Horizon and Desktop Genetics launch gUIDEbook bioinformatics software for CRISPR gene editing

The software is free of charge to use and can be accessed via the Horizon website: http://www.horizondiscovery.com/what-we-do/discovery-toolbox/genassist-crispr--raav-genome-editing-tools

Successful CRISPR genome editing relies on the quality of the gRNA design, determined by bioinformatic software. The gUIDEbook software has been developed to provide the most complete solution available for designing CRISPR genome editing experiments. The platform enables researchers to generate knock-outs, knock-ins, mutations or tags through powerful laboratory-validated DNA search algorithms behind a simple and intuitive user interface.

Utilizing state-of-the-art scoring functions, gUIDEbook allows an entire gene to be quickly reviewed for the best guide or guides for both wild-type and Cas9 ‘nickase’ experiments. The current version of gUIDEbook supports human and mouse genomes with additional genomes to be added later, and offers two levels of use depending on experimental requirements and the level of user experience.

Once researchers have selected the best guides for an experiment, they can then easily order their chosen guides from Horizon.

Further functionality is in development, such as donor design for knockin experiments, with updates expected to be released later in the year.

Eric Rhodes, CTO and SVP R&D, Horizon Discovery, said: "Many tools have emerged to enable CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing design, but we have brought all the best features of these programs together in one package.  We've collaborated with Desktop Genetics to provide a simple user interface for the novice user as well as a fully enabled set of features for more advanced users."

Riley Doyle, CEO Desktop Genetics, commented: "Our primary design goal with gUIDEbook was to make CRISPR genome editing as simple as possible yet still keep the user in control. gUIDEbook automatically applies current best practices so you can design guide RNAs in seconds and lets advanced users take direct control for the most stringent applications.


About Horizon Discovery Group plc www.horizondiscovery.com/

Horizon is a revenue-generating life science company supplying research tools to organizations engaged in genomics research and the development of personalized medicines. Horizon has a diverse and international customer base of over 1,000 organizations across nearly 50 countries, including major pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostic companies as well as leading academic research centers. The Company supplies its products and services into multiple markets, estimated to total in excess of £29 billion by 2015.

Horizon’s core capabilities are built around its proprietary translational genomics platform, a high-precision and flexible suite of gene editing tools able to alter almost any endogenous gene sequence of human or mammalian cell-lines. Horizon offers almost 14,000 products, almost all of which are based on the application of gene editing to generate cell lines that accurately model the disease-causing mutations found in genetically based diseases. These ‘patients-in-a-test-tube’ are being used by customers to identify the effect of individual or compound genetic mutations on drug activity, patient responsiveness, and resistance, which may lead to the successful prediction of which patient sub-groups will respond to currently available and future drug treatments.

In addition, Horizon provides CRISPR and rAAV gene editing tools, custom cell line generation services for research and bioproduction applications, quantitative molecular reference standards, in vivo disease models, contract research and custom screening services and custom shRNA development services and off-the-shelf validated shRNA (through Horizon’s partner Sirion).

Horizon is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market under the ticker “HZD”.

 

About Desktop Genetics  www.deskgen.com

Desktop Genetics has combined strong bioinformatics technologies with a deep understanding of some of the most vexing challenges facing researchers working with DNA today.  This has allowed the company to build a platform that provides life scientists with the capabilities they need to scale their research into the genomic-era and enabling them to maximize the use and impact of their time and resources so that they can deliver more and better science.

This platform has been used to address specific needs of scientists, including DNA cloning and inventory management (AutoClone™) and guide RNA design for CRISPR/Cas9 experiments (gUIDEbook™).  Desktop is also using it to provide commercial services to clients, connecting researchers with the vendors best positioned to be able to support their work.

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