The field of glycomics is a technically challenging field which commonly utilizes specialized reagents and equipment, thereby limiting its widespread adoption in secondary fields of impact. Moreover, many of the advances have emphasized chemical synthesis, macromolecular interactions, and improved mass spectroscopy methodology, which has pushed the field forward in terms of our biochemical understanding but has also done little to lower the barrier of entry for outside investigators. Due to the lack of expansion into other fields, the impact of the glycome on in vivo biology and our knowledge of how the glycome fits into disease mechanisms remains in its nascent phase. To address this gap, we must strive to provide a more complete set of tools for biomedical investigators to explore the influence of the glycome in any biological system or pathway, and we believe that the way forward is to provide facile genetic technology applicable to both murine and human biology without the requirements for specialized expertise. We therefore propose to utilize CRISPR-based molecular biology to create Glycome-Enabled KnockOut (GEKO) targeting technology for the selective ablation of glycome- associated genes across multiple species. The primary deliverables from the proposed GEKO technology are: (1) 100 validated CRISPR targeting constructs targeting 50 genetic loci for the selective ablation of glycome- associated genes, (2) validated targeting sequences for agile application of the CRISPR technology to other systems, and (3) 50 human HEK293 GEKO cell lines with validated knockout of each glycome-associated gene. These tools will enable glycobiologists and non-glycobiologists alike to easily manipulate the glycome through genetics in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo; thereby providing an inexpensive gateway to explore the influence of glycans on the function of proteins, cells, and tissues in a wide variety of normal and disease contexts ranging from cancer and neurodegeneration to intracellular signaling and immunity.
Years of research has shown that disease frequently accompanies changes in the glycome, yet too little is known about mechanisms underlying how the glycome impacts biology. This leads to a general lack of awareness among fields of study outside the glycosciences. In this proposal, we will create and validate facile technology to selectively ablate any of 50 selected glycome-associated enzymes in primary or immortalized cells from both mouse and human sources. This novel technology will allow investigators to carefully dissect the independent role(s) of each glycome-associated gene in detail in vitro, ex vivo, and even in vivo using retrogenic mouse techniques, thereby reducing the barrier of entry into the glycosciences.
