Collaborative Research: EDGE FGT: DEVELOPMENT OF FUNCTIONAL GENETIC TOOLS IN GECKOS

功能基因组学工具，如CRISPR/cas基因组编辑，对于研究 基因生物学，并改变了我们对基因-表型关系的理解。 然而，使用基因组修改方法的物种数量有限，这是一个主要的 实施全面的基因功能比较研究的瓶颈。例如, 鳞类(蜥蜴和蛇)包括11,000多个已描述的物种，占所有物种的40% 羊膜动物物种。然而，基本的基因编辑方法只适用于一种单一的物种，即棕色 变色蜥蜴(Anolis Sgrei)。在这里，我们建议：1)在一秒钟内建立CRISPR/CAS基因编辑 蜥蜴类、壁虎类；2)开发先进的基因编辑方法，为引进精密 蜥蜴(Anolis和Geckos)的序列替换、插入和缺失；以及3) 通过培训材料和讲习班以及 为研究人员生产经过基因组编辑的蜥蜴。基因编辑工具在中国的发展 壁虎将增加可用于功能基因组工作的鳞状模型的数量，并 促进对有鳞动物和羊膜动物的基因功能研究的推广。此外， 在蜥蜴中培育功能基因组工具包，以包括更精确的基因编辑方法，将 扩大可以在这一表现多样化的群体中解决的问题的范围。

Functional genomic tools, such as CRISPR/cas genome editing, are critical for investigating the biology of genes and have transformed our understanding of genotype-to-phenotype relationships. However, the limited number of species with genome modification methods presents a major bottleneck in implementing comprehensive, comparative studies of gene function. For instance, squamates (lizard and snakes) include more than 11,000 described species and comprise 40% of all amniote species. Yet basic gene editing methods are only available in a single species, the brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei). Here, we propose to: 1) establish CRISPR/cas gene editing in a second lizard group, the geckos; 2) develop advanced gene editing methods for the introduction of precise sequence substitutions, insertions, and deletions in lizards (in both Anolis and geckos); and 3) disseminate lizard gene editing techniques through training materials and workshops and the production of genome-edited lizards for researchers. The development of gene editing tools in geckos will increase the number of squamate models available for functional genomic work and facilitate the generalization of gene function studies across squamates and amniotes. Furthermore, growing the functional genomic toolkit in lizards to include more precise gene editing methods will expand the scope of questions that can be addressed in this phenotypically diverse group.