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Genetic ‘dimmer Switch’ may Revolutionise Gene Therapy
Professor James Collins, Professor Charles Cantor and doctoral candidate Tara Deans, who invented the switch, used more complex mammalian cells, from hamsters and mice, in their research.
Described in the journal Cell, the genetic dimmer switch has several new design features that extend possible applications into areas from basic research to gene therapy.
“There are a number of technologies available to regulate gene expression, but they each come with limitations. One of the central problems is you can’t get a really tight ‘off’ state,” said Collins.
Even when genetic switches are turned off, a trickle of the protein that is meant to be repressed still gets made. Some genetic switches get around this by entirely snipping out a gene to stop production of a specific protein, but this approach is irreversible.
In order to tackle these challenges, “Tara came up with a design that really combined two different technologies to repress or shut down gene expression,” Collins added, “We said, okay, we’ve got these two technologies, both that give a pretty good ‘off,’ why not try to combine them together to get a really clear and strong ‘off.’”
The first strategy, a repressor protein, sits on DNA like a roadblock and prevents any gene product or messenger RNA (mRNA) from being made. If any mRNA gets past this repressor, the second technique, interfering RNA (RNAi) attaches to the functional mRNA, rendering it useless. The cell cannot turn it into protein.
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More News on: DNA Finger Printing, Genetics and Stem Cells, Reiki and Pranic Healing, Genetic Testing of Diseases, Pancreas
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