Prime editing platform programs precise barcoded genomic deletions at scale
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Researchers have developed OPTIMuS PRIME-Del, a method that uses paired prime editing to create precise genomic deletions while simultaneously inserting a T7 promoter and barcode, enabling direct validation and quantification of each edit within cells. In K562 cells, pegRNA pairs targeted roughly 1,200 intronic candidate cis-regulatory elements, followed by a secondary screen of about the 100 most editable ones. Coupled with single-cell RNA sequencing, the platform pinpointed intronic enhancers whose deletion reduced host gene expression by 20-30% and identified a candidate enhancer-gene interaction spanning 124 kb. The preprint was posted on bioRxiv on October 18, 2026, and the work has not yet undergone peer review.
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- biorxiv.orgPickMultiplex programming of mappable, molecularly tagged genomic deletions
OPTIMuS PRIME-Del uses paired prime editing to program precise deletions that simultaneously insert a T7 promoter and barcode, allowing direct validation and quantification of edits in each cell. In K562 cells, pegRNA pairs targeted roughly 1,200 intronic candidate cis-regulatory elements, with a secondary screen of the ~100 most editable ones. Coupled with single-cell RNA sequencing, the platform identified intronic enhancers whose deletion cut host gene expression by 20-30% and a candidate enhancer-gene interaction spanning 124 kb.
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