RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Genome-wide CRISPR guide RNA design and specificity analysis with GuideScan2 JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2022.05.02.490368 DO 10.1101/2022.05.02.490368 A1 Schmidt, Henri A1 Zhang, Minsi A1 Mourelatos, Haralambos A1 Sánchez-Rivera, Francisco J. A1 Lowe, Scott W. A1 Ventura, Andrea A1 Leslie, Christina S. A1 Pritykin, Yuri YR 2022 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/05/03/2022.05.02.490368.abstract AB We present GuideScan2 for memory-efficient, parallelizable construction of high-specificity CRISPR guide RNA (gRNA) databases and user-friendly gRNA/library design in custom genomes. GuideScan2 analysis identified widespread confounding effects of low-specificity gRNAs in published CRISPR knockout, interference and activation screens and enabled construction of a ready-to-use gRNA library that reduced off-target effects in a novel gene essentiality screen. GuideScan2 also enabled the design and experimental validation of allele-specific gRNAs in a hybrid mouse genome.Competing Interest StatementS.W.L. is an advisor for and has equity in the following biotechnology companies: ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Faeth Therapeutics, Blueprint Medicines, Geras Bio, Mirimus Inc. and PMV Pharmaceuticals. S.W.L. acknowledges receiving funding and research support from Agilent Technologies for the purposes of massively parallel oligo synthesis.