Human Artificial Chromosomes and Their Transfer to Target Cells

S V Ponomartsev; S A Sinenko; A N Tomilin

doi:10.32607/actanaturae.11670

Human Artificial Chromosomes and Their Transfer to Target Cells

Acta Naturae. 2022 Jul-Sep;14(3):35-45. doi: 10.32607/actanaturae.11670.

Authors

S V Ponomartsev¹, S A Sinenko¹, A N Tomilin^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Cytology Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, 194064 Russia.
² Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, 199034 Russia.

Abstract

Human artificial chromosomes (HACs) have been developed as genetic vectors with the capacity to carry large transgenic constructs or entire gene loci. HACs represent either truncated native chromosomes or de novo synthesized genetic constructs. The important features of HACs are their ultra-high capacity and ability to self-maintain as independent genetic elements, without integrating into host chromosomes. In this review, we discuss the development and construction methods, structural and functional features, as well as the areas of application of the main HAC types. Also, we address one of the most technically challenging and time-consuming steps in this technology - the transfer of HACs from donor to recipient cells.

Keywords: human artificial chromosomes; microcell-mediated chromosome transfer; tetracycline operator; transformation-associated recombination.