Transcriptional Regulation Technology for Gene Perturbation in Fission Yeast

Ken Ishikawa; Shigeaki Saitoh

doi:10.3390/biom13040716

Transcriptional Regulation Technology for Gene Perturbation in Fission Yeast

Biomolecules. 2023 Apr 21;13(4):716. doi: 10.3390/biom13040716.

Authors

Ken Ishikawa¹, Shigeaki Saitoh¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Asahi-machi 67, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan.

Abstract

Isolation and introduction of genetic mutations is the primary approach to characterize gene functions in model yeasts. Although this approach has proven very powerful, it is not applicable to all genes in these organisms. For example, introducing defective mutations into essential genes causes lethality upon loss of function. To circumvent this difficulty, conditional and partial repression of target transcription is possible. While transcriptional regulation techniques, such as promoter replacement and 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) disruption, are available for yeast systems, CRISPR-Cas-based technologies have provided additional options. This review summarizes these gene perturbation technologies, including recent advances in methods based on CRISPR-Cas systems for Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We discuss how biological resources afforded by CRISPRi can promote fission yeast genetics.

Keywords: CRISPR-Cas; biotechnology; fission yeast; knockdown; transcription.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

CRISPR-Cas Systems*
Gene Editing* / methods
Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
Gene Knockdown Techniques*
Genome-Wide Association Study
Mutation
Schizosaccharomyces* / genetics
Transcription, Genetic*

Grants and funding

This study was partially supported by grants from the Kurume University Millennium Box Foundation for the Promotion of Science (to KI), the Ishibashi Foundation for the Promotion of Science (to KI), the Kakihara Foundation for Science and Technology (3-9-14 to KI), the Fukuoka Bio-valley Project (to KI and SS), Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (17K07394 and 20K06648 to SS), and by the MEXT-Supported Program for the Strategic Research Foundation at Private Universities from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.