Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40795961›Full record

ArticleNucleic acids research2025

A rapid and efficient red-light-activated Cre recombinase system for genome engineering in mammalian cells and transgenic mice.

Yang Zhou, Yu Wei, Jianli Yin, Deqiang Kong, Wenjun Li, Xinyi Wang, Yining Yao, Qin Huang, Lei Li, Mengyao Liu and 8 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nucleic acids research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Traceless Regulation of Genetic Circuitry.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    Review
  4. Review
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

18 authors.

Yang ZhouWuhu Hospital, Health Science Center, East China Normal University, Wuhu 241001, China.
Yu WeiShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Jianli YinShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Deqiang KongShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Wenjun LiYantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China.
Xinyi WangWuhu Hospital, Health Science Center, East China Normal University, Wuhu 241001, China.
Yining YaoDepartment of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Qin HuangShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Lei LiShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Mengyao LiuShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Longliang QiaoShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Huiying LiShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Junwei ZhaoBeijing Life Science Academy, Yingcai South 1st Street, Future Science City South District, Beiqijia Town, Changping District, Beijing 102209, China.
Tao P ZhongShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Dali LiShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Liting DuanDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin 999077, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Ningzi GuanShanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Biomedical Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
Haifeng YeWuhu Hospital, Health Science Center, East China Normal University, Wuhu 241001, China.ORCID 0000-0002-5482-8116

Funding

China Postdoctoral Science Foundation 2022M721163China Postdoctoral Science Foundation 2025M772716China Postdoctoral Science Foundation BX20230128China Postdoctoral Science Foundation BX20250121Fundamental Research Funds for the Central UniversitiesNational Natural Science Foundation of China 32250010National Natural Science Foundation of China 32261160373National Natural Science Foundation of China 32300458National Natural Science Foundation of China 32301217National Natural Science Foundation of China 32430064Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing CSTB2023NSCQ-MSX0126Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province ZR2021LLZ003Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality 22N31900300Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality 23HC1410100Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality 23YF1410700Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality 25HC2830300
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The Cre-loxP recombination system enables precise genome engineering; however, existing photoactivatable Cre tools suffer from several limitations, including low DNA recombination efficiency, background activation, slow activation kinetics, and poor tissue penetration. Here, we present REDMAPCre, a red-light-controlled split-Cre system based on the ΔPhyA/FHY1 interaction. REDMAPCre enables rapid activation (1-s illumination) and achieves an 85-fold increase in reporter expression over background levels. We demonstrate its efficient regulation of DNA recombination in mammalian cells and mice, as well as its compatibility with other inducible recombinase systems for Boolean logic-gated DNA recombination. Using a single-vector adeno-associated virus delivery system, we successfully induced REDMAPCre-mediated DNA recombination in mice. Furthermore, we generated a REDMAPCre transgenic mouse line and validated its efficient, light-dependent recombination across multiple organs. To explore its functional applications, REDMAPCre transgenic mice were crossed with isogenic Cre-dependent reporter mice, enabling optogenetic induction of insulin resistance and hepatic lipid accumulation via Cre-dependent overexpression of ubiquitin-like with PHD and RING finger domains 1 (UHRF1), as well as targeted cell ablation through diphtheria toxin fragment A expression. Collectively, REDMAPCre provides a powerful tool for achieving remote control of recombination and facilitating functional genetic studies in living systems.

Indexed as

Genetic EngineeringIntegrasesOptogeneticsAnimalsDependovirusGenomeHEK293 CellsHumansLightMiceMice, TransgenicRecombination, GeneticCre recombinaseIntegrases

Identifiers

PMID40795961
PMCPMC12342929

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.