RNA干涉

RNA干涉是指双链RNA引发的同源mRNA的降解过程,由于其多发生于转录水平,因此又称为转录后基因沉默。RNA干涉现象是在线虫中首次发现的,通过几年的研究发现它广泛存在于生物体中(包括单细胞生物、后生动物和哺乳动物)。本文对RNA干涉现象的发现、作用机制、相关基因等作了简单的论述。     

从磷酸蔗糖固定OCT包埋冰冻5年的组织中提取RNA

目的磷酸蔗糖固定后OCT包埋冰冻保存5年的组织中提取RNA。方法小鼠的脯、肝、肾等组织，经25％蔗糖磷酸缓冲液固定12～24h后，制备成OCT包埋块，在-20℃冰箱中保仔5年后，取出冰冻的OCT包埋组织进行RNA提取，用凝胶电泳、紫外分光光度计及RTPCR等方法检测所提取的RNA。结果从经25％蔗糖磷酸缓冲液固定冰冻保存5年OCT包埋组织中能提取RNA，所提RNA仍保持较好的完整性，可用于进行TR-PCR，并能扩增出较长的片段。结论从25％蔗糖磷酸缓冲液固定OCT包埋的冰冻时间较长的组织标本中可提取组织RNA，并用于进行RT-PCR扩增。     

具有催化活性的RNA

本文简要介绍了具有催化活性ＲＮＡ的发现过程、作用机理及研究进展。这一发现对于人们重新认识生物催化剂的本质，追溯基因的演化，进一步研究ＲＮＡ的功能、深入理解生命的起源等重大理论问题，都具有十分重要的意义。     

Recognition of small interfering RNA by a viral suppressor of RNA silencing

RNA silencing (also known as RNA interference) is a conserved biological response to double-stranded RNA that regulates gene expression, and has evolved in plants as a defence against viruses. The response is mediated by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which guide the sequence-specific degradation of cognate messenger RNAs. As a counter-defence, many viruses encode proteins that specifically inhibit the silencing machinery. The p19 protein from the tombusvirus is such a viral suppressor of RNA silencing and has been shown to bind specifically to siRNA. Here, we report the 1.85-A crystal structure of p19 bound to a 21-nucleotide siRNA, where the 19-base-pair RNA duplex is cradled within the concave face of a continuous eight-stranded beta-sheet, formed across the p19 homodimer interface. Direct and water-mediated intermolecular contacts are restricted to the backbone phosphates and sugar 2'-OH groups, consistent with sequence-independent p19-siRNA recognition. Two alpha-helical 'reading heads' project from opposite ends of the p19 homodimer and position pairs of tryptophans for stacking over the terminal base pairs, thereby measuring and bracketing both ends of the siRNA duplex. Our structure provides an illustration of siRNA sequestering by a viral protein.