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​A new genome editing system enhances the efficiency of an error-free DNA repair pathway, which could help improve agronomic traits in multiple crops.

Genome editing involves cutting DNA at very specific locations and utilizing cells’ natural repair pathways to modify genes. Plant cells contain two repair pathways: nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) and homology-directed repair (HDR).

“In plants, NHEJ is the dominant repair pathway at most cell stages,” says KAUST postdoc Khalid Sedeek. “But it is prone to errors. For precise genetic modifications we need more control than provided by NHEJ. HDR is error-free but is inefficient in plants. We designed a genome editing system to enhance HDR efficiency.”

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Image: Genome editing involves cutting DNA at very specific locations and utilizing cells’ natural repair pathways to modify genes.
© 2020 KAUST

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​The process of making functional brain cells in a lab dish requires the precise activation of selfish genetic elements known as LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposons. The finding, from researchers at KAUST, could lead to safer and more effective regenerative therapies for Parkinson’s disease and other brain conditions.

The genomes of humans, mice and other mammals have hundreds of thousands of L1 elements. Most are inactive, yet some retain the ability to make copies of themselves and jump into different segments of DNA, with impacts on gene regulation that can be both harmful and beneficial. Sometimes, the jumping genes can trigger disease. In early brain development, however, L1 activity is needed for neurons to form properly—although the reason had been unclear.

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Image: Engineered skin cells (red) become dopamine-producing neurons (green).
© 2020 Della Valle et al.

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​A range of information is collated through a simple framework that will help marine scientists to design more accurate experiments that will better help them understand the projected impact of global warming on marine life.

Understanding the consequences of rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and global warming for marine life requires complex experiments that can assess the responses of biota to different environmental scenarios. Experiments need to be able to precisely represent future CO2 levels and temperature if they are to accurately predict the potential impact on different species throughout the world’s oceans.

Nathan Geraldi, Carlos Duarte and colleagues at KAUST’s Red Sea Research Center recently noted that some published marine research papers did not match up to the CO2 level predictions outlined in the reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This prompted the team to investigate further.

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Image: To test their framework, the KAUST team used coral reef regions because they have been well studied.
© 2020 Tane Sinclair Taylor

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​Silkworms are useful for more than just making strong and absorbent strings of silky thread for the textiles industry. A group of KAUST scientists has now coaxed these grub-like insects into making the human form of E-selectin, a critical adhesion molecule involved in inflammation, cancer and other disease processes.

Working with collaborators at Kyushu University in Japan, biochemist Jasmeen Merzaban and her team engineered silkworms to produce different variants of E-selectin. They then studied how the various adhesion proteins interacted with cells, discovering that there is more to E-selectin’s molecular stickiness than how its terminal binding domain interacts with target molecules.

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Image: The team has engineered silkworms to produce E-selectin, a critical adhesion molecule involved in inflammation, cancer and other disease processes.
© 2020 Takahiro Kusakabe & Jae Man Lee, Kyushu University

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​A novel CRISPR/Cas system that can efficiently attack and destroy several prolific plant viruses has been developed by KAUST using tobacco plants and is now being extended to rice and other crops.

This research aims to reduce the impact of plant viral infections, which cause losses of 10-15 percent of the global crop yield every year.

CRISPR is a natural system found in bacteria that confers adaptive immunity by copying and "storing" elements of viral DNA, which remind the organism of that particular virus and ready it for a future attack. When the virus attacks again, the bacteria’s CRISPR system releases CRISPR RNAs, which are small molecules that guide CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins to bind to the viral DNA and attack and destroy the virus.

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Image: The team trialed nine different Cas13 variants to assess specificity and efficiency against three different RNA viruses in tobacco plants.
Reproduced under a Creative Commons license from reference 1 © 2020 Mahas et al.

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​Changes in DNA methylation patterns during a coral’s lifetime can be passed down to their progeny. KAUST researchers believe they have found the first evidence of this change, and they suggest that the finding could help develop new strategies for coral conservation.

DNA methylation is the reversible attachment of a methyl group to a cytosine, one of the four nitrogenous bases that form the building blocks of our genomes. It is an epigenetic change that modifies how a gene is used.

“In mammals, DNA methylation patterns are reset across generations, except in rare exceptions,” says postdoc Yi Jin Liew. “In plants, however, they are mostly inherited across generations.”

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Image: A species of brain coral exhibits traits that indicate epigenetic acclimatization within generations.
© 2020 Emily Howells

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​Growing populations are increasing the global demand for drinking water, but natural sources of freshwater are shrinking. Extremely arid countries, such as Saudi Arabia, increasingly depend on desalinated seawater.

The most effective desalination begins with ultrafiltration, which removes larger suspended particles and microorganisms. This is followed by the reverse osmosis phase, which draws pure water away from the salty solution through a dense membrane. Ultrafiltration prevents the reverse osmosis membrane from becoming clogged, damaged and unusable, but it also involves a porous membrane that must be regularly cleaned.

“The pretreatment stage is a very important part of seawater desalination,” explains KAUST alum, Mohanned Al Ghamdi, “but cleaning the filters is not easy or environmentally friendly. Repeated use of strong chemicals can damage the membrane beyond repair.”

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Image: Mechanism of carbon dioxide bubble nucleation within the membrane pores and on its surface.
© 2020 KAUST; Xavier Pita

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​On February 10, KAUST announced new research demonstrating that corals pass patterns of DNA to their offspring. The groundbreaking research marks the first time that this process has been observed in animals within the field of biology.


Through their research, Manuel Aranda, KAUST associate professor of marine science; KAUST postdoctoral fellow Yi Jin Liew; and University of Wollongong postdoctoral fellow Emily Howells show that corals cannot only adapt to changes in their environment but also pass those learned traits on to their offspring through DNA methylation patterns. The process has previously only been observed in plants.

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Image: KAUST Associate Professor Manuel Aranda and a team of researchers examined intergenerational epigenetic inheritance in corals in work recently published in Nature Climate Change. File photo.

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​On February 4, the University announced that Carlos M. Duarte, KAUST professor of marine science and the Tarek Ahmed Juffali research chair in Red Sea ecology, received a Frontiers of Knowledge Award for Ecology and Conservation Biology from Fundación BBVA in Spain.

Originally from Spain, Duarte has participated in research expeditions worldwide to further the understanding of the diverse marine ecologies that shape environments around the globe. The award recognizes his leadership in researching the global marine science problems of our time, including contributions to Vision 2030, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's blueprint of achievement for the new decade.

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Image: Carlos M. Duarte, KAUST professor of marine science and the Tarek Ahmed Juffali research chair in Red Sea ecology, recently received a Frontiers of Knowledge Award for Ecology and Conservation Biology from Fundación BBVA in Spain. File photo.

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Scientists have discovered dozens of new coral species on a recent voyage along the length of the Great Barrier Reef that will provide valuable insights to aid conservation and management of Australia's unique World Heritage site.

The team of researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), James Cook University (JCU) and University of Technology Sydney (UTS) completed the 21-day expedition ranging from the Capricorn Bunkers off Gladstone to Thursday Island in the Torres Strait last month.

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Image: Dr. Francesca Benzoni, Associate Professor of Marine Science at KAUST discovers new corals on the Great Barrier Reef. Photo credit: Professor Andrew Baird, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University.