DNA BINDING PROTEINS FOR DISPLACING ENDOGENOUS TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS BOUND TO GENE REGULATORY REGIONS

摘要

The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for modulating expression of a target gene in a cell by reducing binding of an endogenous transcription factor to a regulatory sequence of the target gene. The method includes introducing into the cell a DNA binding polypeptide (DBF) that binds a sequence in regulatory region of a target gene bound by a transcription factor (TF), thereby displacing the TF and modulating expression of the target gene. The DBF may be designed to bind a sequence comprising the binding site for the TF and additional nucleotides present on one or both sides of the sequence. Accordingly, the DBF specifically binds to binding site for the TF in the target gene but not in other genes that are also regulated by binding of the TF but do not include the nucleotides present on one or both sides of the sequence.