by Weill Cornell Medicine –
he SCOPE system can capture proteins binding to regions of DNA that control gene expression. The illustration depicts part of the process where a small guide RNA delivers a protein bearing a special amino acid to the desired region. Exposure to UV light then crosslinks the amino acid to nearby proteins. Credit: Dr. Jiajun Zhu
A new tool greatly improves scientists’ ability to identify and study proteins that regulate gene activity in cells, according to research led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The technology should enable and enhance investigations in both fundamental biology and disease research.
The activity of a gene is often regulated—switched on, sped up, slowed down, switched off—by one or more proteins that bind to DNA to exert their effect. However, identifying these DNA-binding proteins has been challenging due to the lack of a precise method. In their study, reported Sept. 29 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers developed a molecular tool that can be targeted to virtually any spot on the genome to capture any protein that lies nearby, allowing the protein’s identification. The team demonstrated the power of their new tool by using it to discover new protein regulators of human stem cell-related genes.
