Mycobacterial cell division arrest and smooth‐to‐rough envelope transition using CRISPRi ‐mediated genetic repression systems
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The genetic basis underlying non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pathogenesis remains poorly understood. This gap in knowledge has been partially filled over the years through the generation of novel and efficient genetic tools, including the recently developed CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) technology. Our group recently capitalized on the well-established mycobacteria-optimized dCas9 Sth1 -mediated gene knockdown system to develop a new subset of fluorescence-based CRISPRi vectors that enable simultaneous controlled genetic repression and fluorescence imaging. In this Research Protocol, we use the model organism Mycobacterium smegmatis ( M. smegmatis ) as surrogate for NTM species and provide simple procedures to assess CRISPRi effectiveness. We describe how to evaluate the efficacy of gene-silencing when targeting essential genes but also genes involved in smooth-to-rough envelope transition, a critical feature in NTM pathogenesis. This protocol will have a broad utility for mycobacterial functional genomics and phenotypic assays in NTM species.
Source: FEBS Open Bio
Authors: Vanessa Point, Wafaa Achache, Janïs Laudouze, Eliana Sepulveda Ramos, Mickaël Maziero, Céline Crauste, Stéphane Canaan, Pierre Santucci
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,210
Funders: Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete, Aix-Marseille Université, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le Sida et les Hépatites Virales, Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des sciences biologiques
OpenAlex ID: W4416829702