Gold
Na**particles Coupled with Synthetic DNA
Tails Pinpoint Disease Causing Gene Splice Variants
mRNA splicing is an essential mechanism of
Gene regulation, but mistakes in the process can cause a number of different diseases. Yet, there aren’t any tools readily available that can provide information about the splice variants that exist inside living cells that are markers for cancer and other conditions. Researchers at Purdue University are **w using
Gold Na**particles with Synthetic DNA
Tails to detect and measure specific mRNA sequences in live cells.
[IMG]http://cdn.medgadget.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/gold-na**particles-cancer.jpg[/IMG]A single
Gold na**particle, or mo**mer, appears green when illuminated (top left), while a pair of
Gold Na**particles bound to an mRNA splice variant, or dimer, appears reddish (top right). Mo**mers and dimers also scatter light differently, as shown in the graph above. (Purdue University image / Joseph Irudayaraj)
In an article published in*
Nature Na**tech**logy, the team describes how they used the new complexes to grab onto*
BRCA1*messenger RNA splice variants that are indicative of breast cancer. Because the
Gold Na**particles scatter light differently depending on whether they have a splice variant attached to them, measuring the wavelength of the returning light signal indicates whether the targeted splice variants are present.
From the study abstract:
The probes are made from Gold Na**particles functionalized with oligonucleotides and can hybridize to specific mRNA sequences, forming na**particle dimers that exhibit distinct spectral shifts due to plasmonic coupling. with this approach, we show that the spatial and temporal distribution of three selected splice variants of the breast cancer susceptibility gene,*BRCA1, can be monitored at single-copy resolution by measuring the hybridization dynamics of the na**plasmonic dimers. Our study provides insights into RNA and its transport in living cells, which could improve our understanding of cellular protein complexes, pharmacoge**mics, genetic diag**sis and Gene therapies.
Study in
Nature Na**tech**logy:
Quantitative imaging of single mRNA splice variants in living cells…
Press release:
Gold na**particles help target, quantify breast cancer gene segments in a living cell…
