RNA干扰:脑学习和记忆的可能机制

dsRNA介导同源靶基因沉默的RNA干扰 (RNAi)是转录后基因水平沉默的主要作用方式 ,具有普遍的生物学意义。RNAi是dsRNA介导的核酸酶作用于dsRNA(>2 6nt)同源不成熟mR NA的酶解过程 ,mRNA降解为 2 1 2 3nt的dsRNA而使基因表达沉默。RNAi所具有的特性和脑学习和记忆的特征 ,提示RNAi可能是RNA介导的脑记忆移转的潜在机制     

真菌RNA沉默机制研究进展

RNA沉默(RNA silencing)或者RNA干扰(RNA interference)是由dsRNA(double-stranded RNA)介导的序列特异性降解或者抑制与起始dsRNA一样或者高度相似RNA的一种机制,在进化上存在保守性,具有基因调控、防御外源核苷酸入侵的功能。真菌RNA沉默依据sRNA来源不同,分为多种途径,主要有quelling、qiRNA、MSUD。参与不同途径的主要有Argonaute、Dicer、RdRP3种核心蛋白质,并且在不同真菌中数目变化很大,反映出真菌RNA沉默的多样性。有些真菌的RNA沉默在进化的过程中丢失,在抗病毒机制上进化出"互换"的killer系统。     

RNA干扰作用研究进展

RNA干扰 (RNAinterference ,RNAi)是指与内源性mRNA编码区某段序列同源的双链RNA分子 (double strandedRNA ,dsRNA)导入细胞时 ,该mRNA发生特异性的降解 ,导致基因表达的沉默。本文介绍RNAi作用的发现、机制和目前使用的产生RNAi的方法     

基因干预治疗的新星——RNAi

快速发展的RNAi(RNA interference)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dsRNA(double strand RNA,>19bp)进入细胞后,激活细胞内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技术目前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,相信它将成为最有潜力的基因干预治疗方法。     

RNAi技术及其在植物研究中的应用

RNA干扰(RNAinterference,RNAi)是利用双链RNA(dsRNA)特异性地降解相应序列的mRNA,从而特异性地阻断相应基因地表达,且此现象广泛存在于从真菌到植物、无脊椎动物、哺乳动物的各种生物中。介绍了RNA干扰的研究历史、RNA干扰的作用机制及此技术在植物中的应用。     

RNA干涉的分子机制及技术研究进展

RNA干涉(RNA interference,RNAi)现象广泛存在于从真菌到植物、从无脊椎动物到哺乳动物的各种生物中,属于转录后水平的基因沉默(PTGS)。它利用双链RNA(dsRNA)特异性地降解相应序列的mRNA成为siRNA,从而特异性地阻断相应基因的表达,本重点介绍了RNA干涉的分子机制及技术应用等方面的进展,RNA干涉在后基因组时代的基因功能研究和药物开发中将具有广阔的发展前景。     

噬菌体phi29 pRNA载体在RNA干扰中的初步应用研究

RNA干扰是在细胞胞质中双链RNA(dsR-NA)介导的序列特异性mRNA的降解[1]。这个过程是由21~25个被称为小干扰RNA(si RNA)形成的dsRNA完成[2]。目前,这一技术已经广泛应用于研究基因的功能,病毒感染治疗等方面。但是,si RNA在体内容易降解,干扰作用持续的时间不长。新的研究表明枯     

Separation of live cells in different phases of the cell cycle for gene expression analysis

BACKGROUND: Homogeneity of cell populations is a basic requirement for gene expression analyses of the cell cycle, such as those based on microarrays. The most common approach to obtain specific populations is the use of synchronization methods that increase the number of cells representing a certain cell cycle stage. On the one hand, conventional synchronization usually causes undesirable effects. On the other hand, cell separation methods may imply loss of RNA quality, another limiting factor for expression profiling. We describe a new strategy to specifically separate live cells in different phases of the cell cycle (G(1) and G(2)/M) to obtain good quality RNA for gene expression analyses. METHODS: The experimental design included sorting G(1) and G(2)/M cells with the vital fluorochrome Hoechst 33342, followed by RNA isolation from the sorted cells. RESULTS: Sorted living G(1) and G(2)/M cells, analyzed by immunocytochemistry and laser scanning cytometry, showed strong enrichment. The quality and specificity of the isolated RNA were demonstrated by northern blot. CONCLUSIONS: This new approach has many potential applications, such as expression profiling of specific cell populations after eliminating the irrelevant data produced by cells in other stages of the cycle.     

Antiproliferative effects of steric blocking phosphorodiamidate morpholino antisense agents directed against c-myc

The phosphorodiamidate Morpholino oligomers (PMO) are a new class of antisense agents that inhibit gene expression by binding to RNA and sterically blocking processing or translation. In a search for a Morpholino agent that would inhibit cell proliferation, it was found that oligomers directed against c-myc, a gene involved in control of the cell cycle, were effective. The sequence specificity and mechanism of action of one agent were determined. The 20-mer 126 lowers c-myc protein levels in treated cells and arrests cells in G0/G1 of the cell cycle. It also acts at the RNA level to inhibit normal pre-mRNA splicing and instead produces an aberrantly spliced mRNA. Irrelevant and mispair control oligomers indicated that the observed antiproliferative effect was sequence specific. This was confirmed in a reporter gene model system using a c-myc 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) fused to a cDNA copy of the insect luciferase gene. We conclude that 126 is acting through an antisense mechanism involving Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding to its target RNA. A specific antisense agent directed against a cell cycle-associated gene mRNA may be useful as a therapeutic in diseases characterized by excess cell proliferation, such as restenosis following balloon angioplasty or cancer.     

Synthesis of two DNA-dependent RNA polymerases in yeast

Specific activities of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerases I and II were measured in cells growing under different nutrient conditions and throughout the mitotic cell cycle. The specific activity of RNA polymerase I (possibly the ribosomal polymerase) does not vary during the yeast cell cycle. In contrast the specific activity of RNA polymerase II (messenger polymerase) increases during the first third of the cycle and thereafter declines. The independent regulation of synthesis of these two enzymes is further emphasised by observations on the response to different nutrient conditions. Shifting cells from minimal to rich medium led to enhanced RNA polymerase I activity but very little change in activity of RNA polymerase II. Furthermore the activity of RNA polymerase I varies directly with change in growth rate whereas the activity of RNA polymerase II is approximately constant over a range of growth rates. From this data it is suggested: (i) The synthesis of these two enzymes is independently regulated; (ii) RNA polymerase I is synthesised continuously throughout the cycle whereas RNA polymerase II is synthesised periodically early in the cell cycle.