Ideally, researchers could integrate different genes that perform a variety of functions, including disease defense.
The genetic material introduced by these vectors not only leads to different expression levels, but the inserts also disrupt the original genome.
This resulted in an entirely new microchromosome that contained DNA of interest, as well as elements allowing it to be structurally and mitotically stable, such as telomeric and centromeric sequences.
This is accomplished by truncating the natural chromosome, followed by the introduction of unique genetic material via the Cre-Lox system of recombination.
[8] A 2009 study has shown additional benefits of HACs, namely their ability to stably contain extremely large genomic fragments.
Researchers incorporated the 2.4 Mb dystrophin gene, in which a mutation is a key causal element of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Using 21HAC, researchers were able to insert a herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase coding gene into tumor cells.
By leaving existing telomeric and sub-telomeric sequences, researchers were able to amplify expression levels of genes coding for erythropoietin production over 1000-fold.