Proof of principle for piggyBac-mediated transgenesis in the flatworm Macrostomum lignano.

Kirill Ustyantsev, Jakub Wudarski, Igor Sukhikh, Filipa Reinoite, Stijn Mouton, Eugene Berezikov

Genetics 2021 Jul 14

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Regeneration-capable flatworms are informative research models to study the mechanisms of stem cell regulation, regeneration, and tissue patterning. The free-living flatworm Macrostomum lignano is currently the only flatworm where stable transgenesis is available, and as such it offers a powerful experimental platform to address questions that were previously difficult to answer. The published transgenesis approach relies on random integration of DNA constructs into the genome. Despite its efficiency, there is room and need for further improvement and diversification of transgenesis methods in M. lignano. Transposon-mediated transgenesis is an alternative approach, enabling easy mapping of the integration sites and the possibility of insertional mutagenesis studies. Here, we report for the first time that transposon-mediated transgenesis using piggyBac can be performed in M. lignano to create stable transgenic lines with single-copy transgene insertions. © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Genetics Society of America.

Citation

Kirill Ustyantsev, Jakub Wudarski, Igor Sukhikh, Filipa Reinoite, Stijn Mouton, Eugene Berezikov. Proof of principle for piggyBac-mediated transgenesis in the flatworm Macrostomum lignano. Genetics. 2021 Jul 14;218(3)