Abstract
Clustered regularly-interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based genetic screens using single-guide-RNA (sgRNA) libraries have proven powerful to identify genetic regulators. Applying CRISPR screens to interrogate functional elements in noncoding regions requires generating sgRNA libraries that are densely covering, and ideally inexpensive, easy to implement and flexible for customization. Here we present a Molecular Chipper technology for generating dense sgRNA libraries for genomic regions of interest, and a proof-of-principle screen that identifies novel cis-regulatory domains for miR-142 biogenesis. The Molecular Chipper approach utilizes a combination of random fragmentation and a type III restriction enzyme to derive a densely covering sgRNA library from input DNA. Applying this approach to 17 microRNAs and their flanking regions and with a reporter for miR-142 activity, we identify both the pre-miR-142 region and two previously unrecognized cis-domains important for miR-142 biogenesis, with the latter regulating miR-142 processing. This strategy will be useful for identifying functional noncoding elements in mammalian genomes.
Highlights
Clustered regularly-interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based genetic screens using single-guide-RNA libraries have proven powerful to identify genetic regulators
We demonstrate the proof of principle of using Molecular Chipper to generate a high-density sgRNA library and using such a library to identify functional cis-regions in miR-142, a noncoding gene
The benefits of the Molecular Chipper approach are the use of standard molecular biology procedures and low cost
Summary
Clustered regularly-interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based genetic screens using single-guide-RNA (sgRNA) libraries have proven powerful to identify genetic regulators. We present a Molecular Chipper technology for generating dense sgRNA libraries for genomic regions of interest, and a proof-of-principle screen that identifies novel cis-regulatory domains for miR-142 biogenesis. Applying this approach to 17 microRNAs and their flanking regions and with a reporter for miR-142 activity, we identify both the pre-miR-142 region and two previously unrecognized cis-domains important for miR-142 biogenesis, with the latter regulating miR-142 processing. This strategy will be useful for identifying functional noncoding elements in mammalian genomes. We report two novel noncoding cis-regions that control miR-142 processing, providing a proof of principle of using a Molecular-Chippergenerated library for functional screen of important noncoding elements
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