Sophia Ferrel Rose Hills
Tunable Gene Repression Using CRISPR-Based MeCP2 Domains
Precise control of gene expression is essential for understanding how genes influence cell behavior and disease. While many CRISPR-based tools turn genes completely on or off, fewer allow researchers to finely adjust gene activity. This limits the ability to study biological processes that depend on subtle changes in gene expression.
My research focuses on developing CRISPR-based tools that can “tune” gene expression using small functional regions of the protein MeCP2. MeCP2 is a DNA-binding protein that represses genes by recruiting histone deacetylase complexes, which modify chromatin to reduce transcription. Although MeCP2 has been widely studied due to its link to Rett syndrome, the minimal regions required for its repressive function are not fully understood.
I engineer shortened versions of MeCP2 fused to a CRISPR protein (dCas9) that can be directed to specific genes using guide RNAs. By comparing MeCP2-derived domains, I aim to identify regions sufficient to recruit repression machinery and tune gene silencing. Ultimately, this work will contribute to the development of CRISPR tools for precise regulation of gene expression for research and therapeutic applications.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you very much for supporting my research this summer. I’m excited to work on CRISPR-based gene regulation and learn how it can be used to better understand and eventually improve gene expression in disease. I’m very grateful for this opportunity, especially because I’m passionate about research and its translational applications. I truly appreciate your support!