Expanding the CRISPR Base Editing Toolbox in Drosophila melanogaster

Authors

Michael Clark
Christina Nguyen
Hung Nguyen
Aidan Tay
Samuel J Beach
Maciej Maselko
Víctor López Del Amo

Publication Date

9-12-2024

Journal

Communications Biology

Abstract

CRISPR base editors can introduce point mutations into DNA precisely, and cytosine base editors (CBEs) catalyze C to T transitions. While CBEs have been thoroughly explored in cell culture and organisms such as mice, little is known about DNA base editing in insects. In this study, we evaluated germline editing rates of three different CBEs expressed under actin (ubiquitous) or nanos (germline) promoters utilizing Drosophila melanogaster. The original Rattus norvegicus-derived cytosine deaminase APOBEC1 (rAPO-1) displayed high base editing rates (~99%) with undetectable indel formation. Additionally, we show that base editors can be used for generating male sterility and female lethality. Overall, this study highlights the importance of promoter choice and sex-specific transmission for efficient base editing in flies while providing new insights for future genetic biocontrol designs in insects.

Keywords

Animals, Drosophila melanogaster, Gene Editing, CRISPR-Cas Systems, Female, Male, Drosophila Proteins, Promoter Regions, Genetic

Comments

Supplementary Material

Data Availability Statement

PMID: 39266668

DOI

10.1038/s42003-024-06848-5

PMID

39266668

PMCID

PMC11392945

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

September 2024

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Published Open-Access

yes