Transposase and method of gene modification
A transposase encoded by the Tol2 element; a polynucleotide encoding the same; a method of modifying the gene structure of a cell (preferably a vertebrate cell) by using the above protein; a method of modifying the function of a cell by modifying the gene structure thereof; and a cell having been modified in function by these methods. Also the structure of a cis element necessary in gene transfer is clarified and presented.
1. A method for modifying a genome structure of a cell, the method comprising a) introducing a nucleic acid encoding a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and a polynucleotide sequence comprising an exogenous nucleic acid and a cis-element of Oryzias Latipes Tol2 element into the cell; b) producing the protein in the cell; and c) modifying the genome structure by the insertion of the exogenous nucleic acid into the genome.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding the protein is mRNA.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cell is a vertebrate cell.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the exogenous nucleic acid and the cis-element of Oryzias Latipes Tol2 element are contained in a plasmid.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding the protein and the polynucleotide sequence of step a) are separately introduced into the cell.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding the protein and the polynucleotide sequence of step a) are simultaneously introduced into the cell.