If scientists could precisely regulate gene expression, they could turn off the genes responsible for illness and disease and turn on those that enhance health and the immune system.
The team has developed a powerful and versatile tool that achieves gene activation thousands of times better than nature.
"All we did was make an RNA switch that turns a gene on," said the senior author. "But what really makes it awesome is that it's really, really, really good."
Using a computational design approach, they created the switch by molecularly programming an RNA molecule called Small Transcription Activating RNA, or STAR that the group had previously discovered. They then use an algorithm to optimize the STAR for specific applications. An outside company uses the algorithm's results to construct a physical piece of RNA, which the researchers then use in experiments. The research is published in the journal Nature Communications.
Senior author likens STARs to a light switch. Continuing the analogy, the RNA switches found in nature are unable to turn the "lights" fully on or off. Often times the room is consistently dim instead of completely dark or brilliantly light. But researchers have desired to have a tighter control of the system. The STAR can turn on the light -- or activate a gene -- 9,000 times brighter than without the STAR present, providing the completely dark or light room that researchers have lacked.
"If you study a system to explore what a gene does, you want to know what it does when it's completely on or off," senior author explains. "Not when the gene is there or halfway there. That's much harder to disentangle."
That's particularly true for diagnostic applications, which the senior author plans to pursue next with the new tool. Because RNA excels at detecting other strands of RNA, STARs could be useful in diagnosing RNA viruses. To do this, the switch could be engineered to turn on in the presence of one of these viruses.
http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/news/articles/2017/10/creating-a-better-rna-switch.html
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-01082-6
Latest News
Human skeletal muscle aging…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Disruption of organellar co…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Functional heterogeneity of…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Gut bacteria produced compo…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Role of ECM in brain memory
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Other Top Stories
Patience pays off
Read more
Oligodendrocyte development is impacted by common household chemicals
Read more
CLIMBING FIBRES AS TEACHING SIGNALS FOR ASSOCIATIVE CEREBELLAR LEAR…
Read more
How the brain's arousal center also helps control visual attention
Read more
Sub-cortical connections critical to human consciousness identified!
Read more
Protocols
Mime-seq 2.0: a method to s…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Improved detection of DNA r…
By newseditor
Posted 09 May
Single-cell adhesive profil…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Parasympathetic neurons der…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Non-invasive measurements o…
By newseditor
Posted 05 May
Publications
Human skeletal muscle aging…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Accumulation of APP C-termi…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Pharmacological induction o…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
The Effect of Glycine and N…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Diindoles produced from com…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar