Abstract 1374: Modeling the CRISPR/Cas9 structural complex with sgRNA and DNA

Abstract

The ability of genome editing tool to correct genetic disease, or edit the tumor causing gene, will not only benefit human race, but also plants and animal kingdom. The CRISPR/Cas9 system can be used to target specific genomic loci by single guide RNAs (sgRNAs). Using publicly available literature, we have modeled the structure of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 molecule in complex with sgRNA and its target DNA at 2.5 A° resolution. The crystal structure determination revealed a two-lobed architecture made of: (a) target recognition and (b) nuclease lobes, positioning the sgRNA:DNA hetero-duplex in a positively charged groove at their interface. While the recognition lobe interacts with the sgRNA and DNA, the nuclease lobe contains the HNH and RuvC nuclease domains that are responsible for cleavage of the complementary and non-complementary target DNA strands, respectively. The nuclease lobe also harbors a carboxyl-terminal domain to provide additional specificity for interaction with the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) DNA sequence. This structural analyses show the molecular mechanism of RNA-guided DNA targeting by Cas9, thus providing the CRIPSR/Cas9 genetic machinery its ability to edit specific DNA sequence. (Key Ref: Nishimasu H et al., Cell. 2014;156:935-49) Citation Format: Anita Wary. Modeling the CRISPR/Cas9 structural complex with sgRNA and DNA [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1374.