Description:
Princeton University Invention #
09-2521
Researchers in
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Molecular Biology, Princeton University,
have described a new process based on the natural biological
mechanism of RNA-guided DNA recombination as discovered and reported in their
recent publication, Nowacki et al. Nature 2008 January ¹.
The process
describes a general approach to target or program specific DNA or genome
rearrangements in a wide range of cells, based just on knowledge of the desired
rearrangement product or DNA sequence. This process was initially
demonstrated in a single-cell organism, Oxytricha trifallax, but now
further data shows that this method can extend to human cancer cells, which
opens up a wide range of potential applicability. Princeton researchers used a
human pancreatic cancer cell line and tested a DNA rearrangement in a gene
associated with breast cancer to show that the phenomenon may be general for
most cancers. Therefore the method offers a novel mechanism for
programming rearrangements in many organisms and cell types.
Possible applications include gene therapy for specific rearrangements,
such as programming deletion of an unwanted stretch of DNA or repairing
unrearranged DNA. Possible screens for early cancer detection and prevention
could also be developed, based on detecting the presence of certain DNA or RNA
templates in precancerous or cancerous cells.
Princeton is
currently seeking commercial partners for the further development and
commercialization of this opportunity. Patent protection is pending.
References:
¹Nowacki M, Vijayan V, Zhou Y,
Schotanus K, Doak TG, Landweber LF, RNA-Mediated Epigenetic
Programming of a Genome-Rearrangement Pathways ,
Nature, 2008, January 10;451:153-8.
Yao, Meng-Chao, RNA Rules, News &
Views, Nature, 2008, January 10;451:131.
NJN News Science Report January
17th, 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YHVP2xDbS0
For more information on Princeton
University invention # 09-2521 please contact:
Laurie Tzodikov
Office of Technology Licensing and Intellectual Property
Princeton University
4 New South Building
Princeton, NJ 08544-0036
(609) 258-7256
(609) 258-1159 fax
tzodikov@princeton.edu