Crispr mediated in vivo modeling and genetic screening of tumor growth and metastasis
Sidi Chen, Randall Jeffrey Platt, Neville Espi Sanjana, Phillip A. Sharp, Feng Zhang
The present invention relates to in vivo methods for modeling tumor formation and/or tumor evolution comprising the use of eukaryotic cells in which one or more genetic target locus has been altered by the CRISPR/Cas system, and which cells are transplanted in non-human eukaryote as a model system for tumor formation and tumor evolution. In particular in vivo genetic screening methods for identifying genes involved in tumorigenesis and metastasis are disclosed. The invention further relates to kits and components for practicing the methods, as well as materials obtainable by the methods, in particular tumor and metastasis samples and cells or cell lines derived therefrom. The invention also relates to diagnostic and therapeutic methods derived from the information obtained in the modeling methods.