Zinc finger protein transcription factor
Encyclopedia
Zinc finger protein transcription factors or ZFP-TFs, consisting of activators and repressors are transcription factors composed of a zinc finger protein
domain (ZFP) and any of a variety of transcription-factor effector-domains which exert their modulatory effect in the vicinity of any sequence to which the ZFP domain binds.
Zinc finger protein transcription factors can be encoded by genes small enough to fit a number of such genes into a single vector
, allowing the medical intervention and control of expression of multiple genes and the initiation of an elaborate cascade of events. In this respect, it is also possible to target a sequence which is common to multiple (usually functionally related) genes in order to control the transcription of all these genes with a single transcription factor. Alternatively, it is possible to target a family of related genes by targeting and modulating the expression of the endogenous transcription factor(s) which control(s) them. They also have the advantage that the targeted sequence need not be symmetrical unlike with most other DNA-binding motifs based on natural transcription factors which bind as dimers.
Zinc finger protein
A zinc finger protein is a DNA-binding protein domain consisting of zinc fingers ranging from two in the Drosophila regulator ADR1, the more common three in mammalian Sp1 up to nine in TFIIIA...
domain (ZFP) and any of a variety of transcription-factor effector-domains which exert their modulatory effect in the vicinity of any sequence to which the ZFP domain binds.
Zinc finger protein transcription factors can be encoded by genes small enough to fit a number of such genes into a single vector
Viral vector
Viral vectors are a tool commonly used by molecular biologists to deliver genetic material into cells. This process can be performed inside a living organism or in cell culture . Viruses have evolved specialized molecular mechanisms to efficiently transport their genomes inside the cells they infect...
, allowing the medical intervention and control of expression of multiple genes and the initiation of an elaborate cascade of events. In this respect, it is also possible to target a sequence which is common to multiple (usually functionally related) genes in order to control the transcription of all these genes with a single transcription factor. Alternatively, it is possible to target a family of related genes by targeting and modulating the expression of the endogenous transcription factor(s) which control(s) them. They also have the advantage that the targeted sequence need not be symmetrical unlike with most other DNA-binding motifs based on natural transcription factors which bind as dimers.
Applications
By targeting the ZFP towards a specific DNA sequence and attaching the necessary effector domain, it is possible to downregulate or upregulate the expression of the gene(s) in question while using the same DNA-binding domain. The expression of a gene can also be downregulated by blocking elongation by RNA polymerase (without the need for an effector domain) in the coding region or alternatively, RNA itself can also be targeted. Besides the obvious development of tools for the research of gene function, engineered ZFP-TFs have enormous therapeutic potential including correction of abnormal gene expression profiles (e.g. erbB-2 overexpression in human adenocarcinomas and anti-retrovirals (e.g. HIV-1).See also
- Artificial transcription factorArtificial transcription factorAn artificial transcription factor is an example of a chimeral protein, designed to target and modulate gene transcription.They are generally composed of a DNA-binding domain coupled to a modulatory domain in order to alter the expression of a particular gene...
, of which the ZFP-TF is a type - Zinc finger chimeraZinc finger chimeraZinc finger protein chimera are chimeric proteins composed of a DNA-binding zinc finger protein domain and another domain through which the protein exerts its effect...
- Zinc finger proteinZinc finger proteinA zinc finger protein is a DNA-binding protein domain consisting of zinc fingers ranging from two in the Drosophila regulator ADR1, the more common three in mammalian Sp1 up to nine in TFIIIA...
- Zinc finger nucleaseZinc finger nucleaseZinc-finger nucleases are artificial restriction enzymes generated by fusing a zinc finger DNA-binding domain to a DNA-cleavage domain. Zinc finger domains can be engineered to target desired DNA sequences and this enables zinc-finger nucleases to target unique sequences within complex genomes...
- Gene therapyGene therapyGene therapy is the insertion, alteration, or removal of genes within an individual's cells and biological tissues to treat disease. It is a technique for correcting defective genes that are responsible for disease development...