Cell and Gene Technology

Our group is focusing on development of new and improved methods for CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing in human cells. We have described SORTS, a novel method that enables easy and fast selection of cells with knockouts of intracellular or secreted proteins via knock-in of short epitope tags expressing on cell surface from target gene promoter. FACS-sorted gene-edited polyclonal cells advantaged over clonally-selected cells by reducing off-targets. Currently, we are adapting this technology for HIV treatment. Particularly, instead of epitope tags we design constructs for expression peptides from viral gp41 protein that would inhibit virus-cell membrane fusion. Knock-in of such genetic element into HIV-1 proviral DNA of infected cells will not only inactivate provirus, but also provide a resistance to a wide range of HIV-1 isolates. In addition, using genetic manipulation approaches our group study mechanisms of pathogen-host interaction for two human retroviruses HIV-1 and HTLV-1.