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Genome Editing Using Site-Specific Nucleases in Amphibians

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Targeted Genome Editing Using Site-Specific Nucleases

Abstract

Amphibians have a long history as model animals and have greatly contributed to biological research fields, especially developmental biology and cell biology, including embryonic induction, signal transduction, pattern formation, cell cycle regulation, nuclear reprogramming, metamorphosis, and organ regeneration. In addition to the historical achievements, recent advances in genome editing using site-specific nucleases have facilitated reverse genetics research targeting genes of interest in amphibians. The epochal tool enables the performance of not only knockout of genes of interest, but also knockin of genes into particular target genomic loci, which was never previously possible in amphibians. Here, we review recent studies involving genome editing with zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) in the amphibians Xenopus laevis (frog), Xenopus (Silurana) tropicalis (frog), Pleurodeles waltl (newt), and Ambystoma mexicanum (axolotl), all of which are known to be excellent model animals in developmental biology and regeneration biology. We also discuss their possibilities as model animals when carrying such a robust reverse genetics tool.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully thank Profs. Takashi Yamamoto, Takashi Takeuchi, and Akihiko Kashiwagi, Drs. Tetsushi Sakuma and Keiko Kashiwagi, Mr. Yuto Sakane, and Ms. Miyuki Suzuki for their valuable help and advice. This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) to T. H. (25840086) and Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas to K.T.S. (25124708) and T.H. (25124706) from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan

    Ken-ichi T. Suzuki

  2. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, School of Life Science, Tottori University, 86 Nishi-cho, Yonago, Tottori, 683-8503, Japan

    Toshinori Hayashi

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  1. Ken-ichi T. Suzuki
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  2. Toshinori Hayashi
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Correspondence to Ken-ichi T. Suzuki or Toshinori Hayashi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan

    Takashi Yamamoto

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Suzuki, Ki.T., Hayashi, T. (2015). Genome Editing Using Site-Specific Nucleases in Amphibians. In: Yamamoto, T. (eds) Targeted Genome Editing Using Site-Specific Nucleases. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55227-7_9

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