RNA干扰(RNAi)文库研究进展

RNAi是由双链RNA(dsRNA)引发的转录后基因沉默现象,由dsRNA产生的小分子siRNA会导致生物体内同源转录产物特异性降解,是基因表达调控的重要方式之一。目前RNAi技术已发展成为遗传分析强有力的工具,在基因功能分析鉴定方面发挥越来越大的作用。构建大规模的RNAi文库进而转变成RNAi突变体库是功能基因组学研究的重要手段,因此如何利用简单经济的方法构建特定物种的高效RNAi文库就成为关键问题。综述了目前构建RNAi文库的不同方法以及每种构建方法的优点和存在的不足,为不同研究目的的RNAi文库的构建提供参考。     

RNA干扰文库及其在功能基因组学研究中的应用

随着人类基因组大规模测序的完成,下一步的挑战是了解每一个基因的功能 . RNA 干扰文库为大规模基因功能筛选提供了可能 . 虽然用于线虫等模式生物的 RNAi 文库,已经证明是大规模基因功能筛选的有效方法,但这些文库不能用于高等动物的细胞 . 自 2003 年以来,用于人的细胞和哺乳动物细胞的 RNAi 文库取得了突破,相继出现构建已知基因 RNAi 文库和构建随机 RNAi 文库的报道,并成功地应用于大规模基因功能的筛选 . RNAi 文库作为一种简单、高效、大规模、高通量的功能基因组学研究的工具,将在基因功能研究、发现新的药物靶基因、发现疾病相关基因等方面有广阔的应用前景 .     

盐芥（Arabidopsi salsuginea）cDNA文库的随机测序

实验以盐生植物盐芥为材料,提取经盐处理的盐芥总RNA,分离mRNA后,构建cDNA文库。从cDNA文库中随机挑取克隆进行测序。结果共测得53个表达序列标记（EST）,有37个EST（69．8％）,与拟南芥的基因在多肽水平上有较高同源性;21个EST（39．6％）的功能未知。     

人工 microRNA 技术研究进展

RNA干扰（RNAi）是由双链RNA触发的在mRNA水平进行的特异靶序列的基因沉默现象,广泛存在于动物、植物和病毒中,主要包括小干扰RNA（siRNA）及微小RNA（miRNA）两种作用途径。人工miRNA（amiRNA）是将天然miRNA的成熟序列替换成人工设计的靶向其他感兴趣基因的反义序列,通过天然miRNA的生成和作用途径达到RNAi的效果,具有干扰效果明显、作用迅速、毒性低等优点,拥有广阔的应用前景。我们对基于amiRNA的基因沉默技术进行了较为系统的介绍和总结,梳理了该技术的优缺点和适用范围,并展望了其进一步发展的方向和应用前景。     

RNAi在药物研究中的应用

RNA干扰是双链RNA分子在mRNA水平上诱发的序列特异性的转录后基因表达沉默。在哺乳动物细胞里,RNAi可以由21-25个核苷酸长度的小干扰RNA（siRNA）触发,在后基因组时代的基因功能研究和药物开发中具有广阔的应用前景。现针对近年RNAi在药物研究中的应用包括应用RNAi发现新药靶、辅助确认药靶、RNAi药物、RNAi与耐药性等方面作一综述。     

肝脏去唾液酸糖蛋白受体特异性RNA适配子的SELEX筛选与鉴定

目的获得能够特异性高亲和力结合肝脏特异性去唾液酸糖蛋白受体（asialoglycoprotein receptor,ASGPR）的RNA适配子,为开发诊断和治疗肝脏疾病的靶向性试剂和药物奠定基础。方法合成一个长度为115nt含有25个随机序列的单链DNA随机文库,通过体外转录构建出单链RNA适配子随机文库,以肝脏ASGPR大亚基为靶蛋白,采用SELEX（systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment）技术筛选具有高亲和力的AsGPR特异性RNA适配子;通过膜结合测定实验、凝胶阻滞实验鉴定筛选适配子对靶蛋白的特异性和亲和力。结果经过12轮筛选获得了具有高亲和力的肝脏ASGPR特异性RNA适配子。结论成功地筛选出了具有离亲和力的肝脏ASGPR特异性RNA适配子库。     

基因干预治疗的新星-RNAi

第四军医大学王立峰、李莹、刘新平、药立波科研工作者快速发展了RNAi（RNA in terference）技术,为选择性抑制特异性基因的表达提供了有利的工具。RNAi是外源的ds RNA（double strand RNA,〉19bp）进入细胞后,激活细胞内的自然存在的加工活性,引起对侵入的外源dsRNA及具有同源序列的单链RNA降解（包括内源性的mRNA）的现象。RNAi技术目的多作为基因功能研究的有利工具,随着RNAi分子机制研究的不断深入,它将成为最有潜力的基因干预治疗方法。     

Branched, tripartite-interfering RNAs silence multiple target genes with long guide strands

Structural modifications could provide classical small interfering RNA (siRNA) structure with several advantages, including reduced off-target effects and increased silencing activity. Thus, RNA interference (RNAi)-triggering molecules with diverse structural modifications have been investigated by introducing variations on duplex length and overhang structure. However, most of siRNA structural variants are based on the linear duplex structure. In this study, we introduce a branched, non-linear tripartite-interfering RNA (tiRNA) structure that could induce silencing of multiple target genes. Surprisingly, the gene silencing by tiRNA structure does not require Dicer-mediated processing into smaller RNA units, and the 38-nt-long guide strands can trigger specific gene silencing through the RNAi machinery in mammalian cells. tiRNA also shows improved gene silencing potency over the classical siRNA structure when complexed with cationic delivery vehicles due to the enhanced intracellular delivery. These results demonstrate that tiRNA is a novel RNA nanostructure for executing multi-target gene silencing with increased potency, which could be utilized as a structural platform to develop efficient anticancer or antiviral RNAi therapeutics.     

Glycolysis modulates trypanosome glycoprotein expression as revealed by an RNAi library

RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool for identifying gene function in Trypanosoma brucei. We generated an RNAi library, the first of its kind in any organism, by ligation of genomic fragments into the vector pZJMbeta. After transfection at approximately 5-fold genome coverage, trypanosomes were induced to express double-stranded RNA and screened for reduced con canavalin A (conA) binding. Since this lectin binds the surface glycoprotein EP-procyclin, we predicted that cells would lose affinity to conA if RNAi silenced genes affecting EP-procyclin expression or modification. We found a cell line in which RNAi switches expression from glycosylated EP-procyclins to the unglycosylated GPEET-procyclin. This switch results from silencing a hexokinase gene. The relationship between procyclin expression and glycolysis was supported by silencing other genes in the glycolytic pathway, and confirmed by observation of a similar upregulation of GPEET- procyclin when parental cells were grown in medium depleted of glucose. These data suggest that T.brucei 'senses' changes in glucose level and modulates procyclin expression accordingly.     

RNA干涉在纤毛虫中的研究进展

RNA干涉是dsRNA介导的基因沉默现象,本文简要介绍了其作用的机制和生物学意义,重点阐述了RNA干涉在原生动物纤毛虫中的发现与应用,比较了RNA干涉与纤毛虫大核基因组重排机理的异同,并对RNA干涉在纤毛虫中传输的技术途径-RNAi喂饲法的原理也做了详细的介绍。     

Polycomb, pairing and PIWI--RNA silencing and nuclear interactions

In Drosophila, the RNA interference (RNAi) genes participate in Polycomb (Pc)-mediated transgene silencing. Recently, the involvement of the RNAi genes in Pc silencing, pairing-sensitive silencing and long-range contacts among Pc-associated sequences has been explored. These Pc-associated sequences are involved with the control of the proper expression of developmental HOX genes.