CRISPR/Cas9-encoding vectors targeting SPRY1 were generated in accordance with the Genome-Scale CRISPR Knock-Out (GeCKO) protocol (36 (link),37 (link)). Sequences of DNA oligos required for cloning into the linearized lentiCRISPR.v2 vector (Addgene plasmid # 52961; http://n2t.net/addgene:52961; described in Ref. (36) (link)) are given in Supplementary Table 2. As a negative control, a CRISPR/Cas9 target sequence against the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), which has no effects on the human genome (38 (link),39 (link)), was cloned into the lentiCRISPR.v2 vector (Supplementary Table 2). All plasmids were amplified in Escherichia coli Stbl3 bacteria. Endotoxin-free plasmid preparations for transfection were gained using the EndoFree Plasmid MaxiKit (Qiagen) or the GeneJET Endo-free Plasmid Maxiprep Kit (Thermo Scientific) according to the manufacturer’s protocol. For RNA interference-mediated gene silencing, a set of five pLKO.1 plasmids encoding different shRNAs targeting the human SPRY1 gene were purchased from a commercial supplier (Dharmacon, TRCN00000 5693-3 to -7; in this study: TRCN00000 5693–5 is referred to as shRNA#1, -6 is referred to as shRNA#2) and tested previously (23 (link)). For comparison, an appropriate nontargeting control was used (24 (link)).