_015683.1, NC_017317.1); Corynebacterium diphtheria (NCBI Refs: NC_016782.1, NC_016786.1); Spiroplasma syrphidicola (NCBI Ref: NC_021284.1); Prevotella intermedia (NCBI Ref: NC 017861.1); Spiroplasma taiwanense (NCBI Ref: NC_021846.1); Streptococcus iniae (NCBI Ref: NC_021314.1); Belliella baltica (NCBI Ref: NC_018010.1); Psychroflexus torquisl (NCBI Ref: NC_018721.1); Streptococcus
• thermophilus (NCBI Ref: YP_820832.1); Listeria innocua (NCBI Ref: NP_472073.1);
• NCBI Ref Campylobacter jejuni
• NCBI Ref Neisseria, meningitidis
• deaminase or “deaminase domain,” as used herein, refers to a protein or enzyme that catalyzes a deamination reaction.
• the deaminase or deaminase domain is a cytidine deaminase, catalyzing the hydrolytic deamination of cytidine or deoxycytidine to uridine or deoxyuridine, respectively.
• the deaminase or deaminase domain is a cytosine deaminase, catalyzing the hydrolytic deamination of cytosine to uracil.
• the deaminase or deaminase domain is a naturally-occuring deaminase from an organism, such as a human, chimpanzee, gorilla, monkey, cow, dog, rat, or mouse. In some embodiments, the deaminase or deaminase domain is a variant of a naturally-occuring deaminase from an organism, that does not occur in nature.
• the deaminase or deaminase domain is at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75% at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%), or at least 99.5% identical to a naturally-occuring deaminase from an organism.
• an effective amount refers to an amount of a biologically active agent that is sufficient to elicit a desired biological response.
• an effective amount of a nuclease may refer to the amount of the nuclease that is sufficient to induce cleavage of a target site specifically bound and cleaved by the nuclease.
• an effective amount of a fusion protein provided herein e.g., of a fusion protein comprising a nuclease-inactive Cas9 domain and a effector domain (e.g., a deaminase domain) may refer to the amount of the fusion protein that is sufficient to induce editing of a target site specifically bound and edited by the fusion protein.
• an agent e.g., a fusion protein, a nuclease, a deaminase, a recombinase, a hybrid protein, a protein dimer, a complex of a protein (or protein dimer) and a polynucleotide, or a polynucleotide
• an agent e.g., a fusion protein, a nuclease, a deaminase, a recombinase, a hybrid protein, a protein dimer, a complex of a protein (or protein dimer) and a polynucleotide, or a polynucleotide
• the desired biological response e.g., on the specific allele, genome, or target site to be edited
• the cell or tissue being targeted e.g., a cell or tissue being targeted
• sequences are immediately adjacent, when the nucleotide at the 3 '-end of one of the sequences is directly connected to nucleotide at the 5'-end of the other sequence via a phosphodiester bond.
• linker refers to a chemical group or a molecule linking two molecules or moieties, e.g., two domains of a fusion protein, such as, for example, a nuclease-inactive Cas9 domain and a effector domain (e.g., a deaminase domain).
• a linker joins a gRNA binding domain of an RNA-programmable nuclease, including a Cas9 nuclease domain, and the catalytic domain of a nucleic-acid editing protein.
• a linker joins a dCas9 and a nucleic-acid editing protein.
• the linker is positioned between, or flanked by, two groups, molecules, or other moieties and connected to each one via a covalent bond, thus connecting the two.
• the linker is an amino acid or a plurality of amino acids (e.g., a peptide or protein).
• the linker is an organic molecule, group, polymer, or chemical moiety.
• the linker is 5-100 amino acids in length, for example, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 30-35, 35-40, 40-45, 45-50, 50-60, 60-70, 70-80, 80-90, 90-100, 100-150, or 150-200 amino acids in length. Longer or shorter linkers are also contemplated.
• mutation refers to a substitution of a residue within a sequence, e.g., a nucleic acid or amino acid sequence, with another residue, or a deletion or insertion of one or more residues within a sequence. Mutations are typically described herein by identifying the original residue followed by the position of the residue within the sequence and by the identity of the newly substituted residue. Various methods for making the amino acid substitutions (mutations) provided herein are well known in the art, and are provided by, for example, Green and Sambrook, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (4 th ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (2012)).
• nucleic acid and “nucleic acid molecule,” as used herein, refer to a compound comprising a nucleobase and an acidic moiety, e.g., a nucleoside, a nucleotide, or a polymer of nucleotides.
• polymeric nucleic acids e.g., nucleic acid molecules comprising three or more nucleotides are linear molecules, in which adjacent nucleotides are linked to each other via a phosphodiester linkage.
• nucleic acid refers to individual nucleic acid residues ⁇ e.g. nucleotides and/or nucleosides).
• nucleic acid refers to an oligonucleotide chain comprising three or more individual nucleotide residues.
• oligonucleotide and
• nucleic acid can be used interchangeably to refer to a polymer of nucleotides ⁇ e.g., a string of at least three nucleotides).
• nucleic acid encompasses RNA as well as single and/or double-stranded DNA. Nucleic acids may be naturally occurring, for example, in the context of a genome, a transcript, mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, siRNA, snRNA, a plasmid, cosmid, chromosome, chromatid, or other naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule.
• a nucleic acid molecule may be a non-naturally occurring molecule, e.g., a recombinant DNA or RNA, an artificial chromosome, an engineered genome, or fragment thereof, or a synthetic DNA, RNA, DNA/RNA hybrid, or including non-naturally occurring nucleotides or nucleosides.
• nucleic acid DNA
• RNA and/or similar terms include nucleic acid analogs, e.g., analogs having other than a phosphodiester backbone. Nucleic acids can be purified from natural sources, produced using recombinant expression systems and optionally purified, chemically synthesized, etc.
• nucleic acids can comprise nucleoside analogs such as analogs having chemically modified bases or sugars, and backbone modifications.
• a nucleic acid sequence is presented in the 5' to 3 ' direction unless otherwise indicated.
• a nucleic acid is or comprises natural nucleosides ⁇ e.g.
• nucleoside analogs ⁇ e.g., 2-aminoadenosine, 2- thiothymidine, inosine, pyrrolo-pyrimidine, 3-methyl adenosine, 5-methylcytidine, 2- aminoadenosine, C5-bromouridine, C5-fluorouridine, C5-iodouridine, C5-propynyl-uridine, C5-propynyl-cytidine, C5-methylcytidine, 2-aminoadenosine, 7-deazaadenosine, 7- deazaguanosine, 8-oxoadenosine, 8-oxoguanosine, 0(6)-methylguanine, and 2-thiocy
• tracrRNA a single guide RNA (sgRNA), or a guide RNA (gRNA).
• sgRNA single guide RNA
• gRNA guide RNA
• proliferative disease refers to any disease in which cell or tissue homeostasis is disturbed in that a cell or cell population exhibits an abnormally elevated proliferation rate.
• Proliferative diseases include hyperproliferative diseases, such as pre-neoplastic hyperplastic conditions and neoplastic diseases.
• Neoplastic diseases are characterized by an abnormal proliferation of cells and include both benign and malignant neoplasias. Malignant neoplasia is also referred to as cancer.
• protein refers to a polymer of amino acid residues linked together by peptide (amide) bonds.
• the terms refer to a protein, peptide, or polypeptide of any size, structure, or function. Typically, a protein, peptide, or polypeptide will be at least three amino acids long.
• a protein, peptide, or polypeptide may refer to an individual protein or a collection of proteins.
• One or more of the amino acids in a protein, peptide, or polypeptide may be modified, for example, by the addition of a chemical entity such as a carbohydrate group, a hydroxyl group, a phosphate group, a farnesyl group, an isofarnesyl group, a fatty acid group, a linker for conjugation, functionalization, or other modification, etc.
• a protein, peptide, or polypeptide may also be a single molecule or may be a multi-molecular complex.
• a protein, peptide, or polypeptide may be just a fragment of a naturally occurring protein or peptide.
• a protein, peptide, or polypeptide may be naturally occurring, recombinant, or synthetic, or any combination thereof.
• fusion protein refers to a hybrid polypeptide which comprises protein domains from at least two different proteins.
• One protein may be located at the amino-terminal (N-terminal) portion of the fusion protein or at the carboxy- terminal (C-terminal) protein thus forming an "amino-terminal fusion protein” or a "carboxy- terminal fusion protein,” respectively.
• a protein may comprise different domains, for example, a nucleic acid binding domain (e.g., the gRNA binding domain of Cas9 that directs the binding of the protein to a target site) and a nucleic acid cleavage domain or a catalytic domain of a nucleic-acid editing protein.
• a protein comprises a proteinaceous part, e.g., an amino acid sequence constituting a nucleic acid binding domain, and an organic compound, e.g., a compound that can act as a nucleic acid cleavage agent.
• a protein is in a complex with, or is in association with, a nucleic acid, e.g., RNA.
• Any of the proteins provided herein may be produced by any method known in the art.
• the proteins provided herein may be produced via recombinant protein expression and purification, which is especially suited for fusion proteins comprising a peptide linker.
• RNA-programmable nuclease and "RNA-guided nuclease” are used interchangeably herein and refer to a nuclease that forms a complex with ⁇ e.g., binds or associates with) one or more RNA that is not a target for cleavage.
• an RNA-programmable nuclease when in a complex with an RNA, may be referred to as a nuclease:RNA complex.
• the bound RNA(s) is referred to as a guide RNA
• gRNAs can exist as a complex of two or more RNAs, or as a single RNA molecule. gRNAs that exist as a single RNA molecule may be referred to as single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs), though "gRNA” is used interchangeably to refer to guide RNAs that exist as either single molecules or as a complex of two or more molecules.
• sgRNAs single-guide RNAs
• gRNAs that exist as single RNA species comprise two domains: (1) a domain that shares homology to a target nucleic acid ⁇ e.g., and directs binding of a Cas9 complex to the target); and (2) a domain that binds a Cas9 protein.
• domain (2) corresponds to a sequence known as a tracrRNA, and comprises a stem-loop structure.
• domain (2) is identical or homologous to a tracrRNA as provided in Jinek et al, Science 337:816-821(2012), the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
• Other examples of gRNAs ⁇ e.g., those including domain 2) can be found in U.S. Provisional Patent Application, U.S. S.N. 61/874,682, filed September 6, 2013, entitled “Switchable Cas9 Nucleases and Uses Thereof," and U.S. Provisional Patent Application, U.S.S.N.
• a gRNA comprises two or more of domains (1) and (2), and may be referred to as an "extended gRNA.”
• an extended gRNA will, e.g., bind two or more Cas9 proteins and bind a target nucleic acid at two or more distinct regions, as described herein.
• the gRNA comprises a nucleotide sequence that complements a target site, which mediates binding of the nuclease/RNA complex to said target site, providing the sequence specificity of the nuclease:RNA complex.
• the RNA- programmable nuclease is the (CRISPR-associated system) Cas9 endonuclease, for example Cas9 (Csnl) from Streptococcus pyogenes (see, e.g., "Complete genome sequence of an Ml strain of Streptococcus pyogenes.” Ferretti J.
• RNA-programmable nucleases ⁇ e.g., Cas9
• RNA-programmable nucleases such as Cas9, for site-specific cleavage ⁇ e.g., to modify a genome
• Methods of using RNA-programmable nucleases, such as Cas9, for site-specific cleavage ⁇ e.g., to modify a genome are known in the art (see e.g., Cong, L. et al. Multiplex genome engineering using CRISPR/Cas systems. Science 339, 819-823 (2013); Mali, P. et al. RNA-guided human genome engineering via Cas9. Science 339, 823-826 (2013); Hwang, W.Y. et al. Efficient genome editing in zebrafish using a CRISPR-Cas system.
• the term "subject,” as used herein, refers to an individual organism, for example, an individual mammal.
• the subject is a human.
• the subject is a non-human mammal.
• the subject is a non-human primate.
• the subject is a rodent.
• the subject is a sheep, a goat, a cattle, a cat, or a dog.
• the subject is a vertebrate, an amphibian, a reptile, a fish, an insect, a fly, or a nematode.
• the subject is a research animal.
• the subject is genetically engineered, e.g., a genetically engineered non-human subject.
• the subject may be of either sex, of any age, and at any stage of development.
• target site refers to a sequence within a nucleic acid molecule that is deaminated by a deaminase or a fusion protein comprising a deaminase (e.g., a dCas9- deaminase fusion protein provided herein).
• treatment refers to a clinical intervention aimed to reverse, alleviate, delay the onset of, or inhibit the progress of a disease or disorder, or one or more symptoms thereof, as described herein.
• treatment refers to a clinical intervention aimed to reverse, alleviate, delay the onset of, or inhibit the progress of a disease or disorder, or one or more symptoms thereof, as described herein.
• treatment may be administered after one or more symptoms have developed and/or after a disease has been diagnosed.
• treatment may be administered in the absence of symptoms, e.g., to prevent or delay onset of a symptom or inhibit onset or progression of a disease.
• treatment may be administered to a susceptible individual prior to the onset of symptoms (e.g., in light of a history of symptoms and/or in light of genetic or other susceptibility factors). Treatment may also be continued after symptoms have resolved, for example, to prevent or delay their recurrence.
• recombinant protein or nucleic acid molecule comprises an amino acid or nucleotide sequence that comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations as compared to any naturally occurring sequence.
• nucleic acid editing enzyme refers to proteins that are able to modify a nucleic acids or one or more nucleotide bases of a nucleic acid.
• a nucleic acid editing enzyme is a deaminase, which can catalyze C to T or G to A changes.
• Other suitable nucleid acid editing enzyme that may be used in accordance with this disclosure include, without limitation, a nuclease, nickase, recombinase, deaminase, methyltransferase, methylase, acetylase, or acetyltransferase.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide recombinant Cas9 proteins that efficiently target DNA sequences that do not comprise the canonical PAM sequence (5 '- NGG-3 ', where N is any nucleotide, for example A, T, G, or C) at their 3 '-ends.
• the Cas9 proteins provided herein comprise one or more mutations identified in directed evolution experiments using a target sequence library comprising randomized PAM sequences.
• the recombinant non-PAM restricted Cas9 proteins provided herein are useful for targeting DNA sequences that do not comprise the canonical PAM sequence at their 3 '-end and thus greatly extend the usefulness of Cas9 technology for gene editing.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide fusion proteins that comprise a Cas9 protein and an effector domain, for example, a DNA-editing domain, such as, e.g., a deaminase domain.
• a DNA-editing domain such as, e.g., a deaminase domain.
• the deamination of a nucleobase by a deaminase can lead to a point mutation at the specific residue, which is referred to herein as nucleic acid editing.
• Fusion proteins comprising a Cas9 protein or variant thereof and a DNA-editing domain can thus be used for the targeted editing of nucleic acid sequences.
• Such fusion proteins are useful for targeted editing of DNA in vitro, e.g., for the generation of mutant cells or animals; for the introduction of targeted mutations, e.g., for the correction of genetic defects in cells ex vivo, e.g., in cells obtained from a subject that are subsequently re-introduced into the same or another subject; and for the introduction of targeted mutations, e.g., the correction of genetic defects or the introduction of deactivating mutations in disease-associated genes in a subject in vivo.
• the Cas9 protein of the fusion proteins described herein does not have any nuclease activity but instead is a Cas9 fragment or a dCas9 protein. Methods for the use of Cas9 fusion proteins as described herein are also provided.
• Non-limiting, exemplary nuclease-inactive Cas9 proteins are provided herein.
• nuclease-inactive Cas9 protein is the D10A/H840A Cas9 protein mutant:
• siTGLYETRiDLSQLGGD SEQ ID NO:262; see, e.g., Qi et al, Repurposing CRISPR as an RNA-guided platform for sequence-specific control of gene expression. Cell. 2013;
• nuclease-inactive Cas9 proteins will be apparent to those of skill in the art based on this disclosure.
• Such additional exemplary suitable nuclease- inactive Cas9 proteins include, but are not limited to, D10A, D839A, H840A, N863A, D10A/D839A, D10A/H840A, D10A/N863A, D839A/H840A, D839A/N863A,
• D10A/D839A/H840A, and D10A/D839A/H840A/N863A mutant proteins See, e.g., Prashant et al, CAS9 transcriptional activators for target specificity screening and paired nickases for cooperative genome engineering. Nature Biotechnology . 2013; 31(9): 833-838, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide recombinant Cas9 proteins comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of Cas9 as provided by any of the sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein the Cas9 protein comprises a RuvC and an HNH domain, wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations at an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or in a corresponding amino acid residue in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs:
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of X262T, X294R, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, and X1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of A262T, K294R, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, or E1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X1219V mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. In some embodiments, the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an E1219V mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%), at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain of SEQ ID NO: 9.
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%), at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%), at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain of SEQ ID NO: 9.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A and/or a H840A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide recombinant Cas9 proteins comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of
• Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9, comprising the RuvC and HNH domains of SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein, and wherein the recombinant Cas9 protein exhibits activity (e.g., increased activity) on a target sequence that does not comprise the canonical PAM (5'-NGG-3 ') at its 3 '-end as compared to Streptococcus pyogenes
• the Cas9 protein exhibits activity on a target sequence having a 3 '-end that is not directly adjacent to the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3 ') that is at least 2-fold, at least 3-fold, at least 5-fold, at least 10-fold, at least 50-fold, at least 100- fold, at least 500-fold, at least 1,000-fold, at least 5,000-fold, at least 10,000-fold, at least 50,000-fold, at least 100,000-fold, at least 500,000-fold, or at least 1,000,000-fold increased as compared to the activity of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9 on the same target sequence.
• the 3 '-end of the target sequence is directly adjacent to an AGC, GAG, TTT, GTG, or CAA sequence.
• the Cas9 protein activity is measured by a nuclease assay, a deamination assay, or a transcriptional activation assay.
• the transcriptional activation assay is a reporter activation assay, such as a GFP activation assay. Exemplary methods for measuring binding activity (e.g., of Cas9) using transcriptional activation assays are known in the art and would be apparent to the skilled artisan.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of X262T, X294R, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, and X1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of A262T, K294R, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, or E1219V of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X1219V mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. In some embodiments, the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 comprises an X1219V mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%), at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 4, or 9.
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%), at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A and/or a H840A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide recombinant Cas9 proteins comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of
• Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9, comprising the RuvC and HNH domains of SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein, and wherein the recombinant Cas9 protein exhibits an increased activity on a target sequence that does not comprise the canonical PAM (5'-NGG-3') at its 3 '-end as compared to Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 4, or 9.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A and a H840A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide recombinant Cas9 proteins comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9, comprising the RuvC and HNH domains of SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein, and wherein the recombinant Cas9 protein exhibits an increased activity on a target sequence that does not comprise the canonical PAM (5'-
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 4, or 9.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the Cas9 further comprises a histidine residue at position 840 as provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding histidine residue in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the presence of the catalytic residue H840 allows Cas9 to cleave the non-targeted strand, i.e., the strand bound by the sgRNA.
• a Cas9 having an amino acid residue other than histidine at position 840 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262 may be changed or reverted such that amino acid residue 840 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262 is histidine.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide recombinant Cas9 proteins comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of
• Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9, comprising the RuvC and HNH domains of SEQ ID NO: 9; wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 262, 267, 294, 405, 409, 480, 543, 694, 1219, 1224, and 1256 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9; wherein the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein; and wherein the recombinant Cas9 protein exhibits activity (e.g., increased activity) on a target sequence that does not comprise the canonical PAM (5'-NGG-3 ') at its 3 '-end as compared to Streptococcus pyogenes Ca
• the Cas9 protein exhibits an activity on a target sequence having a 3 '-end that is not directly adjacent to the canonical PAM sequence (5'- NGG-3 ') that is at least 2-fold, at least 3-fold, at least 5-fold, at least 10-fold, at least 50-fold, at least 100-fold, at least 500-fold, at least 1,000-fold, at least 5,000-fold, at least 10,000-fold, at least 50,000-fold, at least 100,000-fold, at least 500,000-fold, or at least 1,000,000-fold increased as compared to the activity of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9 on the same target sequence.
• the 3 '-end of the target sequence is directly adjacent to an AAA, AAC, AAG, AAT, CAA, CAC, CAG, CAT, GAA, GAC, GAG, GAT, TAA, TAC, TAG, TAT, ACA, ACC, ACG, ACT, CCA, CCC, CCG, CCT, GCA, GCC, GCG, GCT, TCA, TCC, TCG, TCT, AGA, AGC, AGT, CGA, CGC, CGT, GGA, GGC, GGT, TGA, TGC, TGT, ATA, ATC, ATG, ATT, CTA, CTC, CTG, CTT, GTA, GTC, GTG, GTT, TTA, TTC, TTG, or TTT PAM sequence.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of X262T, X267G, X294R, X405I, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, X1219V, X1224K, X1256K, and X1362P of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X represents any amino acid at the corresponding position.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations selected from the group consisting of A262T, S267G, K294R, F405I, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, E1219V, N1224K, Q1256K, and L1362P of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X1219V mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. In some embodiments, the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an E1219V mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X480K mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an E480K mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an X543D mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises an E543D mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the combination of mutations selected from the group consisting of (X480K, X543D, and X1219V); (X262T, X409I, X480K, X543D, X694I, and X1219V); (X294R, X480K, X543D, X1219V, X1256K, and X1362P); (X294R, X480K, X543D, X1219V, and X1256K);
• the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises the combination of mutations selected from the group consisting of (E480K, E543D, and E1219V); (A262T, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, and E1219V); (K294R, E480K, E543D, E1219V, Q1256K, and L1362P); (K294R, E480K, E543D, E1219V, and Q1256K); (S267G, K294R, E480K, E543DE1219V, N1224K, and Q1256K); and (A262T, F405I, S409I, E480K, E543D, M694I, and E1219V) of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%), at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the HNH domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 4, or 9.
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%), at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 4, or 9.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A and/or a H840A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. In some embodiments, the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A and an H840A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10- 262. In some embodiments, the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. In some embodiments, the Cas9 protein comprises an H840A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10- 262.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide recombinant Cas9 proteins comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of
• Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9, comprising the RuvC and HNH domains of SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 262, 267, 294, 405, 409, 480, 543, 694, 1219, 1224, 1256, and 1362 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein, and wherein the recombinant Cas9 protein exhibits increased activity on a target sequence that does not include the canonical PAM (5'-NGG-3') at its 3 '-end as compared to
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 4, or 9.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A and a H840A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide recombinant Cas9 proteins comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of
• Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9, comprising the RuvC and HNH domains of SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations at an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 262, 267, 294, 405, 409, 480, 543, 694, 1219, 1224, 1256, and 1362 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein, and wherein the recombinant Cas9 protein exhibits increased activity on a target sequence that does not comprise the canonical PAM (5'-NGG-3 ') at its 3 '-end as compared to
• the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of the RuvC domain of any of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 4, or 9.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the Cas9 further comprises a histidine residue at position 840 as provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a
• a Cas9 having an amino acid residue other than histidine at position 840 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262 may be changed or reverted such that amino acid residue 840 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262 is histidine.
• fusion proteins comprising a Cas9 protein as provided herein that is fused to a second protein, or a "fusion partner", such as an effector domain, thus forming a fusion protein.
• the effector domain is fused to the N-terminus of the Cas9 protein.
• the effector domain is fused to the C-terminus of the Cas9 protein.
• the Cas9 protein and the effector domain are fused to each other via a linker. Suitable strategies for generating fusion proteins according to aspects of this disclosure using linkers or without the use of linkers will also be apparent to those of skill in the art in view of the instant disclosure and the knowledge in the art.
• the linker comprises a (GGGGS)n (SEQ ID NO: 5), a (G) n , an (EAAAK) n (SEQ ID NO: 6), a (GGS) n , an
• the effector domain comprises an enzymatic domain.
• Suiable effector domains include, without limitation a nuclease, nickase, recombinase, deaminase, methyltransferase, methylase, acetylase, acetyltransferase, transcriptional activator, and transcriptional repressor.
• the linker may be as simple as a covalent bond, or it may be a polymeric linker many atoms in length.
• the linker is a polpeptide or based on amino acids. In other embodiments, the linker is not peptide-like.
• the linker is a covalent bond ⁇ e.g., a carbon-carbon bond, disulfide bond, carbon-heteroatom bond, etc.).
• the linker is a carbon-nitrogen bond of an amide linkage.
• the linker is a cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched aliphatic or heteroaliphatic linker.
• the linker is polymeric ⁇ e.g., polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyamide, polyester, etc.). In certain embodiments, the linker comprises a monomer, dimer, or polymer of aminoalkanoic acid. In certain embodiments, the linker comprises an aminoalkanoic acid ⁇ e.g., glycine, ethanoic acid, alanine, beta-alanine, 3-aminopropanoic acid, 4-aminobutanoic acid, 5- pentanoic acid, etc.). In certain embodiments, the linker comprises a monomer, dimer, or polymer of aminohexanoic acid (Ahx).
• Ahx aminohexanoic acid
• the linker comprises an aryl or heteroaryl moiety. In certain embodiments, the linker is based on a phenyl ring.
• the linker may included funtionalized moieties to facilitate attachment of a nucleophile (e.g., thiol, amino) from the peptide to the linker. Any electrophile may be used as part of the linker. Exemplary electrophiles include, but are not limited to, activated esters, activated amides, Michael acceptors, alkyl halides, aryl halides, acyl halides, and isothiocyanates.
• the effector domain comprises a effector enzyme.
• effector enzymes that may be used in accordance with this disclosure include nucleases, nickases, recombinases, and deaminases. However additional effector enzymes would be apparent to the skilled artisan and are within the scope of this disclosure.
• the effector domain comprises a domain that modulates transcriptional activity. Such transcriptional modulating domains may be, without limitation, a transcriptional activator or transcriptional repressor domain.
• the effector domain is a effector domain. In some embodiments, the effector domain is a deaminase domain. In some embodiments, the deaminase is a cytosine deaminase or a cytidine deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing complex (APOBEC) family deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC 1 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC2 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC1 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC 1 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC2 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase
• the deaminase is an APOBEC3A deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3D deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3E deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3F deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3G deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC3H deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an APOBEC4 deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an activation-induced deaminase (AID).
• AID activation-induced deaminase
• the effector domain is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the deaminase domain of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 263-281.
• the effector domain is a nuclease domain.
• the nuclease domain is a Fokl DNA cleavage domain.
• this disclosure provides dimers of the fusion proteins provided herein, e.g., dimers of fusion proteins may include a dimerizing nuclease domain.
• the Cas9 protein comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%), at least 98%>, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of Cas9 as provided by any of the sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein the Cas9 protein comprises a RuvC and an HNH domain, wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or in a corresponding amino acid residue in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, and
• the Cas9 protein comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9, comprising the RuvC and HNH domains of SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein, and wherein the recombinant Cas9 protein exhibits activity on a target sequence that does not comprise the canonical PAM (5'-NGG-3') at its 3 '-end
• Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9.
• the Cas9 protein comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%), at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to the amino acid sequence of Cas9 as provided by any of the sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein the Cas9 protein comprises a RuvC and an HNH domain, wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 262, 267, 294, 405, 409, 480, 543, 694, 1219, 1224, 1256, and 1362 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or in a corresponding amino acid residue in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, and where
• the Cas9 protein comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 as provided by SEQ ID NO: 9, , comprising the RuvC and HNH domains of SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 protein comprises at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations in an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues 262, 267, 294, 405, 409, 480, 543, 694, 1219, 1224, and 1256 of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9; wherein the amino acid sequence of the recombinant Cas9 protein is not identical to the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring Cas9 protein; and wherein the recombinant Cas9 protein exhibits increased activity on a target sequence that does not include the canonical PAM (5'-NGG-3') at its 3 '-
• fusion proteins comprising (i) a nuclease-inactive Cas9 protein; and (ii) a effector domain.
• the effector domain is a DNA-editing domain.
• the effector domain possesses deaminase activity.
• the effector domain comprises or is a deaminase domain.
• the deaminase is a cytidine deaminase.
• the deaminase is an apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing complex (APOBEC) family deaminase.
• APOBEC apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing complex
• the deaminase is an APOBEC 1 family deaminase. In some embodiments, the deaminase is an activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID).
• AID activation-induced cytidine deaminase
• nucleic-acid editing domains as well as Cas9 fusion proteins including such domains are described in detail herein. Additional suitable effector domains will be apparent to the skilled artisan based on this disclosure.
• the nucleid-acid editing domain is a Fokl nuclease domain.
• the instant disclosure provides Cas9:effector domain fusion proteins of various configurations.
• the effector domain is fused to the N-terminus of the Cas9 protein.
• the effector domain is fused to the C-terminus of the Cas9 protein.
• the Cas9 protein and the effector domain are fused via a linker.
• the linker comprises (GGGGS) n (SEQ ID NO: 5), (G) n , (EAAAK) n (SEQ ID NO: 6), (GGS) n , orSGSETPGTSESATPES (SEQ ID NO: 7) motif (see, e.g., Guilinger JP, Thompson DB, Liu DR.
• n is independently an integer between 1 and 30.
• n is independently 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30, or, if more than one linker or more than one linker motif is present, any combination thereof. Additional suitable linker motifs and linker configurations will be apparent to those of skill in the art.
• suitable linker motifs and configurations include those described in Chen et al, Fusion protein linkers: property, design and functionality. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2013; 65(10): 1357- 69, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additional suitable linker sequences will be apparent to those of skill in the art based on the instant disclosure and knowledge in the art.
• the general architecture of exemplary Cas9 fusion proteins provided herein comprises the structure:
• FIG. 11 provides a schematic representation of a Cas9 protein fused to an effector domain ⁇ e.g., rAPOBECl) in complex with sgRNA and bound to the target nucleic acid sequence.
• any of the fusion proteins provided herein may comprise one or more nuclear localization sequence (NLS).
• a nuclear localization sequence refers to an amino acid sequence that promotes importation of a protein, for example any of the fusion proteins provided herein having an NLS, into the cell nucleus ⁇ e.g., via nuclear transport).
• an NLS comprises one or more short amino acid sequences of positively charged lysines or arginines exposed on the protein surface.
• Nuclear localization seuqneces are known in the art and would be apparent to the skilled artisan. For example nuclear localization sequences have been described in Kalderon D., et al, "A short amino acid sequence able to specify nuclear location".
• a NLS comprises the amino acid sequence PKKKRKV (SEQ ID NO: 299) or
• MDSLLMNRRKFLYQFKNVRWAKGRRETYLC SEQ ID NO: 300.
• Exemplary features that may be present are localization sequences, such as nuclear localization sequences, cytoplasmic localization sequences, export sequences, such as nuclear export sequences, or other localization sequences, as well as sequence tags that are useful for solubilization, purification, or detection of the fusion proteins.
• localization sequences such as nuclear localization sequences, cytoplasmic localization sequences, export sequences, such as nuclear export sequences, or other localization sequences, as well as sequence tags that are useful for solubilization, purification, or detection of the fusion proteins.
• localization signal sequences and sequences of protein tags include, but are not limited to, biotin carboxylase carrier protein (BCCP) tags, myc-tags, calmodulin- tags, FLAG-tags, hemagglutinin (HA)-tags, polyhistidine tags, also referred to as histidine tags or His-tags, maltose binding protein (MBP)-tags, nus-tags, glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-tags, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tags, thioredoxin-tags, S-tags, Softags ⁇ e.g., Softag 1, Softag 3), strep-tags , biotin ligase tags, FlAsH tags, V5 tags, and SBP-tags.
• BCCP biotin carboxylase carrier protein
• MBP maltose binding protein
• GST glutathione-S-transferase
• GFP green fluorescent protein
• Softags ⁇ e.g., Softa
• any of the nuclear localization sequences provided herein may be fused to the fusion protein in any suitable localization.
• the NLS is fused N-terminal to the Cas9 protein of the fusion protein.
• the NLS is fused C-terminal to the Cas9 protein of the fusion protein.
• the NLS is fused N-terminal to the effector domain of the fusion protein.
• the NLS is fused C-terminal to the effector domain of the fusion protein.
• the effector domain is a deaminase.
• the general architecture of exemplary Cas9 fusion proteins with a deaminase domain comprises the structure:
• NLS is a nuclear localization signal
• NH 2 is the N-terminus of the fusion protein
• COOH is the C-terminus of the fusion protein.
• a linker is inserted between the Cas9 protein and the deaminase domain.
• any of the "]-[" may be one or more linkers.
• the NLS is located C-terminal of the deaminase and/or the Cas9 domain. In some embodiments, the NLS is located between the deaminase and the Cas9 domain. Additional features, such as sequence tags, may also be present.
• One exemplary suitable type of effector domain includes cytosine deaminases, for example, of the APOBEC family.
• APOBEC cytosine deaminase enzymes encompasses eleven proteins that serve to initiate mutagenesis in a controlled and beneficial manner. 29
• AID activation- induced cytidine deaminase
• the apolipoprotein B editing complex 3 (APOBEC3) enzyme provides protection to human cells against a certain HIV-1 strain via the deamination of cytosines in reverse- transcribed viral ssDNA.
• a recent crystal structure of the catalytic domain of APOBEC3G revealed a secondary structure comprised of a five-stranded ⁇ -sheet core flanked by six a-helices, which is believed to be conserved across the entire family.
• the active center loops have been shown to be responsible for both ssDNA binding and in determining "hotspot" identity.
• Overexpression of these enzymes has been linked to genomic instability and cancer, thus highlighting the importance of sequence-specific targeting. 35
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide a systematic series of fusions between Cas9 and deaminase domains, e.g., cytosine deaminase enzymes such as APOBEC enzymes, or adenosine deaminase enzymes such as AD AT enzymes, that has been generated in order to direct the enzymatic activities of these deaminases to a specific site in genomic DNA.
• cytosine deaminase enzymes such as APOBEC enzymes
• adenosine deaminase enzymes such as AD AT enzymes
• Cas9 as the recognition agent are two-fold: (1) the sequence specificity of Cas9 can be easily altered by simply changing the sgRNA sequence; and (2) Cas9 binds to its target sequence by denaturing the dsDNA, resulting in a stretch of DNA that is single- stranded and therefore a viable substrate for the deaminase. It will be understood that other catalytic domains, or catalytic domains from other deaminases, can also be used to generate fusion proteins with Cas9, and that the disclosure is not limited in this regard.
• deaminase fusion proteins can efficiently deaminate nucleotides at positions 3-11 according to the numbering scheme in Figure 11. It should be appreciated that a person of skill in the art will be able to design suitable guide RNAs to target the fusion proteins to a target sequence that comprises a nucleotide to be deaminated. Both PAM-dependent Cas9 proteins or Cas9 proteins that can target PAM-less target sequences as provided herein, can be employed for deamination of a target nucleotide.
• nucleic-acid editing domains e.g., deaminases and deaminase domains, that can be fused to Cas9 domains according to aspects of this disclosure are provided below.
• deaminase require a Zn 2+ -coordinating motif (His-X-Glu-X 23- 26 -Pro-Cys-X 2-4 -Cys; SEQ ID NO: 283) and bound water molecule for catalytic activity.
• the Glu residue acts to activate the water molecule to a zinc hydroxide for nucleophilic attack in the deamination reaction.
• the active domain of the respective sequence can be used, e.g., the domain without a localizing signal (nuclear localizing signal, without nuclear export signal, cytoplasmic localizing signal).
• Dog AID MP SLLMKQRKFLYHFKNVRWAKGRHET YLC YVVKRRD S AT SF SLDFGHLRNKSGC HVELLFLRYISDWDLDPGRCYRVTWFTSWSPCYDCARHVADFLRGYPNLSLRIFAAR LYFCEDRKAEPEGLRRLHRAGVQIAF TFKDYFYCWNTFVE REKTFKAWEGLHEN SVRLSROLRRILLPLYEVDDLRDAFRTLGL (SEQ ID NO: 265)
• Bovine AID
• Rat APOBEC-3 [00169]
• Green monkey APOBEC-3G [00172] Green monkey APOBEC-3G:
• Human APOBEC-1 (italic: nucleic acid editing domain) [00180] Human APOBEC-1 :
• fusion proteins as provided herein comprise the full- length amino acid of a effector domain, e.g., one of the sequences provided above. In other embodiments, however, fusion proteins as provided herein do not comprise a full-length sequence of a effector domain, but only a fragment thereof.
• a fusion protein provided herein comprises a Cas9 protein and a fragment of a effector domain, e.g., wherein the fragment comprises a effector domain.
• Exemplary amino acid sequences of effector domains are shown in the sequences above as italicized letters, and additional suitable sequences of such domains will be apparent to those of skill in the art.
• Additional suitable nucleic-acid editing domain e.g., deaminase domain sequences, that can be used according to aspects of this disclosure, e.g., that can be fused to a nuclease-inactive Cas9 protein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art based on this disclosure.
• additional domain sequences include deaminase domain sequences that are at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% similar to the sequences provided herein.
• Additional suitable Cas9 proteins, variants, and sequences will also be apparent to those of skill in the art. Examples of such additional suitable Cas9 proteins include, but are not limited to Cas9 proteins with the following mutations: D10A,
• D10A/D839A/H840A, and D10A/D839A/H840A/N863A See, e.g., Prashant et al, CAS9 transcriptional activators for target specificity screening and paired nickases for cooperative genome engineering. Nature Biotechnology. 2013; 31(9): 833-838 the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).
• the Cas9 fusion protein comprises: (i) Cas9 protein; and (ii) a transcriptional activator domain.
• the transcriptional activator domain comprises a VPR.
• VPR is a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA tripartite activator.
• VPR compises a VP64 amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 292:
• VPR comprises a VP64 amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 293 :
• VPR compises a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 294:
• VPR comprises a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 295:
• fusion proteins comprising a transcription activator.
• the transcriptional activator is VPR.
• the VPR compsises a wild type VPR or a VPR as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 293.
• the VPR proteins provided herein include fragments of VPR and proteins homologous to a VPR or a VPR fragment.
• a VPR comprises a fragment of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 293.
• a VPR comprises an amino acid sequence homologous to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 293 or an amino acid sequence homologous to a fragment of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 293.
• proteins comprising VPR or fragments of VPR or homologs of VPR or VPR fragments are referred to as "VPR variants.”
• a VPR variant shares homology to VPR, or a fragment thereof.
• a VPR variant is at least about 70% identical, at least about 80% identical, at least about 90%) identical, at least about 95% identical, at least about 96% identical, at least about 97%) identical, at least about 98%> identical, at least about 99% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, or at least about 99.9% to a wild type VPR or a VPR as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 293.
• the VPR variant comprises a fragment of VPR, such that the fragment is at least about 70% identical, at least about 80% identical, at least about 90% identical, at least about 95% identical, at least about 96% identical, at least about 97% identical, at least about 98% identical, at least about 99% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, or at least about 99.9% to the corresponding fragment of wild type VPR or a VPR as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 293.
• the VPR comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 293.
• the VPR comprises an amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 292.
• a VPR is a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA triple activator.
• the VP64-SV40-P65-RTA comprises a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 295.
• the VP64-SV40-P65-RTA proteins provided herein include fragments of VP64-SV40-P65-RTA and proteins homologous to a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA or a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA fragment.
• a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA comprises a fragment of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 295.
• a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA comprises an amino acid sequence homologous to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 295 or an amino acid sequence homologous to a fragment of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 295.
• proteins comprising VP64-SV40-P65-RTA or fragments of VP64-SV40-P65-RTA or homologs of VP64-SV40-P65-RTA or VP64-SV40- P65-RTA fragments are referred to as "VP64-SV40-P65-RTA variants.”
• a VP64-SV40-P65- RTA variant shares homology to VP64-SV40-P65-RTA, or a fragment thereof.
• a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA variant is at least about 70% identical, at least about 80% identical, at least about 90% identical, at least about 95% identical, at least about 96% identical, at least about 97%) identical, at least about 98% identical, at least about 99% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, or at least about 99.9% to a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 295.
• the VP64-SV40-P65-RTA variant comprises a fragment of VP64-SV40-P65-RTA, such that the fragment is at least about 70% identical, at least about 80%) identical, at least about 90% identical, at least about 95% identical, at least about 96% identical, at least about 97% identical, at least about 98% identical, at least about 99% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, or at least about 99.9% to the corresponding fragment of a VP64-SV40-P65-RTA as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 295.
• the VP64-SV40-P65-RTA comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 295.
• the VP64-SV40-P65-RTA comprises an amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 294.
• fusion proteins comprising (i) a Cas9 protein; and (ii) a effector domain.
• the fusion proteins provided herein further include (iii) a DNA-binding protein, for example, a zinc-finger domain, a TALE, or a second Cas9 protein.
• fusing a DNA- binding protein e.g., a second Cas9 protein
• a fusion protein comprising (i) a protein; and (ii) a effector domain
• the second Cas9 protein is any of the Cas9 proteins provided herein.
• the second Cas9 protein is fused to the fusion protein N-terminal to the Cas9 protein.
• the second Cas9 protein is fused to the fusion protein C-terminal to the Cas9 protein.
• the Cas9 proteinand the second Cas9 protein are fused via a linker.
• complexes comprising any of the fusion proteins provided herein, a first guide RNA bound to the Cas9 protein of the fusion protein, and a second guide RNA bound to the second Cas9 protein of the fusion protein.
• the first guide RNA is about 15-100 nucleotides long and comprises a sequence of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a first target sequence and the second guide RNA is about 15-100 nucleotides long and comprises a sequence of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a second target sequence.
• the first guide RNA and/or the second guide RNA is 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50 nucleotides long. In some embodiments, the first guide RNA and the second guide RNA are different.
• the first guide RNA comprises a sequence of 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a first target sequence
• the second guide RNA comprises a sequence of 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a second target sequence.
• the first target sequence and the second target sequence are different.
• the first target sequence and the second target sequence are DNA sequences.
• the first target sequence and the second target sequence are in the genome of a mammal. In some embodiments, the first target sequence and the second target sequence are in the genome of a human. In some embodiments, the first target sequence is within 30 nucleotides of the second target sequence. In some embodiments, the 3' end of the first target sequence is not immediately adjacent to the canonical PAM sequence (5 '-NGG-3 '). In some embodiments, the 3' end of the second target sequence is not immediately adjacent to the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3 '). [00194] In some embodiments, the general architecture of exemplary Cas9 fusion proteins provided herein is of the structure:
• H 2 is the N-terminus of the fusion protein
• COOH is the C-terminus of the fusion protein.
• the "]-[" used in the general architecture above indicates the presence of an optional linker sequence.
• the general architecture of exemplary Cas9 fusion proteins provided herein is of the structure:
• the second Cas9 is a dCas9 protein.
• the general architecture of exemplary Cas9 fusion proteins provided herein comprises a structure as shown in Figure 8. It should be appreciated that any of the proteins provided in any of the general architectures of exemplary Cas9 fusion proteins may be connected by one or more of the linkers provided herein. In some embodiments, the linkers are the same. In some embodiments, the linkers are different.
• the fusion proteins further comprise a nuclear targeting sequence, for example a nuclear localization sequence.
• fusion proteins provided herein further comprise a nuclear localization sequence (NLS).
• NLS nuclear localization sequence
• the NLS is fused to the N-terminus of the fusion protein.
• the NLS is fused to the C-terminus of the fusion protein.
• the NLS is fused to the N-terminus of the second Cas9 protein.
• the NLS is fused to the C-terminus of the second Cas9 protein.
• the NLS is fused to the N-terminus of the Cas9 protein. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the C-terminus of the Cas9 protein. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the N-terminus of the effector domain. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the C-terminus of the effector domain. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the N- terminus of the UGI protein. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the C-terminus of the UGI protein. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the fusion protein via one or more linkers. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the fusioin protein without a linker.
• fusion proteins comprising a Cas9 protein fused to a effector domain, e.g., a deaminase, and a uracil glycosylase inhibitor (UGI).
• a uracil glycosylase inhibitor e.g., a uracil glycosylase inhibitor (UGI).
• the fusion protein comprises the structure:
• the fusion proteins do not comprise a linker sequence. In some embodiments, one or both of the optional linker sequences are present. [00196] In some embodiments, the fusion protein further comprises a second Cas9 protein.
• the second Cas9 protein may be any of the Cas9 proteins provided herein.
• fusion protein comprises the structure:
• the "-" used in the general architecture above indicates the presence of an optional linker sequence.
• the fusion proteins comprising a UGI further comprise a nuclear targeting sequence, for example a nuclear localization sequence.
• fusion proteins provided herein further comprise a nuclear localization sequence (NLS).
• NLS nuclear localization sequence
• the NLS is fused to the N-terminus of the fusion protein.
• the NLS is fused to the C-terminus of the fusion protein.
• the NLS is fused to the N-terminus of the UGI protein.
• the NLS is fused to the C-terminus of the UGI protein.
• the NLS is fused to the N-terminus of the Cas9 protein. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the C-terminus of the Cas9 protein. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the N-terminus of the deaminase. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the C-terminus of the deaminase. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the N-terminus of the second Cas9. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the C-terminus of the second Cas9. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the fusion protein via one or more linkers. In some embodiments, the NLS is fused to the fusioin protein without a linker.
• the UGI comprises a wild type UGI or a UGI as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 553.
• the UGI proteins provided herein include fragments of UGI and proteins homologous to a UGI or a UGI fragment.
• a UGI comprises a fragment of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 553.
• a UGI comprises an amino acid sequence homologous to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 553 or an amino acid sequence homologous to a fragment of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 553.
• proteins comprising UGI or fragments of UGI or homologs of UGI or UGI fragments are referred to as "UGI variants.”
• a UGI variant shares homology to UGI, or a fragment thereof.
• a UGI variant is at least about 70% identical, at least about 80% identical, at least about 90% identical, at least about 95% identical, at least about 96% identical, at least about 97% identical, at least about 98% identical, at least about 99% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, or at least about 99.9% to a wild type UGI or a UGI as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 553.
• the UGI variant comprises a fragment of UGI, such that the fragment is at least about 70% identical, at least about 80% identical, at least about 90% identical, at least about 95% identical, at least about 96% identical, at least about 97% identical, at least about 98% identical, at least about 99% identical, at least about 99.5% identical, or at least about 99.9% to the corresponding fragment of wild type UGI or a UGI as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 553.
• the UGI comprises the following amino acid sequence: >sp
• Suitable UGI protein and nucleotide sequences are provided herein and additional suitable UGI sequences are known to those in the art, and include, for example, those published in Wang et al., Uracil-DNA glycosylase inhibitor gene of bacteriophage PBS2 encodes a binding protein specific for uracil-DNA glycosylase. J. Biol. Chem.
• uracil glycosylase inhibitors may be uracil glycosylase inhibitors.
• other proteins that are capable of inhibiting (e.g., sterically blocking) a uracil-DNA glycosylase base-excision repair enzyme are within the scope of this disclosure.
• a uracil glycosylase inhibitor is a protein that binds DNA.
• a uracil glycosylase inhibitor is a protein that binds single-stranded DNA.
• a uracil glycosylase inhibitor may be a Erwinia tasmaniensis single- stranded binding protein.
• the single-stranded binding protein comprises the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 303).
• a uracil glycosylase inhibitor is a protein that binds uracil.
• a uracil glycosylase inhibitor is a protein that binds uracil in DNA.
• a uracil glycosylase inhibitor is a catalytically inactive uracil DNA-glycosylase protein.
• a uracil glycosylase inhibitor is a catalytically inactive uracil DNA-glycosylase protein that does not excise uracil from the DNA.
• a uracil glycosylase inhibitor is a UdgX.
• the UdgX comprises the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 304).
• a uracil glycosylase inhibitor is a catalytically inactive UDG.
• a catalytically inactive UDG comprises the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 305). It should be appreciated that other uracil glycosylase inhibitors would be apparent to the skilled artisan and are within the scope of this disclosure.
• Erwinia tasmaniensis SSB (themostable single-stranded DNA binding protein) MASRGVNKVILVGNLGQDPEVRYMPNGGAVANITLATSESWRDKQTGETKEKTEW HRVVLFGKLAEVAGEYLRKGSQVYIEGALQTRKWTDQAGVEKYTTEVVVNVGGT MQMLGGRSQGGGASAGGQNGGSNNGWGQPQQPQGGNQFSGGAQQQARPQQQPQ QNNAPANNEPPIDFDDDIP (SEQ ID NO: 303)
• UdgX (binds to Uracil in DNA but does not excise)
• UDG catalytically inactive human UDG, binds to Uracil in DNA but does not excise
• high fidelity Cas9 proteins have decreased electrostatic interactions between the Cas9 protein and a sugar-phosphate backbone of a DNA, as compared to a wild-type Cas9 domain.
• any of the Cas9 proteins provided herein comprise one or more mutations that decrease the association between the Cas9 protein and a sugar-phosphate backbone of a DNA.
• any of the Cas9 proteins provided herein comprise one or more mutations that decrease the association between the Cas9 protein and a sugar-phosphate backbone of a DNA by at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or at least 95%.
• any of the Cas9 proteins provided herein comprise one or more of a N497X, a R661X, a Q695X, and/or a Q926X mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X is any amino acid.
• any of the Cas9 proteins provided herein comprise one or more of a N497A, a R661 A, a Q695A, and/or a Q926A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A mutation of the amino acid sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10- 262.
• the Cas9 protein comprises the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 306.
• High fidelity Cas9 proteins have been described in the art and would be apparent to the skilled artisan. For example, high fidelity Cas9 proteins have been described in Kleinstiver, B.P., et al. "High-fidelity CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases with no detectable genome- wide off-target effects.” Nature 529, 490-495 (2016); and Slaymaker, I.M., et al.
• Cas9 domain where mutations relative to Cas9 of SEQ ID NO: 9 are shown in bold and underlines.
• Cas9 proteins that have different PAM specificities.
• Cas9 proteins such as Cas9 from S. pyogenes (spCas9)
• spCas9 require a canonical NGG PAM sequence to bind a particular nucleic acid region. This may limit the ability to of the Cas9 protein to bind to a particular nucleotide sequence within a genome.
• any of the Cas proteins provided herein may be capable of binding a nucleotide sequence that does not contain a canonical (e.g., NGG) PAM sequence.
• Cas9 proteins that bind non-canonical PAM sequences have been described in Kleinstiver, B.
• the Cas9 protein is a Cas9 protein from Staphylococcus aureus (SaCas9).
• the SaCas9 protein is a nuclease active SaCas9, a nuclease inactive SaCas9 (SaCas9d), or a SaCas9 nickase (SaCas9n).
• the SaCas9 comprises the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 307.
• the SaCas9 comprises a N579X mutation of SEQ ID NO: 307, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 9-262, wherein X is any amino acid except for N.
• the SaCas9 comprises a N579A mutation of SEQ ID NO: 307, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the SaCas9 protein, the SaCas9d protein, or the SaCas9n protein can bind to a nucleic acid seuqnce having a non-canonical PAM.
• the SaCas9 protein, the SaCas9d protein, or the SaCas9n protein can bind to a nucleic acid sequence having a NNGRRT PAM sequence.
• the SaCas9 protein comprises one or more of a E781X, N967X, or R1014X mutation of SEQ ID NO: 307, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X is any amino acid.
• the SaCas9 protein comprises one or more of a E781K, N967K, or R1014H mutation of SEQ ID NO: 307, or one or more corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the SaCas9 protein comprises a E781K, a N967K, and a R1014H mutation of SEQ ID NO: 307, or corresponding mutations in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. It should be appreciated that these mutations may be combined with any of the other mutations provided herein
• the Cas9 protein of any of the fusion proteins provided herein comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 307-309.
• the Cas9 protein of any of the fusion proteins provided herein comprises the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 307-309.
• the Cas9 protein of any of the fusion proteins provided herein consists of the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 307-309.
• VKSKKHPQIIKKG (SEQ ID NO: 307)
• Residue N579 of SEQ ID NO: 307 which is underlined and in bold, may be mutated (e.g., to a A579) to yield a SaCas9 nickase.
• VKSKKHPQIIKKG (SEQ ID NO: 308).
• Residue A579 of SEQ ID NO: 308, which can be mutated from N579 of SEQ ID NO: 307 to yield a SaCas9 nickase, is underlined and in bold.
• VKSKKHPQIIKKG (SEQ ID NO: 309).
• Residue A579 of SEQ ID NO: 309 which can be mutated from N579 of SEQ ID NO: 307 to yield a SaCas9 nickase, is underlined and in bold.
• Residues K781, K967, and H1014 of SEQ ID NO: 309 which can be mutated from E781, N967, and R1014 of SEQ ID NO: 307 to yield a SaKKH Cas9 are underlined and in italics.
• the Cas9 protein is a Cas9 protein from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpCas9).
• the SpCas9 protein is a nuclease active SpCas9, a nuclease inactive SpCas9 (SpCas9d), or a SpCas9 nickase (SpCas9n).
• the SpCas9 comprises the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 9.
• the SpCas9 comprises a D10X mutation of SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X is any amino acid except for D.
• the SpCas9 comprises a D10A mutation of SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the SpCas9 protein, the SpCas9d protein, or the SpCas9n protein can bind to a nucleic acid seuqnce having a non-canonical PAM.
• the SpCas9 protein, the SpCas9d protein, or the SpCas9n protein can bind to a nucleic acid sequence having a NGG, a NGA, or a NGCG PAM sequence.
• the SpCas9 protein comprises one or more of a Dl 135X, R1335X, and
• the SpCas9 protein comprises one or more of a Dl 135E, R1335Q, and T1337R mutation of SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the SpCas9 protein comprises a Dl 135E, a R1335Q, and a T1335R mutation of SEQ ID NO: 9, or corresponding mutations in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the SpCas9 protein comprises one or more of a Dl 135X, R1335X, and T1337X mutation of SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X is any amino acid.
• the SpCas9 protein comprises one or more of a Dl 135V, R1335Q, and T1337R mutation of SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the SpCas9 protein comprises a Dl 135V, a R1335Q, and a T1337R mutation of SEQ ID NO: 9, or corresponding mutations in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the SpCas9 protein comprises one or more of a D1135X, G1218X, R1335X, and T1337X mutation of SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262, wherein X is any amino acid.
• the SpCas9 protein comprises one or more of a D1135V, G1218R, R1335Q, and T1337R mutation of SEQ ID NO: 9, or a corresponding mutation in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262.
• the SpCas9 protein comprises a Dl 135V, a G1218R, a R1335Q, and a T1337R mutation of SEQ ID NO: 9, or corresponding mutations in any of the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 10-262. It should be appreciated that these mutations may be combined with any of the other mutations provided herein
• the Cas9 protein of any of the fusion proteins provided herein comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or at least 99.5% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 9, 310-313.
• the Cas9 domain of any of the fusion proteins provided herein comprises the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 9, 310-313.
• the Cas9 domain of any of the fusion proteins provided herein consists of the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 9, 310-313.
• Residues El 134, Q1334, and R1336 of SEQ ID NO: 311, which can be mutated from Dl 134, R1334, and T1336 of SEQ ID NO: 9 to yield a SpEQR Cas9, are underlined and in bold.
• Residues VI 134, Q1334, and R1336 of SEQ ID NO: 312, which can be mutated from Dl 134, R1334, and T1336 of SEQ ID NO: 9 to yield a SpVQR Cas9, are underlined and in bold.
• Residues VI 134, R1217, Q1334, and R1336 of SEQ ID NO: 313, which can be mutated from Dl 134, G1217, R1334, and T1336 of SEQ ID NO: 9 to yield a SpVRER Cas9, are underlined and in bold.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide complexes comprising a Cas9 protein or a Cas9 fusion protein as provided herein, and a guide RNA bound to the Cas9 protein or the Cas9 fusion protein.
• the guide RNA is about 15-100 nucleotides long and comprises a sequence of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a target sequence.
• the guide RNA is 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50 nucleotides long.
• the guide RNA comprises a sequence of 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a target sequence.
• the target sequence is a DNA sequence. In some embodiments, the target sequence is a sequence in the genome of a mammal. In some embodiments, the target sequence is a sequence in the genome of a human. In some embodiments, the 3' end of the target sequence is not immediately adjacent to the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3').
• Some aspects of the disclosure provide complexes comprising a first guide RNA bound to a Cas9 protein of a fusion protein, and a second guide RNA bound to a second Cas9 protein of the fusion protein.
• the first guide RNA is about 15- 100 nucleotides long and comprises a sequence of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a first target sequence and the second guide RNA is about 15-100 nucleotides long and comprises a sequence of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a second target sequence.
• the first guide RNA and/or the second guide RNA is 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50 nucleotides long. In some embodiments, the first guide RNA and the second guide RNA are different.
• the first guide RNA comprises a sequence of 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a first target sequence and wherein the second guide RNA comprises a sequence of 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a second target sequence.
• first target sequence and the second target sequence are different.
• the first target sequence and the second target sequence are DNA sequences.
• the first target sequence and the second target sequence are in the genome of a mammal.
• the first target sequence and the second target sequence are in the genome of a human.
• the first target sequence is within at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 150, or 200 nucleotides of the second target sequence.
• the 3 '-end of the first target sequence is not immediately adjacent to the canonical PAM sequence (5'- NGG-3 ').
• the 3'-end of the second target sequence is not immediately adjacent to the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3 ').
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide methods of using the Cas9 proteins, fusion proteins, or complexes provided herein. For example, some aspects of this disclosure provide methods comprising contacting a DNA molecule (a) with any of the the Cas9 proteins or fusion proteins provided herein, and with at least one guide RNA, wherein the guide RNA is about 15-100 nucleotides long and comprises a sequence of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to a target sequence; or (b) with a Cas9 protein, a Cas9 fusion protein, or a Cas9 protein or fusion protein complex with at least one gRNA as provided herein.
• the 3' end of the target sequence is not immediately adjacent to the canonical PAM sequence (5'-NGG-3 '). In some embodiments, the 3' end of the target sequence is immediately adjacent to an AGC, GAG, TTT, GTG, or CAA sequence.
• the target DNA sequence comprises a sequence associated with a disease or disorder. In some embodiments, the target DNA sequence comprises a point mutation associated with a disease or disorder. In some embodiments, the activity of the Cas9 protein, the Cas9 fusion protein, or the complex results in a correction of the point mutation. In some embodiments, the target DNA sequence comprises a T ⁇ C point mutation associated with a disease or disorder, and wherein the deamination of the mutant C base results in a sequence that is not associated with a disease or disorder. In some
• the target DNA sequence encodes a protein and wherein the point mutation is in a codon and results in a change in the amino acid encoded by the mutant codon as compared to the wild-type codon.
• the deamination of the mutant C results in a change of the amino acid encoded by the mutant codon.
• the deamination of the mutant C results in the codon encoding the wild-type amino acid.
• the contacting is in vivo in a subject.
• the subject has or has been diagnosed with a disease or disorder.
• the disease or disorder is cystic fibrosis, phenylketonuria, epidermolytic hyperkeratosis (EHK), Charcot- Marie-Toot disease type 4J, neuroblastoma (NB), von Willebrand disease (vWD), myotonia congenital, hereditary renal amyloidosis, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), hereditary lymphedema, familial Alzheimer's disease, HIV, Prion disease, chronic infantile neurologic cutaneous articular syndrome (CINCA), desmin-related myopathy (DRM), a neoplastic disease associated with a mutant PI3KCA protein, a mutant CTNNB1 protein, a mutant HRAS protein, or a mutant p53 protein.
• the fusion protein is used to introduce a point mutation into a nucleic acid by deaminating a target nucleobase, e.g., a C residue.
• the deamination of the target nucleobase results in the correction of a genetic defect, e.g., in the correction of a point mutation that leads to a loss of function in a gene product.
• the genetic defect is associated with a disease or disorder, e.g., a lysosomal storage disorder or a metabolic disease, such as, for example, type I diabetes.
• the methods provided herein are used to introduce a deactivating point mutation into a gene or allele that encodes a gene product that is associated with a disease or disorder.
• methods are provided herein that employ a Cas9 DNA editing fusion protein to introduce a deactivating point mutation into an oncogene ⁇ e.g., in the treatment of a proliferative disease).
• a deactivating mutation may, in some embodiments, generate a premature stop codon in a coding sequence, which results in the expression of a truncated gene product, e.g., a truncated protein lacking the function of the full-length protein.
• the purpose of the methods provide herein is to restore the function of a dysfunctional gene via genome editing.
• the Cas9 deaminase fusion proteins provided herein can be validated for gene editing-based human therapeutics in vitro, e.g., by correcting a disease-associated mutation in human cell culture. It will be understood by the skilled artisan that the fusion proteins provided herein, e.g., the fusion proteins comprising a Cas9 domain and a nucleic acid deaminase domain can be used to correct any single point T -> C or A -> G mutation. In the first case, deamination of the mutant C back to U corrects the mutation, and in the latter case, deamination of the C that is base-paired with the mutant G, followed by a round of replication, corrects the mutation.
• An exemplary disease-relevant mutation that can be corrected by the provided fusion proteins in vitro or in vivo is the H1047R (A3140G) polymorphism in the PI3KCA protein.
• the phosphoinositide-3 -kinase, catalytic alpha sub unit (PI3KCA) protein acts to phosphorylate the 3 -OH group of the inositol ring of phosphatidylinositol.
• the PI3KCA gene has been found to be mutated in many different carcinomas, and thus it is considered to be a potent oncogene. 50
• the A3140G mutation is present in several NCI-60 cancer cell lines, such as, for example, the HCT116, SKOV3, and T47D cell lines, which are readily available from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). 51
• a cell carrying a mutation to be corrected e.g., a cell carrying a point mutation, e.g., an A3140G point mutation in ex on 20 of the PI3KCA gene, resulting in a H1047R substitution in the PI3KCA protein
• an expression construct encoding a Cas9 deaminase fusion protein and an appropriately designed sgRNA targeting the fusion protein to the respective mutation site in the encoding PI3KCA gene.
• Control experiments can be performed where the sgRNAs are designed to target the fusion enzymes to non-C residues that are within the PI3KCA gene.
• Genomic DNA of the treated cells can be extracted, and the relevant sequence of the PI3KCA genes PCR amplified and sequenced to assess the activities of the fusion proteins in human cell culture.
• PI3KCA is provided for illustration purposes and is not meant to limit the instant disclosure.
• the skilled artisan will understand that the instantly disclosed DNA-editing fusion proteins can be used to correct other point mutations and mutations associated with other cancers and with diseases other than cancer including other proliferative diseases.
• the instant disclosure provides methods for the treatment of a subject diagnosed with a disease associated with or caused by a point mutation that can be corrected by a Cas9 DNA editing fusion protein provided herein.
• a method is provided that comprises administering to a subject having such a disease, e.g., a cancer associated with a PI3KCA point mutation as described above, an effective amount of a Cas9 deaminase fusion protein that corrects the point mutation or introduces a deactivating mutation into the disease-associated gene.
• the disease is a
• the disease is a genetic disease. In some embodiments, the disease is a neoplastic disease. In some embodiments, the disease is a metabolic disease. In some embodiments, the disease is a lysosomal storage disease. Other diseases that can be treated by correcting a point mutation or introducing a deactivating mutation into a disease-associated gene will be known to those of skill in the art, and the disclosure is not limited in this respect.
• the instant disclosure provides methods for the treatment of additional diseases or disorders, e.g., diseases or disorders that are associated or caused by a point mutation that can be corrected by deaminase-mediated gene editing.
• additional diseases e.g., diseases or disorders that are associated or caused by a point mutation that can be corrected by deaminase-mediated gene editing.
• Some such diseases are described herein, and additional suitable diseases that can be treated with the strategies and fusion proteins provided herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art based on the instant disclosure.
• Exemplary suitable diseases and disorders are listed below. It will be understood that the numbering of the specific positions or residues in the respective sequences depends on the particular protein and numbering scheme used. Numbering might be different, e.g., in precursors of a mature protein and the mature protein itself, and differences in sequences from species to species may affect numbering.
• Suitable diseases and disorders include, without limitation, cystic fibrosis (see, e.g., Schwank et al, Functional repair of CFTR by CRISPR/Cas9 in intestinal stem cell organoids of cystic fibrosis patients. Cell stem cell. 2013; 13 : 653-658; and Wu et. al., Correction of a genetic disease in mouse via use of CRISPR-Cas9. Cell stem cell.
• phenylketonuria e.g., phenylalanine to serine mutation at position 835 (mouse) or 240 (human) or a homologous residue in phenylalanine hydroxylase gene (T>C mutation) - see, e.g., McDonald et al, Genomics.
• EHK epidermolytic hyperkeratosis
• accession number P04264 in the UNIPROT database at www[dot]uniprot[dot]org; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) - e.g., leucine to proline mutation at position 54 or 55 (if counting the initiator methionine) or a homologous residue in the processed form of ⁇ , ⁇ - antitrypsin or residue 78 in the unprocessed form or a homologous residue (T>C mutation) - see, e.g., Poller et al, Genomics.
• COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• accession number POlOl l in the UNIPROT database See also accession number POlOl l in the UNIPROT database; Charcot-Marie-Toot disease type 4J - e.g., isoleucine to threonine mutation at position 41 or a homologous residue in FIG4 (T>C mutation) - see, e.g., Lenk et al., PLoS Genetics. 2011 ; 7: el002104; neuroblastoma (NB) - e.g., leucine to proline mutation at position 197 or a homologous residue in Caspase-9 (T>C mutation) - see, e.g., Kundu et al, 3 Biotech.
• NB neuroblastoma
• von Willebrand disease e.g., cysteine to arginine mutation at position 509 or a homologous residue in the processed form of von Willebrand factor, or at position 1272 or a homologous residue in the unprocessed form of von Willebrand factor (T>C mutation) - see, e.g., Lavergne et al, Br. J. Haematol.
• hereditary renal amyloidosis e.g., stop codon to arginine mutation at position 78 or a homologous residue in the processed form of apolipoprotein All or at position 101 or a homologous residue in the unprocessed form (T>C mutation) - see, e.g., Yazaki et al, Kidney Int. 2003; 64: 11-16; dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) - e.g., tryptophan to Arginine mutation at position 148 or a homologous residue in the FOXD4 gene (T>C mutation), see, e.g., Minoretti et. al., Int. J.
• DCM dilated cardiomyopathy
• hereditary lymphedema - e.g., histidine to arginine mutation at position 1035 or a homologous residue in VEGFR3 tyrosine kinase (A>G mutation)
• A>G mutation hereditary lymphedema - e.g., histidine to arginine mutation at position 1035 or a homologous residue in VEGFR3 tyrosine kinase
• familial Alzheimer's disease - e.g., isoleucine to valine mutation at position 143 or a homologous residue in presenilinl (A>G mutation) see, e.g., Gallo et. al., J. Alzheimer 's disease.
• Prion disease e.g., methionine to valine mutation at position 129 or a homologous residue in prion protein (A>G mutation) - see, e.g., Lewis et. al., J. of General Virology. 2006; 87: 2443-2449; chronic infantile neurologic cutaneous articular syndrome (CINCA) - e.g., Tyrosine to Cysteine mutation at position 570 or a homologous residue in cryopyrin (A>G mutation) - see, e.g., Fujisawa et. al. Blood.
• CINCA chronic infantile neurologic cutaneous articular syndrome
• DRM desmin-related myopathy
• A>G mutations which may be corrected using any of the Cas9 fusion proteins provided herein.
• Provided herein are the names of these genes, their respective SEQ ID NOs, their gene IDs, and sequences flanking the mutation site. See Tables 4 and 5.
• the mutations provided in Tables 4 and 5 may be corrected using the Cas9 fusions provided herein, which are able to bind to target sequences lacking the canonical PAM sequence.
• a Cas9-deaminase fusion protein demostrates activity on non-canonical PAMs and therefore can correct all the pathogenic T>C or A>G mutations listed in Tables 4 and 5 (SEQ ID NOs: 674-2539 and 3144-5083), respectively.
• a Cas9-deaminase fusion protein recognizes canonical PAMs and therefore can correct the pathogenic T>C or A>G mutations with canonical PAMs, e.g., 5'-NGG-3'.
• RNA e.g., a gRNA
• a target site e.g., a site comprising a point mutation to be edited
• a guide RNA typically comprises a tracrRNA framework allowing for Cas9 binding, and a guide sequence, which confers sequence specificity to the Cas9:effector domain fusion protein.
• the guide RNA comprises a structure 5 '-[guide sequence]- guuuuagagcuagaaauagcaaguuaaaauaaggcuaguccguuaucaacuugaaaaaguggcaccgagucggugcuu uuu-3 ' (SEQ ID NO: 285),
• the guide sequence comprises a sequence that is complementary to the target sequence.
• the guide sequence is typically 20 nucleotides long.
• suitable guide RNAs for targeting Cas9: effector domain fusion proteins to specific genomic target sites will be apparent to those of skill in the art based on the instant disclosure.
• Such suitable guide RNA sequences typically comprise guide sequences that are complementary to a nucleic sequence within 50 nucleotides upstream or downstream of the target nucleotide to be edited.
• kits comprising a nucleic acid construct, comprising (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a Cas9 protein or a Cas9 fusion protein as provided herein; and (b) a heterologous promoter that drives expression of the sequence of (a).
• the kit further comprises an expression construct encoding a guide RNA backbone, wherein the construct comprises a cloning site positioned to allow the cloning of a nucleic acid sequence identical or complementary to a target sequence into the guide RNA backbone.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide polynucleotides encoding a Cas9 protein of a fusion protein as provided herein. Some aspects of this disclosure provide vectors comprising such polynucleotides. In some embodiments, the vector comprises a heterologous promoter driving expression of polynucleotide.
• Some aspects of this disclosure provide cells comprising a Cas9 protein, a fusion protein, a nucleic acid molecule, and/or a vector as provided herein.
• a 3'- NNN PAM library was built for each protospacer target sequence.
• the canonical PAM sequence is 5 '-NOGS', ⁇ e.g., an exemplary [Doench ⁇ -rcanonical PA Ml target sequence could be 5'- ⁇ AAGAGAGACAGTAC ATGCCCl-rNGGl-3 ' (SEQ ID NO: 291)), the 3 TSiNN PAM libraries for each protospacer target sequence contained a fully random PAM sequence, e.g., for Doenchl 5 '-AAGAGAGACAGTACATGCCCNNN-3 ' (SEQ ID NO: 290), wherein N represents any nucleotide.
• the NNN PAM libraries thus included every possible
• Each PAM library was cloned into a plasmid comprising such a weak promoter, where the [target sequence] -[PAM library] nucleic acid sequences served as the sequence targeted by an sgRNA.
• a PAM library was cloned into the promoter for The co-dCas9 assay was run on all four protospacer targets for both the canonical PAM and the random PAM library.
• Figure 1 shows the activity of wild-type S. pyogenes Cas9 on PAM Libraries.
• the accessory plasmid (accessory plasmid, AP), under the control of a promoter that is transcriptionally activated by co-dCas9.
• the PAM library was cloned into the promoter region of the accessory plasmid.
• Host cells used for the directed evolution of Cas9 proteins without PAM restriction were provided that harbored the accessory plasmid.
• the amount of infectious phage particles produced by a given host cell thus depends on the activity of the co-dCas9 fusion protein encoded by the selection phage on the promoter of the accessory plasmid, which is required for the production of pill protein.
• the accessory plasmid thus confers a selective advantage to those selection phages encoding co-dCas9 fusion protein variants with an increased activity on different non-canonical PAM sequences.
• a lagoon was provided and a flow of host cells comprising the accessory plasmid was generated through the lagoon.
• the host cells were contacted with the selection phagemid, resulting in a population of selection phage propagating in the flow of host cells in the lagoon.
• Phage-infected host cells were removed from the lagoon and fresh, uninfected host cells were fed into the lagoon at a rate resulting in the average time a host cell remained in the lagoon being shorter than the average time between cell division of the host cells, but longer than the average Ml 3 phage life cycle time.
• the host cells in the lagoon were incubated under conditions resulting in an increased mutation rate.
• the host cells were harboring a mutagenesis plasmid (MP), which increased the mutagenesis rate, thus introducing mutations in the co-dCas9 fusion protein encoded by the selection phagemid during the phage life cycle.
• MP mutagenesis plasmid
• the host cells in the lagoon cannot accumulate mutations resulting from the increased mutation rate conferred by the mutagenesis plasmid in their genome or on the accessory plasmid.
• the selection phage replicate in the lagoon in the flow of host cells and thus accumulate mutations over time, resulting in the generation of new, evolved co-dCas9 fusion protein variants.
• any of these evolved co-dCas9 fusion protein variants includes a mutation that confers an increased activity on the accessory plasmid comprising the PAM library, this will directly translate into the generation of more pill by a host cell infected with a selection phage encoding the respective co-dCas9 fusion protein variant.
• the production of more pill will, in turn, result in the generation of more infectious selection phage particles, which, over time, results in a competitive advantage of the mutant selection phage harboring such beneficial mutations over selection phage not harboring such mutations.
• the selective pressure exerted by the accessory plasmid will, therefore, result in selection phage having acquired beneficial mutations being the predominant species replicating in the flow of host cells, while selection phage with no mutations or with detrimental mutations will be washed out of the lagoon.
• a number of selection phage clones was isolated from a directed evolution experiment using a PAM library accessory plasmid as described above.
• the mutations identified in the Cas9 amino acid sequence of some exemplary clones is provided below in Table l(residue numbering according to SEQ ID NO: 9):
• Clones 1-4 were tested in the co-dCas9 luciferase activation assay described above. When tested on the PAM library as a whole, the different clones showed an improvement in luciferase expression ( Figure 2 - Cas9 activity of exemplary evolved clones on PAM library after directed evolution).
• Selection phage harboring a co-dCas9 fusion protein with a dCas9 sequence provided as SEQ ID NO: 8 with D10A and H840A mutations was propagated overnight in 1030 host cells together with MP6 mutagenesis plasmid in the presence of arabinose in order to create a library of mutated selection phage encoding a library of co-dCas9 fusion protein variants.
• PHI was expressed from a separate plasmid in the host cells during this initial diversification stage.
• 1030 host cells harboring an accessory plasmid comprising an NNN PAM library cloned into a weak promoter as the guide RNA target sequence and a mutagenesis plasmid were grown to log phase, and used as the source of host cells to create a flow of host cells through a lagoon.
• the cells in the lagoon were infected with the diversified selection phage from the overnight incubation.
• the host cells in the lagoon were contacted with arabinose in order to maintain a high level of expression of the mutagenic genes from the mutagenesis plasmid.
• the initial phage titers were about 10 8 pfu/mL.
• a PACE experiment was performed for each of the four NNN-PAM libraries ([Doench 1]-[NNN-PAM], [Doench 2]- [NNN-PAM], [G7]-[NNN-PAM], and [VEGF target] -[NNN-PAM] cloned into an accessory plasmid driving pill expression from a weak promoter as described above.
• the phage titers were monitored during the PACE experiments. A slow drop in phage titers to 10 4 pfu/mL was observed.
• the phage population was isolated from the lagoon at that point, and grown on 2208 host cells containing a separate source of pill (psp-driven pill). After this low- stringency propagation period, a 1 : 100 dilution of the supernatant was added to fresh host cells harboring the accessory plasmid as the only source of pill in a new lagoon, and the PACE experiments were continued. No drop in phage titers was observed after this low- stringency incubation in 2208 cells.
• Cas9 Mammalian GFP Activation Both wild-type dCas9 (SEQ ID NO: 9) and the evolved Cas9 clones were tested in a dCas9-GFP assay in Hek293T cells. The cells were contacted with a reporter construct in which a GFP-encoding sequence was driven from a weak promoter that includes a [gRNA target sequence]-[PAM] sequence. Fusion proteins of dCas9 (wild-type and PACE variants) attached to the transcriptional activator VP64-p65- Rta (VPR) were generated, and the various dCas9-VPR variants were tested for their capacity to activate the GFP reporter in HEK293 cells.
• Hek293T were transfected with four separate plasmids: a dCas9-VPR expression plasmid; a plasmid expressing the sgRNA targeting the gRNA target sequence of the GFP reporter plasmid; the GFP reporter plasmid; and an iRFP transfection control.
• the HEK293 cells were contacted with a GFP reporter included a TAA PAM, and in another experiment, the HEK293 cells were contacted with a population of reporter plasmids containing an NNN PAM library. Cells were harvested 48 hours after transfection and GFP expressing cells were quantified using a BD LSR- FORTESSA cell analyzer.
• FIG. 3 Figure 3 - Cas9 Mammalian GFP Activation. Compared with WT Cas9, the evolved Cas9s showed much higher activity on both the TAA PAM (21.08% vs. 0.60% of cells above negative control) and a library of NNN PAM (22.76% vs. 3.38% of cells above negative control).
• nuclease-active Cas9 proteins were generated based on the sequence provided in , i.e., without the D10A and H840A mutations, but harboring the various PACE mutations.
• the evolved Cas9 variants were tested in a Cas9 GFP assay, assessing the capacity of the evolved Cas9 protein variants to target and inactivate an emGFP gene integrated into the genome of HEK293 cells using a guide RNA targeting a sequence with a noncanonical PAM.
• S. pyogenes Cas9 with D10 and H840 residues marked with an asterisk following the respective amino acid residues SEQ ID NO: 9
• the D10 and H840 residues of SEQ ID NO: 9 may be mutated to generate a nuclease inactive Cas9 (e.g., to D10A and H840A) or to generate a nickase Cas9 (e.g., to D10A with H840; or to D10 with H840A).
• the HNH domain (bold and underlined) and the RuvC domain (boxed) are identified.
• the residues found mutated in the clones isolated from the various PACE experiments amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 are identified with an asterisk following the respective amino acid residue.
• This disclosure provides Cas9 variants in which one or more of the amino acid residues identified by an asterisk are mutated as described herein.
• the D10 and H840 residues are mutated, e.g., to an alanine residue
• the Cas9 variants provided include one or more additional mutations of the amino acid residues identified by an asterisk as provided herein.
• the D10 residue is mutated, e.g., to an alanine residue
• the Cas9 variants provided include one or more additional mutations of the amino acid residues identified by an asterisk as provided herein.
• a number of Cas9 sequences from various species were aligned to determine whether corresponding homologous amino acid residues can be identified in other Cas9 proteins, allowing the generation of Cas9 variants with corresponding mutations of the homologous amino acid residues.
• the alignment was carried out using the NCBI Constraint- based Multiple Alignment Tool (COBALT(accessible at st-va.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/tools/cobalt), with the following parameters. Alignment parameters: Gap penalties -11,-1; End-Gap penalties -5,-1.
• CDD Parameters Use RPS BLAST on; Blast E-value 0.003; Find conserveed columns and Recompute on.
• Query Clustering Parameters Use query clusters on; Word Size 4; Max cluster distance 0.8; Alphabet Regular.
• Sequence 1 SEQ ID NO: 10
• Sequence 2 SEQ ID NO: 11
• Sequence 3 SEQ ID NO: 12
• the alignment demonstrates that amino acid sequences and amino acid residues that are homologous to a reference Cas9 amino acid sequence or amino acid residue can be identified across Cas9 sequence variants, including, but not limited to Cas9 sequences from different species, by identifying the amino acid sequence or residue that aligns with the reference sequence or the reference residue using alignment programs and algorithms known in the art.
• This disclosure provides Cas9 variants in which one or more of the amino acid residues identified by an asterisk in SEQ ID NO: 9 are mutated as described herein.
• the residues in Cas9 sequences other than SEQ ID NO: 9 that correspond to the residues identified in SEQ ID NO: 9 by an asterisk are referred to herein as "homologous" or
• corresponding residues Such homologous residues can be identified by sequence alignment, e.g., as described above, and by identifying the sequence or residue that aligns with the reference sequence or residue.
• mutations in Cas9 sequences other than SEQ ID NO: 9 that correspond to mutations identified in SEQ ID NO: 9 herein e.g., mutations of residues 10, 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 840, 1219, and 1329 in SEQ ID NO: 9, are referred to herein as "homologous" or "corresponding" mutations.
• the mutations corresponding to the D10A mutation in SI for the four aligned sequences above are D10A for S2, D9A for S3, and D13A for S4; the corresponding mutations for H840A in SI are H850A for S2, H842A for S3, and H560 for S4; the corresponding mutation for X1219V in SI are X1228V for S2, X1226 for S3, and X903 V for S4, and so on.
• Residues corresponding to amino acid residues 10, 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 840, 1219, and 1329 in SEQ ID NO: 9 are boxed in SEQ ID NO: 10 in the alignments, allowing for the identification of the corresponding amino acid residues in the aligned sequences.
• Cas9 variants with one or more mutations in amino acid residues homologous to amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of SEQ ID NO: 9 are provided herein.
• the Cas9 variants provided herein comprise mutations corresponding to the D10A and the H840A mutations in SEQ ID NO: 9, resulting in a nuclease-inactive dCas9, and at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations of amino acid residues homologous to amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of SEQ ID NO: 9.
• Cas9 variants with one or more mutations in amino acid residues homologous to amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of SEQ ID NO: 9 are provided herein.
• the Cas9 variants provided herein comprise mutations corresponding to the D10A mutations in SEQ ID NO: 9, resulting in a partially nuclease-inactive dCas9, wherein the Cas9 can nick the non-target strand but not the targeted strand, and at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven mutations of amino acid residues homologous to amino acid residues 122, 137, 182, 262, 294, 409, 480, 543, 660, 694, 1219, and 1329 of SEQ ID NO: 9.
• SEQ ID NO WP_045635197.1 type II CRISPR RNA- guided endonuclease Cas9 [Streptococcus mitis] SEQ ID NO : 12 5AXW_A Cas9, Chain A, Crystal Structure [Staphylococcus Aureus] SEQ ID NO: 13
• WP 001040087 1 type II CRISPR RNA- guided endonuclease Cas9 [ Streptococcus agalactiae] SEQ ID NO: 49
• WP 001040090 1 type II CRISPR RNA- guided endonuclease Cas9 [ Streptococcus agalactiae] SEQ ID NO: 52
• WP 001040091 1 type II CRISPR RNA- guided endonuclease Cas9 [ Streptococcus agalactiae] SEQ ID NO: 53
• WP 001040092 1 type II CRISPR RNA- guided endonuclease Cas9 [ Streptococcus agalactiae] SEQ ID NO: 54
• WP 001040094 1 type II CRISPR RNA- guided endonuclease Cas9 [ Streptococcus agalactiae] SEQ ID NO: 55
• WP 001040095 1 type II CRISPR RNA- guided endonuclease Cas9 [ Streptococcus agalactiae] SEQ ID NO: 56
• WP 047207273 1 type II CRISPR RNA- guided endonuclease Cas9 [ Streptococcus agalactiae] SEQ ID NO 82
• CCW42055.1 CRISPR-associated protein, SAG0894 family [Streptococcus agalactiae ILRI112] SEQ ID NO: 91 WP_003041502.1 type II CRISPR RNA-guided endonuclease Cas9 Streptococcus anginosus] SEQ ID NO 92 WP_037593752.1 type II CRISPR RNA-guided endonuclease Cas9 Streptococcus anginosus] SEQ ID NO 93 WP_049516684.1 CRISPR-associated protein Csnl [Streptococcus anginosus] SEQ ID NO: 94

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Pharmacology & Pharmacy (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Biotechnology (AREA)
• Microbiology (AREA)
• Neurology (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Virology (AREA)
• Neurosurgery (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Plant Pathology (AREA)
• Gastroenterology & Hepatology (AREA)
• Proteomics, Peptides & Aminoacids (AREA)
• Diabetes (AREA)
• Rheumatology (AREA)
• Oncology (AREA)
• Pain & Pain Management (AREA)
• Communicable Diseases (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)

Priority Applications (8)

Applications Claiming Priority (18)

Related Child Applications (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=57249890

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications After (1)

Country Status (10)

Cited By (166)

Families Citing this family (369)