From: Functional genetics for all: engineered nucleases, CRISPR and the gene editing revolution
 | ZFN | TALEN | CRISPR |
---|---|---|---|
Mode of action | DNA break targeted by protein-DNA recognition | DNA break targeted by protein-DNA recognition | DNA break targeted by RNA-DNA base complementarity |
Nuclease design and assembly | Difficult (commercial services expensive) | Feasible in most labs but labor intensive | Easy (see Table 2) |
Success rate of nuclease design a | Low | High | High |
Targeting efficiency | Variable | High with most nucleases | High with most guide RNAs |
Target range | Limited by range and context-dependence of ZF modules | Unlimited | Limited by PAM sequence (potentially unlimited) |
Potential off-target effects | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sensitivity to DNA methylation | Not known | Sensitive to CpG methylation | Not sensitive to CpG methylation |
High throughput targeting | No | Limited | Yes |