Work

Genetically Encoded Light-Activated Transcription for Spatiotemporal Control of Gene Expression and Gene Silencing in Mammalian Cells

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: Photocaging provides a method to spatially and temporally control biological function and gene expression with high resolution. Proteins can be photochemically controlled through the site-specific installation of caging groups on amino acid side chains that are essential for protein function. The photocaging of a synthetic gene network using unnatural amino acid mutagenesis in mammalian cells was demonstrated with an engineered bacteriophage RNA polymerase. A caged T7 RNA polymerase was expressed in cells with an expanded genetic code and used in the photochemical activation of genes under control of an orthogonal T7 promoter, demonstrating tight spatial and temporal control. The synthetic gene expression system was validated with two reporter genes (luciferase and EGFP) and applied to the light-triggered transcription of short hairpin RNA constructs for the induction of RNA interference.

Source: Journal of the American Chemical Society

DOI: 10.1021/ja4051026

Authors: James Hemphill, Chungjung Chou, Jason W. Chin, Alexander Deiters

Institutions: North Carolina State University, University of Pittsburgh, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Medical Research Council

Language: English

Topic: RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W2331486389

FWCI: 5.109

Cites: 63

Cited by: 100

Related to: 10