CRISPR-Cas9 Mediated RNase L Knockout Regulates Cellular Function of PK-15 Cells and Increases PRV Replication

Biomed Res Int. 2019 Mar 3:2019:7398208. doi: 10.1155/2019/7398208. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Ribonuclease L (RNase L) is an important antiviral endoribonuclease regulated by type I IFN. RNase L is activated by viral infection and dsRNA. Because the role of swine RNase L (sRNase L) is not fully understood, in this study, we generated a sRNase L knockout PK-15 (KO-PK) cell line through the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system to evaluate the function of sRNase L. After transfection with CRISPR-Cas9 followed by selection using puromycin, sRNase L knockout in PK-15 cells was further validated by agarose gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing, and Western blotting. The sRNase L KO-PK cells failed to trigger RNA degradation and induced less apoptosis than the parental PK-15 cells after transfected with poly (I: C). Furthermore, the levels of ISGs mRNA in sRNase L KO-PK cells were higher than those in the parental PK-15 cells after treated with poly (I: C). Finally, both wild type and attenuated pseudorabies viruses (PRV) replicated more efficiently in sRNase L KO-PK cells than the parental PK-15 cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that sRNase L has multiple biological functions including cellular single-stranded RNA degradation, induction of apoptosis, downregulation of transcript levels of ISGs, and antiviral activity against PRV. The sRNase L KO-PK cell line will be a valuable tool for studying functions of sRNase L as well as for producing PRV attenuated vaccine.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Base Sequence
  • CRISPR-Associated Protein 9 / metabolism*
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems / genetics*
  • Cell Line
  • Endoribonucleases / metabolism*
  • Gene Editing
  • Gene Knockout Techniques*
  • Herpesvirus 1, Suid / drug effects
  • Herpesvirus 1, Suid / growth & development
  • Herpesvirus 1, Suid / physiology*
  • Poly I-C / pharmacology
  • Pseudorabies / virology
  • RNA Stability / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Swine
  • Viral Vaccines / immunology
  • Virus Replication / drug effects
  • Virus Replication / physiology*

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Ribosomal
  • Viral Vaccines
  • CRISPR-Associated Protein 9
  • Endoribonucleases
  • 2-5A-dependent ribonuclease
  • Poly I-C