Induction of dna strand breaks at chromatin targets
AssigneeNzumbe, Inc.
InventorsMichael Rodney Rountree, James M. Stafford
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Abstract
One aspect of this disclosure relates to a composition of matter. The composition of matter comprises a nucleotide construct encoding a peptide. The peptide includes at least a targeting domain configured to bind to chromatin having a pattern of reduced epigenetic repression, and a DNA strand break inducing domain. When accumulated through binding at chromatin sites, the strand break inducing domain may cause specific, double-strand breaks to the DNA, inducing cell death in cells exhibiting the pattern of reduced epigenetic repression.
Claims7
A method for treating a mammalian cell having reduced epigenetic repression, comprising:
- generating a peptide including a targeting domain configured to bind to chromatin having a pattern of reduced epigenetic repression coupled to a DNA strand break inducing domain;
- directing a therapeutic dose of the generated peptide to a nucleus of the cell;
- generating double-strand breaks in DNA of the nucleus by bringing the DNA strand break inducing domain within proximity of the DNA of the nucleus by binding the targeting domain to chromatin of the nucleus;
- and
- triggering apoptosis of the cell through accumulation of a threshold number of double-strand breaks in the DNA of the nucleus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.