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Updated: Dec 18, 2025

Engineering Artificial Factors to Specifically Manipulate Alternative Splicing in Human Cells
Published on: April 26, 2017
CRISPR artificial splicing factors
Menghan Du1,2, Nathaniel Jillette1, Jacqueline Jufen Zhu1
1The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, 06032, USA.
Abstract:
Alternative splicing allows expression of mRNA isoforms from a single gene, expanding the diversity of the proteome. Its prevalence in normal biological and disease processes warrant precise tools for modulation. Here we report the engineering of CRISPR Artificial Splicing Factors (CASFx) based on RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas systems. We show that simultaneous exon inclusion and exclusion can be induced at distinct targets by differential positioning of CASFx. We also create inducible CASFx (iCASFx) using the FKBP-FRB chemical-inducible dimerization domain, allowing small molecule control of alternative splicing. Finally, we demonstrate the activation of SMN2 exon 7 splicing in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patient fibroblasts, suggesting a potential application of the CASFx system.
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