Sox-21 CRISPR Activation Plasmid (h): sc-406354-ACT

SOX21 encodes Sox-21, a high mobility group (HMG) box transcription factor that modulates gene expression programs controlling cell fate decisions during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Sox-21 is closely linked to neural and epithelial differentiation, where it interfaces with core transcriptional networks and signal-responsive pathways to coordinate lineage commitment, progenitor maintenance, and maturation. By shaping chromatin-accessible regulatory states and transcriptional outputs, SOX21 influences processes such as neurogenesis, stem/progenitor dynamics, and epithelial remodeling. Dysregulated SOX21 expression has been reported in contexts of abnormal differentiation and proliferative control, supporting its use as a mechanistic node for studying developmental biology and disease-associated transcriptional rewiring.

Sox-21 CRISPR Activation Plasmid (h) provides a targeted, non-destructive approach to upregulating endogenous SOX21 expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence.

Sox-21 CRISPR Activation Plasmid (h) is a three-plasmid synergistic activation mediator (SAM) system engineered for highly efficient, site-specific transcriptional upregulation of the SOX21 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 SOX21 transcriptional start site, where VP64, p65, and HSF1 act in concert to recruit transcriptional machinery and drive upregulation of endogenous Sox-21 expression. Unlike nuclease-active Cas9, dCas9 does not introduce double-strand breaks or modify the genomic sequence, preserving the native SOX21 locus and enabling the study of Sox-21-dependent transcriptional responses at the endogenous locus, making it a valuable tool for functional studies, target gene identification, and the modeling of Sox-21 pathway restoration in tumor cells with silenced or reduced SOX21 expression.

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