RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a crucial molecule in cellular biology, playing several vital roles in the processes of translating genetic information into proteins. Structurally similar to DNA, RNA is typically single-stranded and contains a ribose sugar, with uracil (U) replacing thymine (T) as one of the nitrogenous bases. RNA serves various functions within the cell, primarily involving the coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes. The three main types of RNA are messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries the genetic blueprint from DNA to the cell’s protein-making sites; ribosomal RNA (rRNA), which forms part of the ribosome and orchestrates protein synthesis; and transfer RNA (tRNA), which helps assemble protein by bringing the appropriate amino acids in line with the mRNA sequence on the ribosome. Additionally, RNA plays a role in gene regulation and has been implicated in various cellular mechanisms including those involved in diseases and the body’s response to infections. The study of RNA has also led to significant biotechnological advances, such as RNA interference and mRNA-based vaccines.
Arc Institute scientists have discovered the bridge recombinase mechanism, a revolutionary tool that enables fully programmable DNA rearrangements. Their finding, detailed in a recent Nature…
By capturing short-lived RNA molecules, scientists can map relationships between genes and the regulatory elements that control them. MIT researchers have innovated a method to…
Researchers discovered that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a surge in a rare autoimmune disease among previously unaffected demographic groups, leading to the deaths…
The Journey From Research Discovery to Impactful New Treatments Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, founded by MIT professors and former postdocs, has developed five FDA-approved RNAi medicines, significantly…
Neuroscientists at FAU have discovered that certain building blocks in nerve cells can last a lifetime. Certain RNA molecules in the nerve cells in the…
The lab of Yongchao C. Ma, PhD, at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago discovered a…
Or Shemesh, Ph.D., a neurobiologist at the University of Pittsburgh, has received a three-year, $400,000 Trailblazer Award from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and…
Salk scientists unveil RNA capabilities that enable Darwinian evolution at a molecular scale, and bring researchers closer to producing autonomous RNA life in the laboratory….
A new MIT-developed method combines Raman spectroscopy with machine learning to noninvasively track gene expression in cells over time. This technique enables detailed study of…
RNA is thought to have sparked the origin of life by self-copying. Researchers from Aarhus University, Denmark, and MRC LMB Cambridge, England, have revealed the…
Researchers at the University of Helsinki have uncovered a mechanism that instantaneously generates DNA palindromes, potentially leading to the creation of new microRNA genes from…
Neurons stochastically generated up to eight different versions of a protein-regulating neurotransmitter release, which could vary how they communicate with other cells. Neurons are talkers….
A research team from Göttingen University leads an investigation into 10 billion RNA snippets to identify “hub genes.” The majority of the Earth’s land surface…
New research finds RNA-guided enzymes called Fanzors are widespread among eukaryotic organisms. A diverse set of species, from snails to algae to amoebas, make programmable…
A collaborative study involving scientists from Osaka University, the University of Tokyo, and the Queensland University of Technology has identified a structure in the circadian…
Genetic information collected from seemingly healthy tissue near lung tumors may be a better predictor of whether cancer will come back after treatment than analysis…
This machine developed at the University of Bonn measures just one ten-thousandth of a millimeter. An international team of scientists headed by the University of…
An international team of scientists has recently developed a novel type of nano engine made of DNA. It is driven by a clever mechanism and…