Nucleic acids, vectors, compositions, systems, and methods for expressing a structural maintenance of chromosomes hinge domain containing 1 (SMCHD1) polypeptide to epigenetically
silence double
homeobox 4 (DUX4) for the treatment of a
disease or disorder associated with DUX4 are provided. DUX4 regulates
gene expression and plays a role in development,
muscular dystrophy (including, but not limited to, facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD)), a
cancer, or Bosma arhinia microphthalmia syndrome (BAMS). The disclosure describes a split
intein-mediated
protein trans-splicing approach that was utilized to express SMCHD1 to downregulate or inhibit DUX4 expression.