RNA leads the way!

The CRISPR/Cas9 is a system that is used to inactivate or correct certain genes. The system has a downfall, however, because once it is turned on, it stays on and keeps editing genes. This is no bueno because it can cause editing of genes that are not supposed to be cut or corrected.

The original CRISPR/Cas9 system uses a guide RNA that matches the desired sequence and directs the Cas9 enzyme to the location on the gene where it will perform gene editing.

Researchers from at the University of California have developed a new method using “chemically modified RNA base-drugs” that are still able to direct the Cas9 enzyme to the gene for editing. What’s different is that this new RNA is able to activate and inactivate the Cas9 enzyme as needed (or wanted) by the researcher.

The modified RNA stops the Cas9 enzyme’s function when it runs out. Without the presence of the modified RNA, the Cas9 is unable to continue editing genes. Which is what they want! They are also trying a different method where a second modified guide RNA is incorporated and its main role is to shut off the first modified guide RNA. By shutting off the first guide RNA, the CRISPR/Cas9 system is also turned off. This is beneficial for understanding and potentially finding a solution to certain nervous system diseases that are affected by this mechanism.

Article

Lets turn it back on..

There are a lot of people in my family that have suffered from diabetes. Both of my dad's parents died because of the disease and some of my uncles have it as well as my dad. Therefore, my siblings and I are obviously at great risk of getting it. Scary huh?

Although we try our best to help our dad by having a healthy diet and controlling his sugar levels, it is a disease that cannot be reversed. It's hard to see him at such a young age carrying around a "lunch bag" full of pills, but this article gives me hope.

Glucokinase is the enzyme responsible for signaling the pancreas and liver to order the body to process glucose. This is the enzyme that is targeted by pharmaceuticals when creating drugs for diabetic patients. Most of the current drugs aim at activating the enzyme, but they only target one specific pathway.

Glucokinase needs to be turned on are activated in order for it to properly handle glucose in the body, however when somebody has diabetes, glucokinase is impaired and therefore the person develops the disease. Researchers at Florida State University have discovered a new pathway that can be used to potentially interrupt the deactivation of glucokinase. The enzyme has an allosteric site that can be altered due to its flexibility. The researchers have also used NMR to track and visualize the speed or rate of the enzyme and how it changes from the non-variant to the disease variant form. They hope to use the information to successfully activate the enzyme and test it for its ability to control the disease. The only con to this is that, overexpression can also be detrimental since it can cause hyperinsulinemia.

This can be great if they’re able to activate it to the point where it serves its purpose without causing something else.

 Article

Tomatoe, Tomato!

Genetically modified organisms are still very much talked about around the world. Some of us believe they are dangerous and wrong, while others feel they are a step into the future and beneficial. I had a class in my undergrad where we talked about GMOs and I was surprised to see that most of my classmates didn't really care. Food is food. We saw a video however, about places in Europe where people actually have the choice between GMO and regular food. The shelves are stacked and labeled so when you are shopping you can decide from what shelf you want to buy.


 In this article, researchers in the UK have introduced the gene AtMYB12 from the plant Arabidopsis thaliana into a tomato's genome. They used a tomato because it's genome has promoter regions that correspond to genes that code for several metabolic enzymes. The gene AtMYB12 from the Arabidopsis thaliana plant, is able to turn on metabolic pathways that help the tomato plant produce more flavanols and phenylpropanoids as it grows (nutrients!!). Apparenlty, the gene "increases the supply of aromatic amino acid precursors as well as ATP and reducing power".

So there is an accumulation of nutrients that are benericial for us in one "genetically modified" tomato. Also, the gene seems to be pretty versatile because it can be added to other fruits and they are currently working on adding it to vegetables. The researchers hope to have this approved for market, and hope this can make GMO foods have a better reputation and view from the public.

Article