BEtarget: A versatile web-based tool to design guide RNAs for base editing in plants

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• CRISPR-based base editors offer precise nucleotide conversion without DNA breaks.
• Designing guide RNAs (gRNAs) for base editing is complex, hindering gene correction and inactivation.
• Existing tools lack comprehensive features for efficient base editor gRNA design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a user-friendly web tool, BEtarget, for designing gRNAs for CRISPR base editing.
• To simplify the complex process of gRNA design for gene correction and inactivation.
• To provide a versatile platform supporting diverse genomes and editing strategies.

Main Methods:

• Development of a web-based tool integrating multiple functionalities.
• Support for 46 plant and 5 non-plant model organism genomes.
• Inclusion of features such as ORF identification, off-target prediction, codon change annotation, and gRNA quality assessment.

Main Results:

• BEtarget facilitates the design of gRNAs for various base editing applications.
• The tool supports diverse protospacer adjacent motifs (PAMs) and offers an interactive user interface.
• It streamlines gRNA design by automating key analysis steps and providing quality assessments.

Conclusions:

• BEtarget is a flexible and versatile web tool that simplifies base editor gRNA design.
• The tool enhances the accessibility and efficiency of CRISPR base editing technology.
• BEtarget is freely available, promoting broader adoption in genetic research.