Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30562388›Full record

ArticlePloS one2018

Protein engineering strategies for improving the selective methylation of target CpG sites by a dCas9-directed cytosine methyltransferase in bacteria.

Tina Xiong, Dahlia Rohm, Rachael E Workman, Lauren Roundtree, Carl D Novina, Winston Timp, Marc Ostermeier

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 36% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. CRISPR-based functional genomics tools in vertebrate models.Experimental & molecular medicine · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Tina XiongDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
Dahlia RohmDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
Rachael E WorkmanDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
Lauren RoundtreeDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
Carl D NovinaDepartment of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Winston TimpDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
Marc OstermeierDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0003-0900-3665
Johns Hopkins University · USBroad Institute · US

Funding

Engineering epigenetic therapy for sickle cell diseaseDP1DK105602 · NIDDK · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · PI NOVINA, CARL D · 2014 to 2018
$4.3M
NIDDK NIH HHS DP1 DK105602
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mammalian gene expression is a complex process regulated in part by CpG methylation. The ability to target methylation for de novo gene regulation could have therapeutic and research applications. We have previously developed a dCas9-MC/MN protein for targeting CpG methylation. dCas9-MC/MN is composed of an artificially split M.SssI methyltransferase (MC/MN), with the MC fragment fused to a nuclease-null CRISPR/Cas9 (dCas9). Guide RNAs directed dCas9-MC/MN to methylate target sites in E. coli and human cells but also caused some low-level off-target methylation. Here, in E. coli, we show that shortening the dCas9-MC linker increases methylation of CpG sites located at select distances from the dCas9 binding site. Although a shortened linker decreased methylation of other CpGs proximal to the target site, it did not reduce off-target methylation of more distant CpG sites. Instead, targeted mutagenesis of the methyltransferase's DNA binding domain, designed to reduce DNA affinity, significantly and preferentially reduced methylation of such sites.

Indexed as

Binding SitesCpG IslandsCRISPR-Cas SystemsDNA (Cytosine-5-)-MethyltransferasesDNA MethylationEscherichia coliGene EditingMutagenesisProtein EngineeringProtein Interaction Domains and MotifsRecombinant Fusion ProteinsRNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas SystemsDNA (Cytosine-5-)-MethyltransferasesRecombinant Fusion ProteinsRNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems

Identifiers

PMID30562388
PMCPMC6298699
OpenAlexW2905588591

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.