DNA sequence which acts as a chromatin insulator element to protect expressed genes from cis-acting regulatory sequences in mammalian cells

US5610053A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America, as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services · US

Inventors

• Jay Chung · Bethesda, US
• Gary Felsenfeld · Bethesda, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 29, 1994
• Grant date: Mar 11, 1997
• Expiry date: Jul 29, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N2830/85
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A newly-characterized chromatin insulator element isolated from the DNA of a higher eukaryotic organism and contained in vector constructs is described. The insulator element of the invention comprises a DNA sequence which contains a 5' constitutive hypersensitive site whose functional activity and biochemical characterization as a pure insulator were previously unknown. A core DNA sequence having strong insulator activity is described. The insulator element, including the core sequence, have been demonstrated for the first time in mammalian cells to function to buffer or insulate an expressed gene from the activity of cis-acting regulatory elements, such as enhancers, in the surrounding chromatin or DNA.