Controlling gene expression

California Institute of Technology researchers have published experiments that could allow chemical control of gene expression, technology that could be applied to any number of therapeutic areas. In Nature, the researchers demonstrated the use of synthetic ligands, which are taken up by cells more readily than proteins, to bind specific DNA sequences.

Polyamide ring structures can bind to short (6 base pair) sequences in DNA by specifically recognizing the shape of the minor groove in the DNA double helix. The Cal Tech researchers used three different components to achieve even greater specificity, to the point where unique sequences could be bound by synthetic compounds, differentiating G-C from C-G and A-T from T-A...