Multiplexed Cas9 targeting reveals genomic location effects and gRNA-based staggered breaks influencing mutation efficiency and patterns

Understanding the impact of guide RNA (gRNA) and genomic locus on CRISPR/Cas9 activity is crucial to design effective gene editing assays. However, it is challenging to profile Cas9 activity in the endogenous cellular environment. We leverage our TRIP technology to integrate ~1k barcoded reporter genes in the genomes of mouse embryonic stem cells. We target the integrated reporters (IRs) using RNA-guided Cas9 and characterize induced mutations by sequencing. We report that gRNA-sequence and IR locus explain most variation in mutation efficiency. Predominant insertions of a gRNA-specific nucleotide are consistent with template-dependent repair of staggered DNA ends with 1-bp 5′ overhangs. We confirm that such staggered ends are induced by Cas9 in mouse pre-B cells. To explain observed insertions, we propose a model generating primarily blunt and occasionally staggered DNA ends. Mutation patterns indicate that gRNA-sequence controls the fraction of staggered ends, which could be used to optimize Cas9-based insertion efficiency.