Drugs that target specific sequences of DNA in the human genome may be close.
Peter Dervan and his colleagues at the California Institute of Technology have
synthesised a molecule that binds to a specific sequence of DNA 16 base pairs
long, the shortest sequence that should be unique in the human genome (
Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol 120, p 3434). He had
previously only been able to block sequences of seven pairs. If the molecules
can inhibit DNA expression, they could be used as drugs, for example to block
the spread of viruses.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
2
Faecal transplant makes the brains of old mice act young again
3
If you aren't terrified by this heatwave, you should be
4
Most portable air conditioners suck 鈥 but there's an easy fix
5
Phages could enable us to hijack vaccine immunity to kill cancer cells
6
Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
7
The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse
8
How menopause radically changes the brain 鈥 and what happens after
9
Our verdict on The Selfish Gene: An unpopular piece of popular science
10
I have a 100 per cent chance of getting cancer due to a rare gene
