Artificial transcription factors which mediate double-strand DNA cleavage.

A new family of artificial transcription factor (ATF)-based conjugates have been designed and synthesized as potent chemical nucleases. Polyamides as the important and efficient ATFs were used to modify and activate several anchor compounds. The results demonstrate that the resulting conjugates remarkably promote the rate accelerations and non-random double-strand DNA cleavage activity. Interestingly, the cleavage activity of both the hydrolytic and oxidative agents was promoted efficiently through the modification of the ATFs.