RNA Dynamics Deconstructed: Finding Causes To Problems With Cell Function

Understanding the dynamics of RNA is critical for understanding the message encoded by DNA. Researchers at the Broad have developed an approach that offers many facets that look into the life cycle of RNA molecules and cells that are affected by errors caused by these molecules. RNA is essential for the instructions of proteins from DNA. The recent approach offers high-resolution images and a comprehensive scope. 

"People are discovering more and more how the RNA lifecycle is at the heart of problems we see in disease, but we actually understand a lot less about it than we understand about many other cellular processes," said Aviv Regev, a core faculty member of the Broad Institute and a co-senior author on the paper. These findings were published to Nature Biotechnology Journal  24-April-2011.

     Essentially what is being done is using a  technique that traces the fate of newly produced RNA and paired it with a new sequencing-based technology that counts molecules of mRNA. The results also gave the researchers a view of some of the in-between steps when the mRNA is edited or processed. Then what they do is take a snapshot of the RNA in different lifecycle and intermediate phases and strung them together to get basically a time lapsed image of the RNA lifecycle. This allows scientist to break down the RNA based on those images and find problems, if any, that cause mutations and also how RNA works with otherRNA molecules.

    In my opinion being able to take something apart and put it back together is the best way to understand what it is that your working with, molecules are no exception. As we better understand important molecules and their mechanisms can lead to the discovery and treatment or prevention of diseases and conditions that previously were not understood and only looked at as a whole are gradually evolving into a better understanding by