MATP CRISPR Activation Plasmid (h): sc-404812-ACT

SLC45A2 encodes MATP (membrane-associated transporter protein), a melanosomal membrane transporter required for normal melanin synthesis and melanocyte biology. MATP helps regulate melanosome ion homeostasis and lumenal pH, processes that influence tyrosinase activity and the efficiency of eumelanin production during melanogenesis. Altered SLC45A2 function is linked to pigmentation phenotypes and contributes to genetic forms of oculocutaneous albinism, supporting its relevance for studying melanosome biogenesis, protein trafficking, and pigment-associated oxidative stress pathways. In human systems, SLC45A2 serves as a useful node for dissecting transcriptional control of melanocyte differentiation and melanosome maturation programs.

MATP CRISPR Activation Plasmid (h) provides a targeted, non-destructive approach to upregulating endogenous SLC45A2 expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence.

MATP CRISPR Activation Plasmid (h) is a three-plasmid synergistic activation mediator (SAM) system engineered for highly efficient, site-specific transcriptional upregulation of the SLC45A2 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 SLC45A2 transcriptional start site, where VP64, p65, and HSF1 act in concert to recruit transcriptional machinery and drive upregulation of endogenous MATP expression. Unlike nuclease-active Cas9, dCas9 does not introduce double-strand breaks or modify the genomic sequence, preserving the native SLC45A2 locus and enabling the study of MATP-dependent transcriptional responses at the endogenous locus, making it a valuable tool for functional studies, target gene identification, and the modeling of MATP pathway restoration in tumor cells with silenced or reduced SLC45A2 expression.

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