Significances of RNA Interference (RNAi) for Fundamental Research

 

Blog Category: Academic and Research 

Blog Written by 


Pawan Kumar*and Dr Shiv Om Pratap 

B.Sc. BT, Final Year, Institute of Sciences, SAGE University, Indore 

Associate Professor, Institute of Sciences, SAGE University, Indore 

Introduction:

The unexpected gene expression from the viruses, found due the introgression of foreign nucleic acid in the host followed by the synthesis of disease-causing m-RNA or the origin of unexpected trait. Molecular switch off of such targeted disease-causing mRNA by artificially synthesized m-RNA further for inhibiting unwanted metabolic pathways has attracted the higher researches, significantly.  For example, delaying of fruit ripening, inhibition of viral diseases, cancer treatment, disease resistant crops, restoration of altered metabolic pathways etc. This isn't a science fiction which is a very specific and versatile tools and real cutting-edge Biotechnological innovations for Health Care System and efficient management of Agricultural crops for attaining more financials by avoiding fruit spoilages due to extended travelling timings. The RNAi was discovered in the late 1990s, having an enormous potential for addressing various challenges of humanity like curing debilitating diseases and ensuring global food security without harmful chemicals use.  

RNA interference, or RNAi, is a natural process within a cell for various delayed metabolic pathways as per requirement but can also be established artificially for inhibiting targeted metabolic pathways for evading unwanted traits. Recent advances are widely being adopted by researchers, manufacturing Industrias for various purposes.  

What is RNAi?

RNAi is a biological process where artificially synthesized mRNA molecules suppress the targeted specific mRNA molecules causing unexpected protein synthesis to cause the synthesis of unwanted symptoms.  Every cell consists gene expression for producing desired traits as per the need of plants and animals. Such genetic informations are first transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) followed by the protein synthesis mechanism further. Catalytic proteins, mediate various metabolic pathways in the cell. RNAi works by interfering the processing of mRNA to stop the gene expression further. Small, double-stranded RNA molecules, known as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), are primarily the key factor for such inhibitory pathways. When these small RNAs bind to a complementary target mRNA sequence, they can either trigger the degradation of the mRNA or block its translation further into a protein. This efficient "silence" of targeted genes, preventing the problematic protein synthesis further.

Mechanism of RNAi:

1.    Transfer of ds RNA or ssRNA in to targeted host cell

2.     Catalytic enzyme Dicer digested the introduced dsRNA or SSRNA in to short stretches generally known as siRNAs. 

3.     RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) has synthesized in the host cell  

4.   RISC complex has inculcated on the host’s mRNA molecules, found responsible for the synthesis of targeted protein or enzyme in host cell

5.   The complex of RISC- complimentary RNA degraded to desired mRNA molecule  or blocked the further protein synthesizing pathway  

 Significances of RNAi Technology:

RNAi techniques play an important role by inhibiting the gene expression pathways for not synthesizing targeted proteins or catalytic enzymes of viruses or undesired traits which opened lot many opportunities for inhibiting the targeted pathways. Recently, it is widely adopting various fundamental researches like as; gene knockout, silencing of a specific gene for the study of specific functions, as a strong therapeutic agent to overcoming of various diseases through gene silencing, delayed repining of fruits, producing disease-resistant crops varieties etc. This pivotal system revolutionized through the advances of genetics, genetic engineering, genome sequencing, genomics and proteomics, Bio-informatics etc for the Human welfare. 

RNAi based Medicines: A New Era of Therapeutics:

The competences of gene inhibition, promised the vast opportunities for saving Humanity through better and effective Health care system in respect of more efficient medicines against Cancer, Immunodeficiencies, genetic disorders, viral diseases, metabolic disorders etc. Lot of higher studies are underway and promising outcome definitely gave a new hope for saving Human health with the advances of Biotechnological innovations.

 

End of Research Blog

 

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