Work

dCas9-targeted locus-specific protein isolation method identifies histone gene regulators

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Significance Identifying proteins selectively associated with a genomic locus provides an important entry point toward understanding how a specific gene is regulated. Over the years, there have been several reports describing targeted chromatin-purification methods. However, none has been widely adopted due to the complexity and investment required for such protocols. Here, we present an adaptable chromatin purification system, CLASP, that capitalizes on the versatility of purified dCas9 RNA/protein complexes. We deployed CLASP to purify and identify proteins associated with telomere sequences in human cells as a proof of concept. Next, we targeted a different genomic locus, the Drosophila melanogaster histone cluster, and identified several regulators of the essential histone locus and validated their functional association with genes within the locus.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1718844115