Optimized CRISPR-Cas12a genome-wide screen reveals PTPA phosphatase pathway in fetal hemoglobin silencing
Elizabeth A Traxler, Quynn Hotan, Yue Shao, Chad Komar, Qingzhou Chen, Megan S Saari, A Josephine Thrasher, Shuchen Yang, Kunhua Qin, Michelle Wang, Scott A Peslak, Osheiza Abdulmalik, Belinda M Giardine, Cheryl A Keller, Ross C Hardison, Andy J Minn, Eugene Khandros, Junwei Shi, Gerd A Blobel. Optimized CRISPR-Cas12a genome-wide screen reveals PTPA phosphatase pathway in fetal hemoglobin silencing. Blood. 2026 Jan 12:blood.2025030137. doi: 10.1182/blood.2025030137. PMID: 41525452.
Abstract
Reactivating the fetal globin genes HBG1 and HBG2 in adult erythroid cells represents a validated therapeutic approach for hemoglobinopathies. Central mediators of the fetal-to-adult hemoglobin transition include the direct transcriptional HBG1/2 repressors BCL11A1,2, LRF3, and NFIA/X4. Limited-scale screens have attempted to expand the regulatory circuity surrounding fetal globin silencing, but systematic genome-wide dissection of such pathways is lacking. We employed a two-tiered genetic screening strategy – a novel CRISPR-Cas12a-based screening platform followed by a domain-focused CRISPR-Cas9 screen – to interrogate all known human coding genes for their impact on HBG1/2 regulation and erythroid cellular fitness, generating a comprehensive resource for the field. Among the top hits was PTPA, an activator of the serine-threonine phosphatase PP2A whose loss elevates HBG1/2 levels while preserving erythroid differentiation. Phenotypic rescue experiments revealed that PTPA silences HBG1/2 expression primarily by regulating BCL11A expression. To our knowledge, this study represents the most comprehensive CRISPR dissection of HBG regulation to date, highlighting the power of Cas12a-based genome-scale screening for uncovering disease-relevant pathways.