title: New redesigned zinc-finger proteins: design strategy and its application.
abstract: The design of DNA-binding proteins for the specific control of the gene expression is one of the big challenges for several research laboratories in the post-genomic era. An artificial transcription factor with the desired DNA binding specificity could work as a powerful tool and drug to regulate the target gene. The zinc-finger proteins, which typically contain many fingers linked in a tandem fashion, are some of the most intensively studied DNA-binding proteins. In particular, the Cys(2)His(2)-type zinc finger is one of the most common DNA-binding motifs in eukaryotes. A simple mode of DNA recognition by the Cys(2)His(2)-type zinc-finger domain provides an ideal framework for designing proteins with new functions. Our laboratory has utilized several design strategies to create new zinc-finger peptides/proteins by redesigning the Cys(2)His(2)-type zinc-finger motif. This review focuses on the aspects of design strategies, mainly from our recent results, for the creation of artificial zinc-finger proteins, and discusses the possible application of zinc-finger technology for gene regulation and gene therapy.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Doshisha Women's University, Koudo, Kyotanabe-Shi, Japan. snegi@dwc.doshisha.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Negi
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imanishi
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugiura
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins