Mar 5 2011
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have built a system that will enable them to choose the right molecules that will stop the activity of specified genes.
This development will enable scientists to tap the potential of RNA interference or RNAi, which is a cellular mechanism already being applied to search for cancer genes, or treating viral infections.
The research report was published on February 24 in the online journal Molecular Cell, by scientists at the Lowe and Hannon laboratories, including Professor and HHMI researcher, Stephen Elledge of Harvard Medical School. The researchers created genetic codes for nearly 20,000 shRNAs that are able to shut any of the nine target genes. Each code was next incorporated into a retrovirus designed to transport the target gene or the sensor. A gene was also developed for a fluorescent protein or a marker. This led to a situation where cells created in dishes when infected with genetically created viruses led to both the sensor and the marker being co-manufactured inside individual cells with one shRNA.
ShRNAs that could not create RNAi could also not destroy neither their target genetic RNA nor the marker, causing a protein bright enough to be clearly visible. On the other hand, the RNAi that could destroy the target gene's RNA also destroyed the marker. These cells did not exhibit fluorescence. Only 2.5% of the nine genes were able to stop the activity.
Source: http://www.cshl.edu/