This research program will develop the use of synthetically modified DNA as probes for protein-DNA interactions. Two methods for analysis of the contact regions of protein transcription factors with DNA are being developed by Dr. Verdine. These are template-directed interference (TDI) footprinting and base-specific photoaffinity (BSP) crosslinking. These techniques will be applied to two human transcription factors, NF-Kappa B and NFAT, in order to understand how these factors interact with DNA and regulate gene expression.//
