Check out the first chapter of WormBook in GENETICS!

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The first chapter of WormBook in GENETICS, CRISPR-Based Methods for Caenorhabditis elegans Genome Engineering, by Daniel J. Dickinson and Bob Goldstein, is now available!

Abstract
The advent of genome editing techniques based on the clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–Cas9 system has revolutionized research in the biological sciences. CRISPR is quickly becoming an indispensible experimental tool for researchers using genetic model organisms, including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we provide an overview of CRISPR-based strategies for genome editing in C. elegans. We focus on practical considerations for successful genome editing, including a discussion of which strategies are best suited to producing different kinds of targeted genome modifications.

Need to order a clone or plasmid?

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Are you looking for a clone or plasmid?  Please note that WormBase does not house or distribute reagents but maintains a reagents page with links to the primary resources that generate and/or distribute reagents.  Visit the reagents page to learn about resources that distribute clones, plasmids, RNA libraries, etc. This page can also be accessed from a drop-down from the ‘Resources’ section on the menu bar at the top of the WormBase home page.

Creating Hi-Res Screenshots in JBrowse

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higher-res screenshot of JBrowse

While the new genome browser (JBrowse) implemented at WormBase has several advantages, like faster browsing and a faceted track selector, it does lack a few features from the venerable GBrowse instance that has been at WormBase for many years.  While we and the JBrowse developers are working on addressing those minor shortcomings, this article is about how to circumvent one of those issues now.  

JBrowse lacks the ability to make a high resolution image like GBrowse.  While taking a screenshot can sometimes result in an acceptable image (for example, Macs with a retina display work pretty well), the result is not always suitable for publication or putting on a poster.  The method described here still does not allow for making an SVG image, but it does allow for higher quality PNG images than just taking a screenshot and also allows for the creation of a PDF document with the image in it.  Unfortunately, this method requires downloading a tool where we must edit one of the source files and then execute it on the command line.  While this is a little bit of a hassle, once it is set up, creating screenshots is quite easy.

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