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Optimal genetic cargo and cofactors for transgenesis

Determine the optimal genetic cargo and necessary cofactors for efficient, stable transgenesis in tardigrades, including evaluating transposon systems (e.g., PiggyBac, Sleeping Beauty) and CRISPR variants (e.g., Cas9, Cas12a).

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Background

Multiple gene delivery strategies exist across model organisms, but their relative suitability for tardigrades is unclear. The paper explicitly labels the choice of cargo and cofactors as an open question.

Establishing optimal systems will be crucial for expressing genetically encoded indicators (e.g., GCaMP) and optogenetic actuators in neurons.

References

The choice of genetic cargo and necessary cofactors is an open question.

— The tardigrade as an emerging model organism for systems neuroscience (2501.06606 - Lyons et al., 11 Jan 2025) in Section II. Call to Action: Molecular biology, genomics, and genetic engineering tools