PrimeDesign software for rapid and simplified design of prime editing guide RNAs

Abstract

Prime editing (PE) is a versatile genome editing technology, but design of the required guide RNAs is more complex than for standard CRISPR-based nucleases or base editors. Here we describe PrimeDesign, a user-friendly, end-to-end web application and command-line tool for the design of PE experiments. PrimeDesign can be used for single and combination editing applications, as well as genome-wide and saturation mutagenesis screens. Using PrimeDesign, we construct PrimeVar, a comprehensive and searchable database that includes candidate prime editing guide RNA (pegRNA) and nicking sgRNA (ngRNA) combinations for installing or correcting >68,500 pathogenic human genetic variants from the ClinVar database. Finally, we use PrimeDesign to design pegRNAs/ngRNAs to install a variety of human pathogenic variants in human cells.