Site-selective scission of human genome using PNA-based artificial restriction DNA cutter.

Site-selective scission of genomes is quite important for future biotechnology. However, naturally occurring restriction enzymes cut these huge DNAs at too many sites and cannot be used for this purpose. Recently, we have developed a completely chemistry-based artificial restriction DNA cutter (ARCUT) by combining a pair of pseudo-complementary PNA (pcPNA) strands (sequence recognition moiety) and Ce(IV)/EDTA complex (molecular scissors). The scission site of ARCUT and its scission specificity can be freely modulated in terms of the sequences and lengths of the pcPNA strands so that even huge genomes can be selectively cut at only one predetermined site. In this chapter, the method of site-selective scission of human genomic DNA using ARCUT is described in detail.