In the CRISPR-Cas systems, the guide RNA molecule has the potential to cause
the Cas complex to target unintended genomic locations, which are referred to as potential off-target sites.
This can lead to incorrect cleavage events. The effectiveness of the CRISPR-Cas system's targeting is directly
influenced by the specific sequence composition of the guide RNA (gRNA) and the presence of PAM in the target DNA sequence.
Considering the presence of numerous DNA sequences in the genome that closely resemble the target location,
the risk of unintended DNA modifications is significantly heightened. Before initiating any genome editing experiment,
it is crucial to predict and assess potential off-target sites.
When predicting potential off-target sites in silico, guide RNA (gRNA) sequences are aligned to a reference genome
to identify sites with sequence similarity. However, reference genomes are typically derived from a limited number of
individuals and may not fully represent genetic diversity. We present an enhanced version of Cas-OFFinder,
a computational tool that extends beyond reference genome-based predictions by incorporating individual genetic
variants while maintaining support for unlimited mismatches and flexible PAM sequences, similar to the original
Cas-OFFinder.
Variant-aware Cas-OFFinder Webtool
The Variant-aware Cas-OFFinder web tool is designed to assist scientisists and researchers to identify potential off-target sites
across individual's entire genome.This website has been renovated, transitioning from the old interface to a new one to
significantly enhance user experience.