Investigators discover new cellular genes by the discovery uncharacterized RNA that encode proteins -
Case Western Reserve School of Medicine scientists have made an extraordinary discovery Doubled. First, they identified thousands of long non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) new transcriptions. Second, they learned that some of them defy the conventional wisdom regarding transcripts lncRNA because they really do direct the synthesis of proteins in cells.
Both advances are detailed in the June issue 12 Cell Reports .
Kristian E. Baker, PhD, assistant professor in molecular biology RNA Center, led the team that requested high-throughput analysis of gene expression for these impressive results, which ultimately could lead to treatments for cancer and certain genetic disorders.
"Our work establishes that lncRNAs in yeast may encode proteins, and provide proof that this is probably true in mammals, including humans," said Baker. "Our investigation has broadened our knowledge of the potential of genetic coding of genomes already well characterized."
in collaboration with researchers, including graduate and undergraduate students from Case Western Reserve University, Baker analyzed yeast and mouse cell that serve as model organisms because of their functional similarity to human cells.
Previously lncRNAs were thought to miss information and the ability to encode proteins, distinguishing messenger RNAs that are expressed from genes and known to act mainly as templates for protein synthesis. But this team has shown that a subset of these lncRNAs committed by machinery translation and can operate to produce protein products.
in the future, Baker and his colleagues investigators continue to seek new RNA transcripts and also search function for these lncRNAs and their protein products in cells.
"discovery of several transcripts equivalent to the discovery of new genes and innovative," said Baker. "The importance of this work is that we have found evidence for the expression of genes previously undiscovered. Knowing the genes are expressed is the first step to determine what they do in normal cellular function or in dysfunction and disease. "
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