dCas9: A Versatile Tool for Epigenome Editing.

Daan J W Brocken, Mariliis Tark-Dame, Remus T Dame

Journal: Current issues in molecular biology 2018;26():15-32

PMID: 28879853

Abstract

The epigenome is a heritable layer of information not encoded in the DNA sequence of the genome, but in chemical modifications of DNA or histones. These chemical modifications, together with transcription factors, operate as spatiotemporal regulators of genome activity. Dissecting epigenome function requires controlled site-specific alteration of epigenetic information. Such control can be obtained using designed DNA-binding platforms associated with effector domains to function as targeted transcription factors or epigenetic modifiers. Here, we review the use of dCas9 as a novel and versatile tool for fundamental studies on epigenetic landscapes, chromatin structure and transcription regulation, and the potential of this approach in basic research in these fields.

Address: Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.; Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.; Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands and Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.

DOI: 10.21775/cimb.026.015

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MeSH Terms: Bacterial Proteins, CRISPR-Associated Protein 9, Chromatin, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, DNA, DNA Methylation, Endonucleases, Epigenesis, Genetic, Gene Editing, Genome, Human, Histones, Humans, Transcription Activator-Like Effectors, Transcription Factors, Zinc Fingers, RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems