CRISPR/dCas system as the modulator of gene expression

Tawsif Ahmed Kazi; Swadesh Ranjan Biswas

doi:10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.12.002

CRISPR/dCas system as the modulator of gene expression

Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2021:178:99-122. doi: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.12.002. Epub 2021 Jan 18.

Authors

Tawsif Ahmed Kazi¹, Swadesh Ranjan Biswas²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Botany, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India.
² Department of Botany, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India. Electronic address: swadesh_s2000@yahoo.co.in.

PMID: 33685602
DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.12.002

Abstract

CRISPR/Cas has been a very exciting field of research because of its multifaceted applications in biological science for editing genome. This tool can be programmed to target any region of DNA of choice by designing gRNA. The potential of gRNA to recruit a CRISPR-associated protein at a specific genomic site allowed scientists to engineer genome of diverse species for research and development. The application of Cas9 has been further expanded with a recently developed catalytically inactive protein (dead Cas9). CRISPR/dCas system is widely used as a programmable vector to deliver functional cargo (transcriptional effectors) to the desired sites at the genome for targeted transcriptional repression (CRISPR interference, CRISPRi) or activation (CRISPR activation, CRISPRa). It is now possible to regulate gene expression in cells without altering the DNA sequence. These CRISPRi/a toolboxes have explored many unsolved biological issues. Further research on CRISPR system could help diagnose and treat various human diseases.

Keywords: CRISPR/Cas9; CRISPRa; CRISPRi; Epigenome engineering; Transcriptional regulation; dCas9; epigenetics.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

CRISPR-Cas Systems* / genetics
Gene Expression*
Genome
Genomics
Humans
RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems*

Substances

RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems