Merck's Free Radical Oct 24, 2008
1 billion in cash to buy tiny Sirna Therapeutics, a leader in a field called RNA silencing, which uses small molecules to shut off genes. These molecules can't be used as drugs because the body destroys them. (Forbes -- Business)
EMBO reports Aug 29, 2008
Many plant viruses have evolved proteins to inhibit host RNA silencing. In this report, Chen and colleagues characterize the three-dimensional structure of TAV2b from Tomato aspermyvirus in complex with a siRNA duplex. (Nature News Service)
Plant Biologists Discover Unexpected Proteins Affecting Small RNAs May 21, 2008
Discovered a decade ago, numerous studies show that small RNAs put the brakes on the mRNA-to-protein step, by latching onto mRNA and blocking its translation into protein or causing its destruction, a phenomenon called RNA silencing ... Ecker thinks this type of mRNA silencing is not an aberration of ein5/abh1 mutant plants ... "What we learn about RNA silencing pathways in plants could be applied to cancer chemotherapy," Gregory explained. (Science Daily)
Penn researchers discover 'modus operandi' of heart muscle protein Apr 11, 2008
When Lmod was knocked down in cardiac muscle cells by an RNA silencing technique, the sarcomeres became completely disorganized and could not direct muscles to contract. Proper localization of Lmod in heart cells is critical, because even moderately elevated levels promote the formation of abnormal actin bundles in the nuclei of cardiac muscle cells where actin does not belong. (EurekAlert!)
RNA Shown To Silence Cancer Suppressor Gene Jan 16, 2008
This is the first time we ve seen an antisense RNA silencing a tumor suppressor through the means of epigenetic changes, says Hengmi Cui, Ph. D., assistant professor of molecular medicine at Hopkins. (Science Daily)
Beet research sees no beauty in disease Apr 6, 2007
And if that isn't enough, others on the scientific team are trying to enhance the lowly beet's disease resistance through the technique known as RNA silencing. Even something called "multidimensional liquid chromatography" is being investigated in the hope it will pinpoint the difference among individual proteins produced in the roots of resistant and susceptible beets when they are exposed to the rhizomania virus. (Hanford Sentinal, CA)
