Wednesday, May 8, 2024
5/8/2024
Functional genomic tools, such as CRISPR/cas genome editing, are critical for investigating the biology of genes and have transformed our understanding of genotype-to-phenotype relationships. However, the limited number of species with genome modification methods presents a major bottleneck in implementing comprehensive, comparative studies of gene function. For instance, squamates (lizard and snakes) include more than 11,000 described species and comprise 40% of all amniote species. Yet basic gene editing methods are only available in a single species, the brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei). Here, we propose to: 1) establish CRISPR/cas gene editing in a second lizard group, the geckos; 2) develop advanced gene editing methods for the introduction of precise sequence substitutions, insertions, and deletions in lizards (in both Anolis and geckos); and 3) disseminate lizard gene editing techniques through training materials and workshops and the production of genome-edited lizards for researchers. The development of gene editing tools in geckos will increase the number of squamate models available for functional genomic work and facilitate the generalization of gene function studies across squamates and amniotes. Furthermore, growing the functional genomic toolkit in lizards to include more precise gene editing methods will expand the scope of questions that can be addressed in this phenotypically diverse group.
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