Efficient CRISPR/Cas9 Knock-in Approaches for Manipulation of Endogenous Genes in Human B Lymphoma Cells

Abstract

Precise understanding of temporally controlled protein-protein interactions, localization, and expression is often difficult to achieve using traditional overexpression techniques. Recent advances have made CRISPR-based knock-in approaches efficient, which enables rapid derivation of cells with tagged endogenous proteins. However, the high degree of variability in knock-in efficiency across cell types and gene loci poses challenges, in particular with B lymphocytes, which are refractory to lipid transfection. Here, we present detailed protocols for efficient B lymphoma cell CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in. We address knock-in efficiency in two ways. First, we provide a detailed approach for assessing cutting efficiency to select the most efficient single guide RNA for the gene region of interest. Second, we provide detailed approaches for tagging endogenous proteins with a fluorescent marker or instead for co-expressing them with an unlinked fluorescent marker. Either approach facilitates downstream selection of single-cell or bulk populations with the desired knock-in, particularly when knock-in efficiency is low. The utility of this approach is demonstrated via examples of engineering tags onto endogenous protein N- or C-termini, together with downstream analyses. We anticipate that this workflow can be applied more broadly to other cell types for efficient knock-in into endogenous loci. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Choosing an optimal knock-in target site and single guide RNA (sgRNA) design

Basic Protocol 2: Assessment of Cas9 editing efficiency at the desired B cell genomic knock-in site

Basic Protocol 3: Cloning the sgRNA dual guide construct

Basic Protocol 4: Repair template design and cloning

Basic Protocol 5: Electroporation and selection of engineered B cells

Basic Protocol 6: Single-cell cloning of engineered B cells