The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for prime editing of target
DNA molecules (e.g., genomes) that enables incorporation of
nucleotide changes and / or targeted
mutagenesis.
Nucleotide changes can include single
nucleotide changes (e.g., any transition or any
transversion), one or more
nucleotide insertions, or one or more nucleotide deletions. More specifically, the present disclosure provides fusion proteins comprising a
nucleic acid programmable
DNA binding protein (napDNAbp) and a
polymerase (e.g., a
reverse transcriptase) that are guided to a specific
DNA sequence by a modified
guide RNA (termed a PEgRNA). The PEgRNA (relative to a standard
guide RNA) has been altered to comprise an extension portion that provides
a DNA synthesis template sequence encoding a single-stranded DNA flap that is homologous to a strand of the targeted endogenous DNA sequence to be edited but comprises a desired nucleotide change(s) and is incorporated into the target DNA molecule after synthesis by a
polymerase (e.g., a
reverse transcriptase). Also disclosed herein are various methods of utilizing prime editing, including treating trinucleotide repeat contraction diseases, installing targeted
peptide tags, treating prion diseases by installing protective mutations, manipulating
RNA coding genes to install
RNA tags for controlling
RNA function and expression, using prime editing to construct complex
gene libraries, using prime editing to insert immunogenic epitopes into proteins, using prime editing to insert inducible dimerization domains into
protein targets, and
delivery methods, among others.