SCIENCE AT THE EDGE SEMINAR SERIES

Quantum Biology / Gene Expression in Development and Disease Seminar

Friday, 30 September 2011 at 11:30am

Room 1400 Biomedical and Physical Sciences Bldg.

Refreshments at 11:15

Speaker: Dan Voytas
         Department of Genetics, Cell Biology & Development and
          Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

Title:   Precise Genome Engineering with Sequence-Specific Nucleases

Abstract:

Methods for precisely altering DNA sequences in living cells enable 
detailed functional analysis of genes and genetic pathways. Targeted 
genome modification also has many real-world applications, ranging from 
improving crop plants to treating genetic disorders in people. Our group 
has enabled efficient targeted genome modification through the use of 
sequence-specific nucleases, which are engineered to create chromosome 
breaks in specific target genes of interest.  The cell's DNA repair 
pathways are then harnessed to effect desired sequence modifications at or 
near the break site.  As a founding member of the Zinc Finger Consortium, 
we have worked collaboratively to develop efficient methods for the design 
of zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) that recognize unique genomic targets with 
high specificity and affinity.  Using our ZFNs, we have demonstrated 
targeted gene modification in plants (tobacco) at frequencies exceeding 
10% of transformed cells.  We have also created targeted gene knockouts in 
Arabidopsis and soybean, thereby enabling the recovery of plants with 
mutations in genes of interest. More recently, we have worked 
collaboratively to develop methods to engineer the DNA binding domain of 
Transcription Activator-Like (TAL) effectors.  When fused to FokI 
nuclease, the TAL effector DNA binding domain creates chromosomal breaks 
at specific DNA sites.  Reagents and protocols for the rapid assembly and 
testing of custom TAL Effector Nucleases (TALENs) have been developed, and 
we and others have used TALENs to create mutations in human, Drosophila, 
C. elegans, zebrafish and Arabidopsis genes.