Mount Sinai researchers have developed a new gene silencing technology
that could be used to target genes that can lead to the development of
certain diseases. This technology could pave the way for preventing
diseases where gene dysfunction plays a role.

"By being able to silence
certain genes, we may be able to suppress genes that can cause diseases
such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, inflammation and diseases of the central and
peripheral nervous systems. We now know we can focus on these genes and
potentially change the ultimate course of many diseases that have a
major impact on people's lives," says Dr. Zhou.



In the study, Dr. Zhou, Shiraz Mujtaba, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
of Structural and Chemical Biology at Mount Sinai and their colleagues
discovered that Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus uses a viral
protein to modify host DNA packing chromatin and switch host
transcription machinery for viral replication. Based on this finding,
researchers were able to develop a new gene targeting technology that
effectively suppresses transcriptional expression of targeted genes in
human cells, including genes that are linked to the onset of a number
of diseases.