Dissecting the role of synaptic proteins with CRISPR

Abstract

A significant step forward in the study of synaptic physiology is the application of single cell genetic modifications. In this landscape, the dissection of the role of single proteins or, more significantly, their subunits and sub-domains has increased enormously the basic knowledge of synaptic function. CRISPR/Cas9 is a recently developed genome-editing tool that can be used to inactivate or modify genes of interest. Its ease of implementation and affordable cost, combined with its high efficiency, make it a very valuable tool to study various biological processes. The application of this technique in addition to previous genetic approaches vastly simplifies and accelerates the study of specific synaptic proteins. Here we illustrate different ways that CRISPR/Cas9 can be used in the study of synaptic properties.