Improving CRISPR-Cas nuclease specificity using truncated guide RNAs

Guide RNAs with shorter regions of complementarity to target sites reduce off-target effects. Clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) RNA-guided nucleases (RGNs) are highly efficient genome editing tools1,2,3. CRISPR-associated 9 (Cas9) RGNs are directed to genomic loci by guide RNAs (gRNAs) containing 20 nucleotides that are complementary to a target DNA sequence. However, RGNs can induce mutations at sites that...