gremlin-2 CRISPR Activation Plasmid (m): sc-423886-ACT

Mouse Grem2 encodes gremlin-2, a secreted cystine-knot protein that functions as an extracellular antagonist of BMP ligands, shaping BMP/TGF-β superfamily signaling gradients and downstream SMAD-dependent transcriptional programs. By modulating BMP-driven differentiation cues, gremlin-2 contributes to regulation of tissue patterning, organogenesis, and stromal–epithelial crosstalk, with downstream effects on extracellular matrix remodeling and cellular fate decisions. Dysregulated Grem2 expression or BMP antagonism has been linked in the literature to aberrant developmental processes and altered homeostatic signaling in contexts such as musculoskeletal, reproductive, and fibrotic-like phenotypes. These properties make Grem2 a useful target for dissecting BMP pathway feedback, lineage specification, and signaling-network compensation in mouse cell and organoid models.

gremlin-2 CRISPR Activation Plasmid (m) provides a targeted, non-destructive approach to upregulating endogenous Grem2 expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence.

gremlin-2 CRISPR Activation Plasmid (m) is a three-plasmid synergistic activation mediator (SAM) system engineered for highly efficient, site-specific transcriptional upregulation of the Grem2 locus in human cell lines. The system is built around a catalytically inactive Cas9 (dCas9) carrying two inactivating mutations (D10A and N863A) that eliminate nuclease activity while preserving DNA binding. This dCas9 is fused to VP64, a potent transcriptional activator, and is co-expressed with a blasticidin resistance gene for selection. The second plasmid encodes the MS2-p65-HSF1 fusion protein, a secondary activator complex that works in concert with dCas9-VP64, alongside a hygromycin resistance gene. The third plasmid encodes a target-specific 20 nt sgRNA fused to two MS2 RNA aptamers that recruit the MS2-p65-HSF1 complex to the activation site, accompanied by a puromycin resistance gene. The three plasmids are delivered at a 1:1:1 mass ratio for balanced expression of all system components.

Once assembled at the target locus, the SAM complex binds within approximately 200 bp upstream of the Grem2 transcriptional start site, where VP64, p65, and HSF1 act in concert to recruit transcriptional machinery and drive upregulation of endogenous gremlin-2 expression. Unlike nuclease-active Cas9, dCas9 does not introduce double-strand breaks or modify the genomic sequence, preserving the native Grem2 locus and enabling the study of gremlin-2-dependent transcriptional responses at the endogenous locus, making it a valuable tool for functional studies, target gene identification, and the modeling of gremlin-2 pathway restoration in tumor cells with silenced or reduced Grem2 expression.

For Research Use Only. Not Intended for Diagnostic or Therapeutic Use.