nanoDNArepair SIGNED

Project "nanoDNArepair" data sheet

The following table provides information about the project.

 Partnership

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 Project objective

DNA-protein interactions are at the core of the function of every human cell. Single DNA molecule methods have revolutionized our understanding of such interactions. A vast majority of these methods are based on attaching the DNA, at one or both ends, to a bead or a surface. This gives ultimate control of the positioning of the DNA molecules and forces that can be applied to them but makes it difficult to investigate interactions with DNA ends, especially when more than one single DNA molecule is involved. Such interactions are however of fundamental importance, not the least in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), the most serious damage to our genetic material. In nanoDNArepair I will develop and use a method that allows analysis of DNA-protein interactions on large, single DNA molecules for DNA freely suspended in solution. The method is based on entropically trapping and stretching genomic length DNA molecules in nanofluidic channels and using an orthogonal nanoslit to expose the trapped DNA to proteins of interest. In contrast to all existing nanofluidic devices, the novel device allows active addition (or removal) of proteins to (from) the confined DNA and positioning of two or more DNA molecules in close proximity. We will use the device to study the main repair machinery for DSBs, non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). In NHEJ a machinery of proteins finds the broken ends, protects them, holds them close and ligate the break. These steps are difficult to study with traditional single DNA molecule techniques, but perfectly suited for the nanofluidic device. The single molecule analysis can reveal stoichiometry, kinetics and dynamics of these processes, as well as identify important sub-populations, which is crucial for understanding the process. The outcome of the project will, in addition to the device, be improved understanding of genetic diseases, including cancer and strategies for development of novel drugs.