Custom CRISPRi/CRISPRa Library Services

Recently developed CRISPR/Cas9-based screening methods have great potential for revealing the mechanisms and treatment strategies of human diseases, but there are still some biological studies that are not suitable for CRISPR knockout screening. CRISPRa and CRISPRi screening opens up many new possibilities.

CRISPR/Cas9 PlatformCB provides custom libraries for any set of genes of interest, as well as non-coding RNA and regulatory domains, for genome-wide CRISPRa and CRISPRi screening in human, mouse, rat, zebrafish, C. elegans.

What is CRISPRi?

The dCas9 fusion protein targets DNA sequences through sgRNA, but the inactive dCas9 cannot catalyze DNA. Instead, a protein fused to dCas9 manipulates the transcription of the target gene.

When dCas9 is fused to the transcriptional repression domain Kruppel-associated box (KRAB), transcription is repressed, a system called CRISPR interference (CRISPRi). Compared with CRISPR cutting methods, CRISPRi is inducible, reversible and non-toxic. It can also knock down non-coding RNA.

What is CRISPRa?

When dCas9 is fused to a transcriptional activator (VPR, Sun Tag, etc.), transcription can be activated in a stable manner. This system is called CRISPR activation (CRISPRa).