Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which affects 1 in 5,000 male births, is one of the most common genetic disorders of children. This disease is caused by an absence or deficiency of dystrophin protein in striated muscle. The major DMD deletion hot spots are found between exon 6 to 8, and exons 45 to 53. Here, a humanized mouse model is provided that can be used to test a variety of DMD exon skipping strategies. Among these are, CRISPR/Cas9 oligonucleotides, small molecules or other therapeutic modalities that promote exon skipping or micro dystrophin mini genes or cell based therapies. Methods for restoring the reading frame of exon 44 deletion via CRISPR-mediated exon skipping in the humanized mouse model, in patient-derived iPS cells and ultimately, in patients using various delivery systems are also contemplated. The impact of CRISPR technology on DMD is that gene editing can permanently correct mutations.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which affects 1 in 5,000 male births, is one of the most common genetic disorders of children. This disease is caused by an absence or deficiency of dystrophin protein in striated muscle. The major DMD deletion hot spots are found between exon 6 to 8, and exons 45 to 53. Here, a humanized mouse model is provided that can be used to test a variety of DMD exon skipping strategies. Among these are, CRISPR/Cas9 oligonucleotides, small molecules or other therapeutic modalities that promote exon skipping or micro dystrophin mini genes or cell based therapies. Methods for restoring the reading frame of exon 44 deletion via CRISPR-mediated exon skipping in the humanized mouse model, in patient-derived iPS cells and ultimately, in patients using various delivery systems are also contemplated. The impact of CRISPR technology on DMD is that gene editing can permanently correct mutations.

Provided are non-human animals comprising a mutation in the Fbn1 gene to model neonatal progeroid syndrome with congenital lipodystrophy (NPSCL). Also provided are methods of making such non-human animal models. The non-human animal models can be used for screening compounds for activity in inhibiting or reducing NPSCL or ameliorating NPSCL-like symptoms or screening compounds for activity potentially harmful in promoting or exacerbating NPSCL as well as to provide insights in to the mechanism of NPSCL and potentially new therapeutic and diagnostic targets.

Disclosed herein is a recombinant adenovirus genome, said adenovirus genome comprising a heterologous nucleic acid inserted into a cloning site of said genome, said heterologous nucleic acid comprising: (a) a first nucleic acid sequence comprising an adenovirus tripartite sequence (e.g., SEQ ID NO:1) operably linked to a second nucleic acid sequence encoding an interferon (e.g., SEQ ID NO:2); (b) a third nucleic acid sequence comprising a bovine growth hormone polyA termination sequence operably linked to said second nucleic acid sequence (e.g., SEQ ID NO:3); (c) a fourth nucleic acid sequence comprising a porcine elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1) promoter (e.g., SEQ ID NO:4); (d) a fifth nucleic acid sequence operably linked to said fourth nucleic acid sequence, said fifth nucleic acid sequence encoding a suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) protein (e.g., SEQ ID NO:5). Furthermore, there is disclosed a method of producing interferon in an animal (e.g., swine).

A method of preparing a ddx27-deletion zebrafish mutant, including: determining a target of ddx27 knockout on a sixth exon of the ddx27 in a zebrafish and designing a gRNA sequence; using primers T7-ddx27-sfd and tracr rev for PCR amplification with a pUC19-gRNA scaffold plasmid as a template; purifying and transcribing the PCR product obtained in vitro to produce gRNA; introducing the gRNA and a Cas9 protein into the zebrafish; and culturing the zebrafish to obtain a zebrafish ddx27 mutant of stable inheritance. In addition, the application also discloses a phenotype of the ddx27-deletion zebrafish mutant, which plays an important role in investigating the biological function.

Provided are non-human animals comprising a mutation in the Fbn1 gene to model neonatal progeroid syndrome with congenital lipodystrophy (NPSCL). Also provided are methods of making such non-human animal models. The non-human animal models can be used for screening compounds for activity in inhibiting or reducing NPSCL or ameliorating NPSCL-like symptoms or screening compounds for activity potentially harmful in promoting or exacerbating NPSCL as well as to provide insights in to the mechanism of NPSCL and potentially new therapeutic and diagnostic targets.

Genetically modified mice characterized by one or more symptoms or signs associated with expression of human APOE4p and mouse Trem2p and relevant to non-familial late-onset Alzheimer's disease are provided wherein the genome of the mouse includes: 1) a DNA sequence encoding a human APOE4 protein (APOE4p) operably linked to a promoter; and 2) a DNA sequence encoding a mouse Trem2 protein having a mutation p,R47H (Trem2p) operably linked to a promoter, such that the mouse expresses human APOE4p and mouse Trem2p. Methods ace provided for screening for a compound for use in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease using such genetically modified mice.

This application provides a novel mouse model (PLA2g6 KO.sup.Ex2) in which genetic deletion of the N terminus of PLA2g6 results in a loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in substantia nigra (SN), and development of PD-like motor deficits that can be significantly improved by L-DOPA. Based in part on experimental results demonstrated with this model, this disclosure provides genetically modified animals and genetically modified animal cells that comprise a mutant allele of PLA2g6 and in which store-operated Ca.sup.2+ entry (SOCE) is impaired and ER Ca.sup.2+ stores are depleted. This disclosure also provides methods of screening a compound for an effect on the SOCE pathway and/or ER Ca.sup.2+ by administering the compound to such a genetically modified animal or genetically modified animal cell. This disclosure also provides methods of treating or preventing PD-related deficit(s) in an animal by characterizing a compound as a SOCE activator using the screening methods and then administering an effective amount of the compound to an animal. This disclosure also provides methods of restoring normal store-operated Ca.sup.2+ entry (SOCE) pathway and ER Ca.sup.2+ in a cell, comprising introducing a caspase-3 cleavage-resistant PLA2g6 protein into the cell. This disclosure also provides methods of treating or preventing a PD-related deficit(s) in an animal, comprising administering a caspase-3 cleavage-resistant PLA2g6 protein to the animal.

The present invention relates to the field of biotechnology, in particular to application of a GPR45 gene. The present invention discloses, for the first time, a correlation between GPR45 and obesity and also discloses that obesity may be caused if the GPR45 gene is knocked out or the expression of the GPR45 gene is reduced. Moreover, an obese mouse model is established by adopting a method of blocking the expression of the GPR45 gene for the first time, which is more similar to the mechanism underlying the obesity of human, is thus an ideal model for obesity basis and clinical application researches and can be well applied in screening of drugs for treating obesity.

Genetically modified mice characterized by one or more symptoms or signs associated with expression of human APOE4p and mouse Trem2p and relevant to non-familial late-onset Alzheimer's disease are provided wherein the genome of the mouse includes: 1) a DNA sequence encoding a human APOE4 protein (APOE4p) operably linked to a promoter; and 2) a DNA sequence encoding a mouse Trem2 protein having a mutation p,R47H (Trem2p) operably linked to a promoter, such that the mouse expresses human APOE4p and mouse Trem2p. Methods ace provided for screening for a compound for use in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease using such genetically modified mice.