Rewiring genetic switches

Manchester researchers have succeeded for the first time ever in rewiring genetic switches, which could be a vital tool for the development of new drugs and even future types of gene therapy 

A team of researchers from the School of Chemistry and the Interdisciplinary Biocenter at the University of Manchester found a way to control the factors called "riboswitches" The entry in Wikipedia) and thereby direct the activity of the genes in the cell.

The researchers, led by Professor of Chemical Biology Jason Micklefield, worked with bacterial cells and were able to rewire these genetic switches so that they would no longer be turned on by the natural small ferrets found in the cell, but only by the addition of other synthetic ferrets.

This study was born following the recent discovery that these natural furrows turn genes off and on by activating multi-switches found in larger furrows, known as RNA. delivery person.

In the new study, when the scientists added synthetic furrows they bound to these special switches and caused the corresponding genes to be activated. The research findings were recently published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The researchers monitored the success of the rewiring of the cells by watching the reception of a gene product that causes the cells to glow green. Says one of the researchers: "The ability to selectively control and regulate the activity of genes could have a tremendous impact on drug development and the advancement of the very developing field of synthetic biology.

"This technology could be used to activate or deactivate important biological pathways and processes, while gaining a deeper understanding of how the cells in the body work. "Our next big challenge will be to apply the method to examine biological processes inside human cells. This will allow us to understand and know more about our complex biological identity."

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