Method for the identification of synthetic cell- or tissue- specific transcriptional regulatory regions

The invention concerns making and evaluating synthetic regulatory regions for controlling gene expression. The invention features a method for identifying transcription factor binding sites and a method for evaluating the regulatory functions of synthetic regulatory regions.

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We claim:

1. A method of identifying binding sites for transcription factors, comprising the step of:

identifying oligonucleotides in oligonucleotide-protein complexes formed between one or more proteins of a cellular or nuclear extract and any of a plurality of double-stranded oligonucleotide fragments in a mixture of said fragments and saidextract wherein said complexes are separated from free oligonucleotides in said mixture using size exclusion chromatography; and

wherein the presence of a said oligonucleotide in a said complex is indicative that said oligonucleotide comprises a said binding site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said double-stranded oligonucleotide fragments is made by synthesizing a single-stranded oligonucleotide and converting said single-stranded oligonucleotide to a double-stranded oligonucleotide.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said oligonucleotide fragments comprise (i) a central random sequence and (ii) both restriction sites and primer sequences in the 5' and 3' ends of said fragments.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying comprises amplifying and sequencing said oligonucleotides from said oligonucleotide-protein complexes.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said amplifying is performed by polymerase chain reaction.

6. A method for evaluating whether a putative cell- or tissue-specific transcriptional regulatory region is active in cells of a specific cell type or tissue comprising the steps of:

generating a synthetic regulatory region by combination of two or more different transcriptional regulatory elements;

inserting the synthetic regulatory region in a transcriptional regulatory position to a protective gene thereby generating a regulatory region test vector;

introducing the test vector into a plurality of cells of a specific cell type or tissue;

culturing the cells under stress conditions sufficient to inhibit growth of the cells in the absence of high level expression of the protective gene, wherein growth of the cells in the presence of the stress condition is indicative that saidsynthetic regulatory region is active in said cells.

7. A method for evaluating whether a putative cell- or tissue- specific transcriptional regulatory region is active in cells of a specific cell type or tissue comprising the steps of:

generating a synthetic regulatory region by combination of two or more different transcriptional regulatory elements;

inserting the synthetic regulatory region in a transcriptional regulatory position to a positive selection gene thereby generating a regulatory region test vector;

introducing the test vector into a plurality of cells of a specific cell type or tissue;

culturing the cells to allow expression of the positive selection gene;

subjecting the cells to a positive selection condition wherein positive selection will only occur if the synthetic transcriptional regulatory region is sufficiently active in the cells to enable sufficient expression of the positive selectiongene in the specific cell type.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said stress condition is the presence of at least one biochemical agent.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said protective gene is an adenosine deaminase gene.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one biochemical agent is xylofuranosyl-adenine.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein said protective gene is a dihydrofolate reductase gene.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one biochemical agent is methotrexate.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one biochemical agent consists of xylofuranosyl-adenine and deoxycoformycin.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one biochemical agent consists of alanosine, adenosine, and uridine.

15. The method of claims 6 or 7, wherein said synthetic regulatory region comprises a combination or modification of known transcription factor response elements.

16. The method of claims 6 or 7, wherein said synthetic regulatory region comprises one or more binding sites of unknown function.

17. The method of claims 6 or 7, wherein said synthetic regulatory region comprises a combination of at least one known transcription factor response element and at least one binding site of unknown function.

18. The method of claims 6 or 7, wherein said cells are muscle cells.

19. The method of claim 6 or 7 wherein said combination of two or more different transcriptional regulatory elements is a random combination.