Breakthrough in genome editing offers hope for curing genetic disorders
A groundbreaking study by researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) has successfully applied CRISPR-based genome editing to Nile grass rats. The findings, published in BMC Biology, mark the first time such a procedure has been carried out on these diurnal rodents. The sleep/awake patterns of Nile grass rats closely mirror those of humans, potentially offering significant benefits for preclinical research.
Nile grass rats v/s laboratory mice
Currently, preclinical research heavily depends on laboratory mice, nocturnal rodents with sleep patterns opposite to humans. This discrepancy in sleep patterns has led to distinct evolutionary differences between diurnal and nocturnal mammals, including unique neural circuitry and gene-regulatory networks. Lily Yan, co-author of the study and professor in MSU's Department of Psychology, highlighted these differences as a potential translational flaw when applying research findings from mice to humans.
The need for a diurnal model in research
The MSU team developed a superovulation protocol capable of producing nearly 30 eggs per female. They also created protocols for in vitro embryo culture and manipulation, and in vivo gene targeting using GONAD methods. These developments underscore the importance of a diurnal model to better understand the relationship between genes and behaviors relevant to human health and disease.
MSU's unique Nile grass rat colony
MSU is home to a unique Nile grass rat colony, established on campus in 1993 through the collaborative efforts of the departments of Psychology and Integrative Biology, and the Transgenic and Genome Editing Facility. This colony has been a valuable resource for research projects at MSU involving Nile grass rats, which have received continuous funding for over three decades.
Nile grass rats: A potential alternative for genetic research
The MSU grass rat colony has been shared with more than 20 research labs across the US, Canada, Belgium, China, and Japan. These labs study a range of topics including circadian rhythms and sleep, mood and cognition, metabolic syndromes, immune function, and evolutionary biology. Yan expressed hope that "Nile grass rats will eventually become an alternative mammalian model to investigate genes' roles in any biological processes."
