CRISPR activation and interference as investigative tools in the cardiovascular system

CRISPR activation and interference (CRISPRa/i) technology offers the unprecedented possibility of achieving regulated gene expression both in vitro and in vivo. The DNA pairing specificity of a nuclease dead Cas9 (dCas9) is exploited to precisely target a transcriptional activator or repressor in proximity to a gene promoter. This permits both the study of phenotypes arising from gene modulation for investigative purposes, and the devel-opment of potential therapeutics. As with virtually all other organ systems, the cardiovascular system can deeply benefit from a broader utilisation of CRISPRa/i. However, application of this technology is still in its infancy. Significant areas for improvement include the identification of novel and more effective transcriptional regu-lators that can be docked to dCas9, and the development of more efficient methods for their delivery and expression in vivo.

Automated summary

CRISPR activation and interference technology has the potential for regulated gene expression, which can be applied for both investigative purposes and therapeutic development. However, the application of this technology is still in its early stage and requires improvements in transcriptional regulators selection, delivery and expression in vivo.