METHODS OF SUPPRESSING PATHOGENIC MUTATIONS USING PROGRAMMABLE BASE EDITOR SYSTEMS

1 . A method of editing a SERPINA1 polynucleotide comprising a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency (A1AD), the method comprising contacting the SERPINA1 polynucleotide with a base editor in complex with one or more guide polynucleotides, wherein the base editor comprises a polynucleotide programmable DNA binding domain and a cytidine deaminase domain, and wherein the one or more guide polynucleotides target the base editor to effect an alteration of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with A1AD.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting is in a cell, a eukaryotic cell, a mammalian cell, or human cell.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell is in vivo or ex vivo.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base editor deaminates a SERPINA1 polynucleotide cytidine at position 1455, thereby inducing a methionine to isoleucine mutation at amino acid position 374 of the alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) protein.

5 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the A1AT polypeptide comprises a lysine at amino acid position 342 or amino acid position 376.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide programmable DNA binding domain is Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9), or variants thereof.

8 . (canceled)

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide programmable DNA binding domain is a nuclease inactive or nickase variant.

10 - 12 . (canceled)

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cytidine deaminase domain is an APOBEC deaminase domain.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base editor is BE4.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more guide polynucleotides comprises a CRISPR RNA (crRNA) and a trans-encoded small RNA (tracrRNA), wherein the crRNA comprises a nucleic acid sequence complementary to a SERPINA1 nucleic acid sequence comprising the SNP associated with A1AD; or

wherein the base editor is in complex with a single guide RNA (sgRNA) comprising a nucleic acid sequence complementary to a SERPINA1 nucleic acid sequence encoding methionine 374.

16 . (canceled)

17 . A cell produced by introducing into the cell, or a progenitor thereof:

a base editor, a polynucleotide encoding the base editor, to the cell, wherein the base editor comprises a polynucleotide programmable DNA binding domain and a cytidine deaminase domain; and

one or more guide polynucleotides that target the base editor to deaminate the cytidine at nucleic acid position 1455 of a SERPINA1 polynucleotide.

18 . (canceled)

19 . The cell of claim 17 , wherein the cell or progenitor thereof is an induced pluripotent stem cell or a hepatocyte; or wherein the cell produced is a hepatocyte.

20 . The cell of claim 18 , wherein the hepatocyte expresses an A1AT polypeptide.

21 . The cell of claim 17 , wherein the cell is from a subject having A1AD.

22 . (canceled)

23 . The cell of claim 17 , wherein the alteration at cytidine changes a methionine at position 374 to an isoleucine in the A1AT polypeptide; or

wherein the cytidine deamination results in expression of an A1AT polypeptide having a isoleucine at amino acid position 374; or

wherein the SNP associated with A1AD substitutes a glutamic acid with a lysine at amino acid position 342.

24 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . The cell of claim 17 , wherein the cell is selected for the deamination of the cytidine at nucleic acid position 1455 of a SERPINA1 polynucleotide.

27 - 40 . (canceled)

41 . A method of treating alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency (A1AD) in a subject comprising: administering to a subject in need thereof a cell of claim 17 ; or

a base editor, or a polynucleotide encoding the base editor, to the subject, wherein the base editor comprises a polynucleotide programmable DNA binding domain and a cytidine deaminase domain; and

one or more guide polynucleotides that target the base editor to effect an alteration of the cytidine at nucleic acid position 1455 of a SERPINA1 polynucleotide.

42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the subject is a mammal or a human.

43 . The method of claim 41 , comprising delivering the base editor, or polynucleotide encoding the base editor, and the one or more guide polynucleotides to a cell of the subject.

44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the cell is a hepatocyte or a progenitor of an hepatocyte.

45 . The method of claim 44 , wherein the hepatocyte expresses an A1AT protein.

46 - 58 . (canceled)

59 . A method of producing a hepatocyte, or progenitor thereof, comprising:

(a) introducing into a hepatocyte progenitor comprising a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency (A1AD),

a base editor, or a polynucleotide encoding the base editor, wherein the base editor comprises a polynucleotide-programmable nucleotide-binding domain and a cytidine deaminase domain; and

one or more guide polynucleotides, wherein the one or more guide polynucleotides target the base editor to effect a cytidine deamination at a cytidine at nucleic acid position 1455 of a SERPINA1 polynucleotide; and

(b) differentiating the hepatocyte progenitor into a hepatocyte.

60 . The method of claim 59 , wherein the hepatocyte progenitor expresses an A1AT polypeptide; or

wherein the hepatocyte progenitor is obtained from a subject having A1AD; or

wherein the hepatocyte progenitor is a mammalian cell or human cell.

61 - 71 . (canceled)

72 . The method of claim 59 , wherein the base editor and the one or more guide polynucleotides forms a complex in the cell.

73 . (canceled)

74 . A guide RNA comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

5′-CAAUCAUUAAGAAGACAAAGGGUUU-3′;

5′-UCAAUCAUUAAGAAGACAAAGGGUUU-3′;

5′-UUCAAUCAUUAAGAAGACAAAGGGUUU-3′;

5′-GUUCAAUCAUUAAGAAGACAAAGGGUUU-3′;

5′-UGUUCAAUCAUUAAGAAGACAAAGGGUUU-3′;

5′-UUGUUCAAUCAUUAAGAAGACAAAGGGUU-3′;

5′-UUCAAUCAUUAAGAAGACAAAG-3′;

5′-UUCAAUCAUUAAGAAGACAAAGG-3′;

5′-UCAAUCAUUAAGAAGACAAAGGG-3′;

and

5′-AAUCAUUAAGAAGACAAAGGGU-3′.

75 . (canceled)

76 . A protein nucleic acid complex comprising a base editor and a guide RNA of claim 74 .

77 . A method of treating a genetic disorder in a subject comprising:

administering a base editor, or a polynucleotide encoding the base editor, to a subject in need thereof, wherein the base editor comprises a polynucleotide-programmable nucleotide-binding domain and a deaminase domain;

administering a guide polynucleotide to the subject, wherein the guide polynucleotide targets the base editor to a target nucleotide sequence of the subject; and

editing a nucleobase of the target nucleotide sequence by deaminating the nucleobase upon targeting of the base editor to the target nucleotide sequence, thereby treating the genetic disorder by changing the nucleobase to another nucleobase;

wherein the nucleobase is in a protein coding region of the polynucleotide; and wherein the nucleobase is not the cause of the genetic disorder.

78 . A method of producing a cell, tissue, or organ for treating a genetic disorder in a subject comprising:

contacting the cell, tissue, or organ with a base editor, or a polynucleotide encoding the base editor, wherein the base editor comprises a polynucleotide-programmable nucleotide-binding domain and a deaminase domain;

contacting the cell, tissue, or organ with a guide polynucleotide, wherein the guide polynucleotide targets the base editor to a target nucleotide sequence of the cell, tissue, or organ; and

editing a nucleobase of the target nucleotide sequence by deaminating the nucleobase upon targeting of the base editor to the target nucleotide sequence, thereby producing the cell, tissue, or organ for treating the genetic disorder by changing the nucleobase to another nucleobase;

wherein the nucleobase is in a protein coding region of the polynucleotide; and wherein the nucleobase is not the cause of the genetic disorder.

79 - 122 . (canceled)