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Light used to switch on gene expression

Date:
May 10, 2012
Source:
North Carolina State University
Summary:
Imagine being able to control genetic expression by flipping a light switch. Researchers are using light-activated molecules to turn gene expression on and off. Their method enables greater precision when studying gene function, and could lead to targeted therapies for diseases like cancer.
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Imagine being able to control genetic expression by flipping a light switch. Researchers at North Carolina State University are using light-activated molecules to turn gene expression on and off. Their method enables greater precision when studying gene function, and could lead to targeted therapies for diseases like cancer.

Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) are commonly used molecules that can prevent gene transcription by binding to double-stranded DNA. NC State chemist Dr. Alex Deiters wanted to find a way to more precisely control TFOs, and by extension, the transcription of certain genes. So Deiters attached a light-activated "cage" to a TFO. When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, the cage is removed, and the TFO is free to bind with DNA, inhibiting transcription of the gene of interest.

"In the absence of light, transcription activity is 100 percent," says Deiters. "When we turn on the light, we can take it down to about 25 percent, which is a significant reduction in gene expression."

Additionally, Deiters fine-tuned the process by attaching a caged inhibitor strand to the TFO. In the absence of UV light, the TFO behaves normally, binding to DNA and preventing gene expression. However, when exposed to UV light, the caged inhibitor activates and stops the TFO from binding with DNA, turning gene transcription on.

"We've created a tool that allows for the light-activation of genetic transcription," Deiters says. "By giving researchers greater temporal and spatial control over gene expression, we've expanded their ability to study the behavior of particular genes in whichever environment they choose."

The research appears online in ACS Chemical Biology, and was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Deiters worked with NC State graduate students Jeane M. Govan, Rajendra Uprety and James Hemphill and Wake Forest University's Mark O. Lively on the research.


Story Source:

Materials provided by North Carolina State University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Jeane Govan, Rajendra Uprety, James Hemphill, Mark O. Lively, Alexander Deiters. Regulation of Transcription through Light-Activation and Light-Deactivation of Triplex-Forming Oligonucleotides in Mammalian Cells. ACS Chemical Biology, 2012; 120427104811002 DOI: 10.1021/cb300161r

Cite This Page:

North Carolina State University. "Light used to switch on gene expression." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 10 May 2012. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510114107.htm>.
North Carolina State University. (2012, May 10). Light used to switch on gene expression. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510114107.htm
North Carolina State University. "Light used to switch on gene expression." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510114107.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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