Gene Activation Vectors
Lentiviral dCas9-VPR vectors provide efficient activation of target genes when used in combination with separate lentiviral gRNA expression vectors. Offered with multiple promoter and selection marker options, these dCas9-VPR vectors are designed for wide experimental flexibility.
Ready to use for wide selection
Promoter
- EF1
- SFFV
- PGK
Selection Makers
- Blasticidin
- Puromycin
- Neomycin
Mechanism
The dCas9-VPR system activates target genes by guiding a Cas9–sgRNA complex to promoter-proximal DNA, where the transcriptional activation enhances expression. Our platform uses two lentiviral components:
- dCas9-VPR vectors — EF1α or SFFV promoters driving dCas9-VPR and a PGK promoter controlling puromycin (PURO) or blasticidin (BSD) resistance.
- gRNA expression vectors — Three versions, carrying BSD, PURO, or neomycin (NEO) markers, with sgRNAs expressed under the human U6 promoter.
Gene-specific sgRNAs are cloned into the gRNA vectors, then co-transduction with dCas9-VPR vectors to enable efficient transcriptional activation of endogenous genes.
Application
Targeted upregulation of endogenous gene expression
Targeted Gene Activation
- Precise upregulation of gene expression at defined genomic loci
- Functional studies and pathway analysis
- Investigation of transcriptional regulation and chromatin interactions
Stable Cell Line & Engineering
- Creation of long-term dCas9-VPR–expressing cell lines for reproducible activation
- Directed cell fate engineering and lineage-specific differentiation
- Construction of programmable gene circuits for synthetic biology
Screening & Validation
- Functional gene and pathway screens
- High-throughput CRISPRa screening
- Drug target validation and assessment of phenotypic effects