Genetic Engineering Publications - GEG Tech top picks

High-throughput genetic screens have become essential tools for studying a wide variety of biological processes. Here the scientists experimentally compare systems based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) or its transcriptionally repressive variant, CRISPR-interference (CRISPRi), with a traditional short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-based system for performing lethality screens. They find that the CRISPR technology performed best, with low noise, minimal off-target effects and consistent activity across reagents.

Resources for genome-scale loss-of-function screens in mammalian cells have progressed rapidly, particularly with RNA interference (RNAi)-based libraries and, more recently, with CRISPR–Cas9-based libraries. A new parallel screening study leverages the complementary strengths of each system to dissect antiviral drug mechanisms and to identify potential combination therapy strategies.