Predictable and precise template-free CRISPR editing of pathogenic variants.

Nature
Authors
Abstract

Following Cas9 cleavage, DNA repair without a donor template is generally considered stochastic, heterogeneous and impractical beyond gene disruption. Here, we show that template-free Cas9 editing is predictable and capable of precise repair to a predicted genotype, enabling correction of disease-associated mutations in humans. We constructed a library of 2,000 Cas9 guide RNAs paired with DNA target sites and trained inDelphi, a machine learning model that predicts genotypes and frequencies of 1- to 60-base-pair deletions and 1-base-pair insertions with high accuracy (r = 0.87) in five human and mouse cell lines. inDelphi predicts that 5-11% of Cas9 guide RNAs targeting the human genome are 'precise-50', yielding a single genotype comprising greater than or equal to 50% of all major editing products. We experimentally confirmed precise-50 insertions and deletions in 195 human disease-relevant alleles, including correction in primary patient-derived fibroblasts of pathogenic alleles to wild-type genotype for Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome and Menkes disease. This study establishes an approach for precise, template-free genome editing.

Year of Publication
2018
Journal
Nature
Volume
563
Issue
7733
Pages
646-651
Date Published
2018 11
ISSN
1476-4687
DOI
10.1038/s41586-018-0686-x
PubMed ID
30405244
Links
Grant list
K01 DK101684 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
RM1 HG009490 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
R01 HG008363 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
T32 GM087237 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
R35 GM118062 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
R01 HG008754 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
1R01HG010372 / NH / NIH HHS / United States
R01 EB022376 / EB / NIBIB NIH HHS / United States
R01 HG010372 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States