Over recent years, the genome-wide CRISPR screen has emerged as a powerful tool for studying the intricate networks of cellular signaling. Cellular signaling is essential for a number of fundamental biological processes, including cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.
One practical example is the identification of genes required for proliferative signaling in cancer cells. Cells are transduced with a CRISPR sgRNA library, and studied for growth over time. By comparing sgRNA abundance in selected cells to a control, one can identify which sgRNAs become depleted and in turn which genes may be responsible for the proliferation defect. Such screens have been used to identify cancer-essential genes in acute myeloid leukemia and neuroblastoma, and to describe tumor-specific differences between cancer cell lines.