The Scripps Research Institute

Peter E Wright

Carlos F Barbas, Iii

Joel M Gottesfeld

Carlos F Iii Barbas

Zinc finger proteins of the Cys His type represent a class of malleable DNA binding proteins which may be selected to bind diverse sequences. Typically, zinc finger proteins containing three zinc finger domains, like the murine transcription factor Zif268 and the human transcription factor Sp1, bind nine contiguous base pairs (bp). To create a class of proteins which would be generally applicable to target unique sites within complex genomes, the present invention provides a polypeptide linker that fuses two three-finger proteins. Two six-fingered proteins were created and demonstrated to bind 18 contiguous bp of DNA in a sequence specific fashion. Expression of these proteins as fusions to activation or repression domains allows transcription to be specifically up or down modulated within cells. Polydactyl zinc finger proteins are broadly applicable as genome-specific transcriptional switches in gene therapy strategies and the development of novel transgenic plants and animals. Such proteins are useful for inhibiting, activating or enhancing gene expression from a zinc finger-nucleotide binding motif containing promoter or other transcriptional control element, as well as a structural gene or RNA sequence.

Zinc finger protein derivatives and methods therefor

The present invention provides zinc finger nucleotide binding polypeptide variants that have at least two zinc finger modules that bind to a target cellular nucleotide sequence and modulate the transcriptional function of the cellular nucleotide sequence. Also provided are methods of use of such zinc finger nucleotide binding polypeptide variants and methods for isolating the same using expression libraries encoding the polypeptide variants containing randomized substitutions of amino acids. Exemplary zinc finger nucleotide binding polypeptide variants of the invention include two cysteines and two histidines whereby both cysteines are amino proximal to both histidines.

Zinc finger proteins of the Cys.sub.2 His.sub.2 type represent a class of malleable DNA binding proteins which may be selected to bind diverse sequences. Typically, zinc finger proteins containing three zinc finger domains, like the murine transcription factor Zif268 and the human transcription factor Sp1, bind nine contiguous base pairs (bp). To create a class of proteins which would be generally applicable to target unique sites within complex genomes, the present invention provides a polypeptide linker that fuses two three-finger proteins. Two six-fingered proteins were created and demonstrated to bind 18 contiguous bp of DNA in a sequence specific fashion. Expression of these proteins as fusions to activation or repression domains allows transcription to be specifically up or down modulated within cells. Polydactyl zinc finger proteins are broadly applicable as genome-specific transcriptional switches in gene therapy strategies and the development of novel transgenic plants and animals. Such proteins are useful for inhibiting, activating or enhancing gene expression from a zinc finger-nucleotide binding motif containing promoter or other transcriptional control element, as well as a structural gene or RNA sequence.

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Peter E Wright