A reversible haploid mouse embryonic stem cell biobank resource for functional genomics

The Haplobank contains over 100,000 individually reversibly mutagenized, barcoded, mouse embryonic cell lines; proof-of-principle experiments were used to search for genes that are required for rhinovirus infection and angiogenesis using forward and reverse genetic screens, respectively. A biobank of genomic proportions Heterogeneity among clones of mouse embryonic stem cells, as well as the presence of two copies of the genomes in such cells, can impede genomic screens. Josef Penninger and colleagues have prepared a biobank of more than 100,000 clones that target nearly 17,000 genes in a conditional and reversible fashion. They showcase the power and versatility of the 'Haplobank' for studying the role of essential genes in mouse embryonic stem cells, to uncover genes that mediate the rhinovirus-induced inflammatory response and to identify novel genes that control angiogenesis and the specification of blood vessel lineage. The ability to directly uncover the contributions of genes to a given phenotype is fundamental for biology research. However, ostensibly homogeneous cell populations exhibit large clonal variance 1 , 2 that can confound analyses and undermine reproducibility 3 . Here we used genome-saturated mutagenesis to create a biobank of over 100,000 individual haploid mouse embryonic stem (mES) cell lines targeting 16,970 genes with genetically barcoded, conditional and reversible mutations. This Haplobank is, to our knowledge, the largest resource of hemi/homozygous mutant mES cells to date and is available to all researchers. Reversible mutagenesis overcomes clonal variance by permitting functional annotation of the genome directly in sister cells. We use the Haplobank in reverse genetic screens to investigate the temporal resolution of essential genes in mES cells, and to identify novel genes that control sprouting angiogenesis and lineage specification of blood vessels. Furthermore, a genome-wide forward screen with Haplobank identified PLA2G16 as a host factor that is required for cytotoxicity by rhinoviruses, which cause the common cold. Therefore, clones from the Haplobank combined with the use of reversible technologies enable high-throughput, reproducible, functional annotation of the genome.