Sigma launches CompoZr ZFN for entire human genome
CompoZr ZFN technology can knockout any human gene in weeks
Sigma Life Science, the biological products and services research business of Sigma-Aldrich, has released its CompoZr Knockout Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs) technology to knockout any gene in the human genome.
The technology can generate permanent and heritable gene knockouts in human cell lines within weeks, the US company said.
Few laboratories create gene knockouts in human cell lines currently because of the inefficiencies of the natural cellular homologous recombination system and the investment of time and labour required to screen the resulting cells. In contrast, research has shown that CompoZr ZFNs efficiently generate human cell lines with precise and stable gene knockouts in matter of weeks.1
‘Sigma Life Science has worked diligently to develop predesigned CompoZr Knockout ZFNs for each gene in the human genome to make this ground-breaking technology more readily available to the research community,’ said David Smoller, chief scientific officer of Sigma Life Science. ‘Researchers can select a ZFN from our library and swiftly knockout their target gene in any human cell line.’
Sigma has designed CompoZr ZFNs that will produce a knockout in each gene by inducing a double-strand break at a defined site within the gene’s first three exons. This double strand break stimulates the cell's natural DNA repair pathways, resulting in a permanent, site-specific deletion or mutation that disrupts the gene’s function.
1. www.sigmaaldrich.com/life-science/zinc-finger-nuclease-technology/zfn-references.html