RNA-basierte Regulation der Genexpression: künstliche Genschalter

Abstract

RNA-based gene control mechanisms pose an elegant and straightforward way to switch on, off, or fine-tune transgene expression without the need for expressing regulatory proteins. A small molecule effector binds directly to a ligand-binding aptamer RNA structure and thereby modulates expression of an associated target gene. We established genetic switches based on regulation of self-cleaving ribozymes and polyadenylation that allow for control of transgene expression in bacteria, yeast, human cell lines and Caenorhabditis elegans in a robust and dose-dependent manner.