Design of novel artificial transcription factors for the regulation of escherichia coli gene expression

Abstract

The design of artificial transcription factors represents a powerful tool in biotechnology and functional genomics. We have engineered initial artificial transcription factors using zinc-finger proteins fused to CRP able to regulate the expression of genes in Escherichia coli. As our artificial transcription factors were introduced into E. coli, they could recognize the target site specifically and regulate gene expression efficiently. We also demonstrate more effective regulation of artificial transcription factors using truncated CRPs in which were deleted parts of the C-terminal DNA-binding domain. And these artificial transcription factors could regulate gene expression efficiently regardless of activity of ordinary transcription factor.