Zinc finger protein derivatives and methods therefor
US6140466A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 27, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 31, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 27, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC07K2319/81
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Zinc finger proteins of the Cys.sub.2 His.sub.2 type represent a class of malleable DNA binding proteins which may be selected to bind diverse sequences. Typically, zinc finger proteins containing three zinc finger domains, like the murine transcription factor Zif268 and the human transcription factor Sp1, bind nine contiguous base pairs (bp). To create a class of proteins which would be generally applicable to target unique sites within complex genomes, the present invention provides a polypeptide linker that fuses two three-finger proteins. Two six-fingered proteins were created and demonstrated to bind 18 contiguous bp of DNA in a sequence specific fashion. Expression of these proteins as fusions to activation or repression domains allows transcription to be specifically up or down modulated within cells. Polydactyl zinc finger proteins are broadly applicable as genome-specific transcriptional switches in gene therapy strategies and the development of novel transgenic plants and animals. Such proteins are useful for inhibiting, activating or enhancing gene expression from a zinc finger-nucleotide binding motif containing promoter or other transcriptional control element, as well…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.