BE-FF

The software tool "BE-FF" (Base Editors Functional Finder) addresses limitations in base editing by introducing a computational solution for identifying appropriate base editors to correct single nucleotide variations in the genome. While existing base editors are effective for inducing transition substitutions in specific regions, they are incompatible for many point mutations. BE-FF utilizes a diverse repertoire of base editors, each with unique Cas and deaminase proteins, to precisely correct translated sequences affected by single nucleotide variations.

BE-FF goes beyond perfect corrections, also detecting synonymous corrections to produce the reference protein even when an exact correction is not possible. The tool was assessed using a database of human pathogenic point mutations, and it identified suitable base editors for 60.9% of transition mutations. Notably, 19.4% of these corrections were achieved through synonymous corrections. Additionally, BE-FF identified potential repairability for 298 cases of pathogenic mutations caused by transversions, challenging the perceived impracticality.