Generation and Characterization of a MYF5 Reporter Human iPS Cell Line Using CRISPR/Cas9 Mediated Homologous Recombination

Sci Rep. 2016 Jan 5:6:18759. doi: 10.1038/srep18759.

Abstract

Human iPS cells hold great promise for disease modeling and treatment of degenerative disorders including muscular dystrophies. Although a few research groups have used them for skeletal muscle differentiation, most were based on gene over-expression or long-term mesenchymal differentiation and retrospective identification of myogenic cells. Therefore, this study was aimed to generate a knock-in reporter human iPS cell line for MYF5, as an early myogenic specification gene, to allow prospective identification and purification of myogenic progenitors from human iPS cells. By using a CRISPR/Cas9 double nickase strategy, a 2A-GFP reporter was inserted before the stop codon of the MYF5 gene using homologous recombination. This approach allowed for highly efficient in-frame targeting of MYF5 in human iPS cells. Furthermore, in order to prove the reporter function, endogenous MYF5 expression was induced using a novel dead Cas9-VP160 transcriptional activator. Induced clones demonstrated appropriate MYF5-GFP co-expression. Finally, to confirm the differentiation potential, reporter human iPS clones were differentiated through embryoid body method and MYF5-GFP(+) myogenic cells were sorted and characterized. These data provides valuable guidelines for generation of knock-in reporter human iPS cell lines for myogenic genes which can be used for disease modeling, drug screening, gene correction and future in vivo applications.

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Transdifferentiation
  • Cellular Reprogramming / genetics
  • Cellular Reprogramming Techniques
  • Embryoid Bodies
  • Gene Expression*
  • Gene Knock-In Techniques
  • Gene Order
  • Gene Targeting*
  • Genes, Reporter*
  • Genetic Loci
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Homologous Recombination*
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Myogenic Regulatory Factor 5 / genetics*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Myogenic Regulatory Factor 5