A DNA NICKING ENZYME FROM A HOMING ENDONUCLEASE THAT STIMULATES SITE-SPECIFIC GENE CONVERSION

摘要

An engineered highly specific DNA-cleavage enzyme delivers a site-specific nick in a double stranded DNA, to cleave one DNA strand within its target site while leaving the opposing DNA strand intact. The engineered enzyme provides the ability to induce a gene conversion event in a mammalian cell. An engineered sequence-specific nickase derived from a LAGLIDADG homing endonuclease is altered by a single amino acid residue, wherein the amino acid residue is involved in the polarization of solvent molecules and acid-base catalysis in the active site without affecting direct contacts between the enzyme and either the bound DNA or bound metal ions. Engineered, site-specific nickase variants, such as of I-AniI and other homing endonucleases, are particularly useful in targeted genome engineering as well as therapeutic, targeted gene repair.