IP Library Granted Patent US 8,945,839
Granted Patent B2
US 8,945,839 · App. 14/256,912 · Granted Feb 3, 2015

CRISPR-Cas systems and methods for altering expression of gene products

Inventor: Feng Zhang (Cambridge, MA)
Assignees: The Broad Institute Inc.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology
C12N15/907A61K38/43A61K38/46A61K38/47C12Q1/68C12N9/14C12N9/22C12N9/52C12N15/00C12N15/85C12N9/96C12N15/1082C12N15/63
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,945,839
App. No.
14/256,912
Granted
Feb 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention provides for systems, methods, and compositions for altering expression of target gene sequences and related gene products. Provided are vectors and vector systems, some of which encode one or more components of a CRISPR complex, as well as methods for the design and use of such vectors. Also provided are methods of directing CRISPR complex formation in eukaryotic cells and methods for utilizing the CRISPR-Cas system.

Claims (44)

1. A method of altering expression of at least one gene product comprising introducing into a eukaryotic cell containing, and expressing a DNA molecule having a target sequence and encoding the gene product an engineered, non-naturally occurring Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR associated (Cas) system comprising one or more vectors comprising:

a) a first regulatory element operable in a eukaryotic cell operably linked to at least one nucleotide sequence encoding a CRISPR-Cas system guide RNA that hybridizes with the target sequence; and

b) a second regulatory element operable in a eukaryotic cell operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a Type-II Cas9 protein,

wherein:

components (a) and (b) are located on same or different vectors of the system,

the CRISPR-Cas system comprises one or more nuclear localization signals (NLSs),

the guide RNA comprises a tracr sequence which is 30 or more nucleotides in length, and

the Cas9 protein comprises one or more mutations in a catalytic domain,

whereby the guide RNA targets and hybridizes to the target sequence, whereby expression of the at least one gene product is altered; and, wherein the Cas9 protein and the guide RNA do not naturally occur together.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Cas9 protein comprises a mutation, wherein the mutation comprises D10A, E762A, H840A, N854A, N863A or D986A with reference to the position numbering of a Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 protein.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein a RuvC1 catalytic domain of the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A mutation or an HNH catalytic domain comprises an H840A mutation.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CRISPR-Cas system binds to two or more polynucleotide loci.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is a human cell.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Cas9 protein comprises a mutation H840A with reference to the position numbering of a Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 protein.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Cas9 protein is codon optimized for expression in the eukaryotic cell.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is a mammalian cell.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more vectors are viral vectors.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more viral vectors are selected from the group consisting of retroviral, lentiviral, adenoviral, adeno-associated and herpes simplex viral vectors.

11. An engineered, non-naturally occurring Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR associated (Cas) system comprising one or more vectors comprising:

a) a first regulatory element operable in a eukaryotic cell operably linked to at least one nucleotide sequence encoding a CRISPR-Cas system guide RNA that hybridizes with a target sequence, and

b) a second regulatory element operable in a eukaryotic cell operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a Type-II Cas9 protein,

wherein:

components (a) and (b) are located on same or different vectors of the system,

the CRISPR-Cas system comprises one or more nuclear localization signals (NLSs),

the guide RNA comprises a tracr sequence which is 30 or more nucleotides in length, and

the Cas9 protein comprises one or more mutations in a catalytic domain,

whereby the guide RNA targets and hybridizes to the target sequence, whereby expression of at least one gene product is altered; and, wherein the Cas9 protein and the guide RNA do not naturally occur together.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the Cas9 protein comprises a mutation, wherein the mutation comprises D10A, E762A, H840A, N854A, N863A or D986A with reference to the position numbering of a Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 protein.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein a RuvC1 catalytic domain of the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A mutation or an HNH catalytic domain of the Cas9 protein comprises an H840A mutation.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the CRISPR-Cas system binds to two or more DNA molecules.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is a human cell.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the Cas9 protein comprises the mutation H840 A with reference to the position numbering of a Strepococcus pyogenes Cas9 protein.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the Cas9 protein is codon optimized for expression in the eukaryotic cell.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is a mammalian cell.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more vectors are viral vectors.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more viral vectors are selected from the group consisting of retroviral, lentiviral, adenoviral, adeno-associated and herpes simplex viral vectors.

21. An engineered, programmable, non-naturally occurring Type II CRISP R-Cas system comprising a Cas9 protein and at least one guide RNA that targets and hybridizes to a target sequence of a DNA molecule in a eukaryotic cell, wherein the DNA molecule encodes and the eukaryotic cell expresses at least one gene product, wherein the Cas9 protein comprises one or more mutations in a catalytic domain, wherein the CRISPR-Cas system comprises one or more NLSs and the guide RNA comprises a tracr sequence which is 30 or more nucleotides in length, whereby expression of the at least one gene product is altered; and, wherein the Cas9protein and the guide RNA do not naturally occur together.

22. The CRISPR-Cas system of claim 21 , wherein the Cas9 protein comprises a mutation, wherein the mutation comprises D10A, E762A, H840A, N854A, N863A or D986A with reference to the position numbering of a Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 protein.

23. The CRISPR-Cas system of claim 22 , wherein a RuvC1 catalytic domain of the Cas9 protein comprises a D10A mutation or an HNH catalytic domain of the Cas9 protein comprises an H840A mutation.

24. The CRISPR-Cas system of claim 21 , wherein the CRISPR-Cas system binds to two or more DNA molecules,

25. The CRISPR-Cas system of claim 21 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is a human cell.

26. The CRISPR-Cas system of claim 21 , wherein the Cas9 protein comprises a mutation H840A with reference to the position numbering of a Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 protein.

27. The CRISPR-Cas system of claim 21 , wherein the Cas9 protein is codon optimized for expression in the eukaryotic cell.

28. The CRISPR-Cas system of claim 21 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is a mammalian or human cell.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Aug 5, 2015
From: BROAD INSTITUTE, INC.
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH), U.S. DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS), U.S. GOVERNMENT
Reel/Frame 036276/0817 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 3, 2014
From: ZHANG, FENG
To: THE BROAD INSTITUTE; MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 033236/0915 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation 14183429 · Feb 18, 2014
Continuation 14054414 · Oct 15, 2013
Provisional Application 61736527 · Dec 12, 2012
Provisional Application 61748427 · Jan 2, 2013
Provisional Application 61791409 · Mar 15, 2013
Provisional Application 61835931 · Jun 17, 2013
Provisional Application 61842322 · Jul 2, 2013
Related Publication 20140227787A1 · Aug 14, 2014