Genome editing: Efficient CRISPR experiments in mouse cells
In order to use the CRISPR-Cas9 system to cut genes, researchers must design an RNA sequence that matches the DNA of the target gene. Most genes have hundreds of such sequences, with varying activity and uniqueness in the genome. The search for the best sequences is therefore hardly achievable by hand. The new "CrispRGold" program helps scientists to identify the most effective and specific RNA sequences. It has been devised by a group of researchers headed by Prof. Klaus Rajewsky of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), and is now described in the journal PNAS. The team has also developed a new mouse model that already carries the Cas9 protein. Combining this mouse model with the reliable RNA sequences allowed an efficient inactivation of genes in primary cells. This has enabled the researchers to discover new genes involved in the regulation of immune cells.