Efficient Single-Gene and Gene Family Editing in the Apicomplexan Parasite Eimeria tenella Using CRISPR-Cas9.

ABSTRACT: Eimeria species are pathogenic protozoa with a wide range of hosts and the cause of poultry coccidiosis, which results in huge economic losses to the poultry industry. These parasites encode a genome of ∼8000 genes that control a highly coordinated life cycle of asexual replication and sexual differentiation, transmission, and virulence. However, the function and physiological importance of the large majority of these genes remain unknown mostly due to the lack of tools for systematic analysis of gene functions. Here, we report the first application of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology in Eimeria tenella for analysis of gene function at a single gene level as well as for systematic functional analysis of an entire gene family. Using a transgenic line constitutively expressi

SUBMITTER: Hu D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7052334 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature