In vivo DNA methylation editing in zebrafish

Abstract

The CRISPR/dCas9-based epigenome editing technique has driven much attention. Fused with a catalytic domain from Dnmt or Tet protein, the CRISPR/dCas9-DnmtCD or -TetCD systems possess the targeted DNA methylation editing ability and have established a series of in vitro and in vivo disease models. However, no publication has been reported on zebrafish (Danio rerio), an important animal model in biomedicine. The present study demonstrated that CRISPR/dCas9-Dnmt7 and -Tet2 catalytic domain fusions could site-specifically edit genomic DNA methylation in vivo in zebrafish and may serve as an efficient toolkit for DNA methylation editing in the zebrafish model.