A conditional knockout rat resource of mitochondrial protein-coding genes via a DdCBE-induced premature stop codon

Sci Adv. 2023 Apr 14;9(15):eadf2695. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adf2695. Epub 2023 Apr 14.

Abstract

Hundreds of pathogenic variants of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been reported to cause mitochondrial diseases, which still lack effective treatments. It is a huge challenge to install these mutations one by one. We repurposed the DddA-derived cytosine base editor to incorporate a premature stop codon in the mtProtein-coding genes to ablate mitochondrial proteins encoded in the mtDNA (mtProteins) instead of installing pathogenic variants and generated a library of both cell and rat resources with mtProtein depletion. In vitro, we depleted 12 of 13 mtProtein-coding genes with high efficiency and specificity, resulting in decreased mtProtein levels and impaired oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, we generated six conditional knockout rat strains to ablate mtProteins using Cre/loxP system. Mitochondrially encoded ATP synthase membrane subunit 8 and NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit 1 were specifically depleted in heart cells or neurons, resulting in heart failure or abnormal brain development. Our work provides cell and rat resources for studying the function of mtProtein-coding genes and therapeutic strategies.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Codon, Nonsense*
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / genetics
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / metabolism
  • Mitochondria* / genetics
  • Mitochondria* / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Rats

Substances

  • Codon, Nonsense
  • DNA, Mitochondrial