Efficient CRISPR/Cas9 plasmids for rapid and versatile genome editing in Drosophila

Abstract

The CRISPR-associated RNA-guided nuclease Cas9 has emerged as a powerful tool for genome engineering in a variety of organisms. To achieve efficient gene targeting rates in Drosophila, current approaches require either injection of in vitro transcribed RNAs or injection into transgenic Cas9-expressing embryos. We report a simple and versatile alternative method for CRISPR-mediated genome editing in Drosophila using bicistronic Cas9/sgRNA expression vectors. Gene targeting with this singleplasmid injection approach is as efficient as in transgenic nanos-Cas9 embryos and allows the isolation of targeted knock-out and knock-in alleles by molecular screening within 2 months. Our strategy is independent of genetic background and does not require prior establishment of transgenic flies.