How zinc-finger domains can be used to develop gene editing technologies?

Zinc finger domains can be engineered to target specific desired DNA sequences and this enables zinc-finger nucleases to target unique sequences within complex genomes. By taking advantage of endogenous DNA repair machinery, these reagents can be used to precisely alter the genomes of higher organisms.

What is zinc-finger technology?

Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) are engineered restriction enzymes designed to target specific DNA sequences within the genome. Assembly of zinc finger DNA-binding domain to a DNA-cleavage domain enables the enzyme machinery to target unique locus in the genome and invoke endogenous DNA repair mechanisms.

What is zinc-finger gene editing?

Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) are a class of engineered DNA-binding proteins that facilitate targeted editing of the genome by creating double-strand breaks in DNA at user-specified locations.

Are ZFNs still used?

While ZFNs do not usually exist in dimeric form, they dimerize upon recognizing the binding site. ZFNs are introduced transiently into the cell by transfection or electroporation. The DNA-binding and DNA-cleavage domains are released to enter the nucleus.

Why is it called zinc finger?

Extended x-ray absorption fine structure confirmed the identity of the zinc ligands: two cysteines and two histidines. The DNA-binding loop formed by the coordination of these ligands by zinc were thought to resemble fingers, hence the name. Zinc fingers often bind to a sequence of DNA known as the GC box.

How is zinc finger nucleases bioengineered used in editing gene?

The zinc-finger DNA-binding domain recognizes a 3-base pair site on DNA and can be combined to recognize longer sequences. Additionally, the ZFNs function as dimers, increasing the length of the DNA recognition site and consequently increasing specificity.

Can CRISPR reverse aging?

“In addition to unraveling the role of KAT7 in mediating aging, our screen identified additional senescence genes that might be targeted to ameliorate aging-related processes.” Moreover, this study shows that CRISPR-based gene editing can inactivate senescence genes like KAT7 to rejuvenate human cells.

Why are TALENs better than ZFNs?

It is normally comprised of 33 to 35 amino acid modules, each targeting a single nucleotide. Thus, by assembling different TALEN moieties, researchers can recognize any specific DNA sequence they like. Compared to ZFNs, TALENs are cheaper and produce faster results.

How does zinc finger interact with DNA?

The zinc-finger domain is one of the most frequently utilized DNA-binding motif found in eukaryotic transcriptional factors. The binding of a zinc-finger domain to its target site juxtaposes three base pairs on DNA to a few amino acids in the α-helix structure.

Why is it called zinc-finger?