The applications of the CRISPR gene editing system seem to be endless, as it can also be used in gene regulation without modifying the DNA sequence. Researchers Roberto Galizi from Imperial College London and Alfonso Jaramillo from University of Warwick in London discuss in their paper some inducible forms of CRISPR-Cas9 systems, including as an endonuclease, transcriptional activator, repressor, and histone modifier. They specifically focused on fusing riboswitches, which are systems used to employ modification in gene expression, with the CRISPR system to target and modulate expression of a gene of interest. This fusion would also make possible epigenetic modification of genes. This system will also be applicable in live organisms, where real-time and trigger-induced modifications can occur (e.g. viral response).

For more information, read the article in Current Opinion in Biotechnology.