10x UAS regulates expression of nuclease-dead Spyo\Cas9 (dCas9, containing two nuclease-attenuating mutations: D10A and H840A) tagged at the N-terminus with 3x Tag:FLAG and a nuclear localization sequence (NLS), and fused to a second NLS followed by a VP64 activator domain at the C-terminus. The protein produced is unable to activate expression of an endogenous gene of interest when combined with sgRNAs that target sequences upstream of the transcription start site of the gene of interest.