Zinc Finger Database (ZiFDB): a repository for information on C2H2 zinc fingers and engineered zinc-finger arrays

Nucleic Acids Res. 2009 Jan;37(Database issue):D279-83. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkn606. Epub 2008 Sep 23.

Abstract

Zinc fingers are the most abundant DNA-binding motifs encoded by eukaryotic genomes and one of the best understood DNA-recognition domains. Each zinc finger typically binds a 3-nt target sequence, and it is possible to engineer zinc-finger arrays (ZFAs) that recognize extended DNA sequences by linking together individual zinc fingers. Engineered zinc-finger proteins have proven to be valuable tools for gene regulation and genome modification because they target specific sites in a genome. Here we describe ZiFDB (Zinc Finger Database; http://bindr.gdcb.iastate.edu/ZiFDB), a web-accessible resource that compiles information on individual zinc fingers and engineered ZFAs. To enhance its utility, ZiFDB is linked to the output from ZiFiT--a software package that assists biologists in finding sites within target genes for engineering zinc-finger proteins. For many molecular biologists, ZiFDB will be particularly valuable for determining if a given ZFA (or portion thereof) has previously been constructed and whether or not it has the requisite DNA-binding activity for their experiments. ZiFDB will also be a valuable resource for those scientists interested in better understanding how zinc-finger proteins recognize target DNA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Databases, Protein*
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Protein Engineering
  • Transcription Factors / chemistry*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • User-Computer Interface
  • Zinc Fingers*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • DNA