Multiparametric and accurate functional analysis of genetic sequence variants using CRISPR-Select

Abstract

Determining the functional role of thousands of genetic sequence variants (mutations) associated with genetic diseases is a major challenge. Here we present clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-SelectTIME, CRISPR-SelectSPACE and CRISPR-SelectSTATE, a set of flexible knock-in assays that introduce a genetic variant in a cell population and track its absolute frequencies relative to an internal, neutral control mutation as a function of time, space or a cell state measurable by flow cytometry. Phenotypically, CRISPR-Select can thereby determine, for example, pathogenicity, drug responsiveness/resistance or in vivo tumor promotion by a specific variant. Mechanistically, CRISPR-Select can dissect how the variant elicits the phenotype by causally linking the variant to motility/invasiveness or any cell state or biochemical process with a flow cytometry marker. The method is applicable to organoids, nontransformed or cancer cell lines. It is accurate, quantitative, fast and simple and works in single-well or 96-well higher throughput format. CRISPR-Select provides a versatile functional variant assay for research, diagnostics and drug development for genetic disorders.