En bloc and segmental deletions of human XIST reveal X chromosome inactivation-involving RNA elements

RNA-seqs followed by whole and segmental deletions of XIST genes in human K562 cells. The XIST RNA is a non-coding RNA that induces X chromosome inactivation (XCI). Unlike the mouse Xist RNA, how the human XIST RNA controls XCI in female cells is less well characterized, and the XCI-involving RNA elements remain unclear. To systematically decipher the XCI-involving elements of XIST RNA, ten smaller XIST segments, including repeats A, D, and E; human-specific repeat elements; the promoter; and non-repetitive exons, as well as the entire XIST gene, were homozygously deleted using the Cas9 nuclease and paired guide RNAs at high efficiencies, followed by high-throughput RNA sequencing and fluorescence in-situ hybridization experiments on XIST RNA. Overall design: There are mock transfected cells as control and 24 clones containing whole and segmental deletion of XIST.