NanoScript: A Versatile Nanoparticle-Based Synthetic Transcription Factor for Innovative Gene Manipulation

Methods Mol Biol. 2017:1570:239-249. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6840-4_16.

Abstract

Cellular reprogramming and stem cell-based therapies have shown tremendous potential in the field of regenerative medicine. To that end, developing tools to control stem cell fate is an attractive area of research for replacing damaged and diseased cells and reestablishing functional connections for tissue repair. Transcription factor (TFs) proteins are well known to regulate gene expression and direct stem cell fate. Inspired by natural TFs, NanoScript, a nanoparticle (NP)-based platform, mimics TFs to afford control over gene expression and stem cell fate for regenerative medicine. Here, we describe the construction of the NanoScript platform, which is designed with tunable properties to replicate the structure and function of TFs to bind to specific portions of the genome and regulate gene expression in a way that does not involve viral delivery.

Keywords: Gene manipulation; Gene regulation; NanoScript; Nanoparticle; Nonviral delivery; Transcription factor.

MeSH terms

  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / chemistry
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Gene Transfer Techniques
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles
  • Nanoparticles* / chemistry
  • Nanoparticles* / ultrastructure
  • Neural Stem Cells / cytology
  • Neural Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Nylons / chemistry
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • Transcription Factors* / chemistry
  • Transcription Factors* / metabolism

Substances

  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides
  • Nylons
  • Transcription Factors
  • Gold