Recently, a study published in Nature Methods concluded that ,the zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) modifying the target genome can penetrate the cell membrane in the form of protein, which will make ZFN delivery process easier and more secure.

Designed Nuclhease suc as ZFN, can make multiple types of genome produce specific changes, which help to support researches and gene therapy. Nuclease is also delivered into the cell in the form of DNA or RNA, and then produce a functional protein.

Carlos Barbas reported that they observed in several mammalian cells and found ZFN proteins penetrate the cell membrane. When ZFN protein inside the cell reaches a high enough concentration, it will produce a specific genomic changes, which effect is similar to that ZFN is delivered in DNA form. Previously ,people thought that only a small portion of protein and peptide involved in the cell membrane permeation, but now must take ZFN into account.

Compoaired with ZFN delivery in DNA form, the ZFN-protein exists in the target cells for only a short period ,and off-target effects on changes in the genome is much lower. Protein delivery can avoid the risk of virus insertion mutation in the delivery process, and the cell poisoning risk produced when cells response to exogenous DNA.

 

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