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Scientists have uncovered a new way that cells control their cistron — and it may rewrite our understanding of " epigenetics . "
Epigeneticsis a form of DNA alteration that does n’t involve the DNA sequence itself . Instead , it describes when chemical groups bond to specific genes , thus switching those genes on or off , or else change the 3D shape of chromosomes .
Epigenetic modifications made to both DNA and its cousin, RNA, control gene activity.
Now , in a bailiwick issue Jan. 17 in the journalCell , scientist have uncover a whole Modern method of gene ordinance that involve epigenetic tweaks made to both DNA and its molecular cousinRNA , at the same sentence .
Looking forward , the researchers want to unpack how this young type of factor control relates to cancer .
" It is truly exciting to expose such a new mechanism , further expanding our understanding of gene regulation,“Kathrin Plath , theatre director of epigenomics , RNA and factor regulation at UCLA who was not involved in the study , told Live Science in an email .
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A new layer of gene regulation
One common character ofepigenetic modificationis methylation , which name the addition of a molecule called amethyl groupto DNA or histones — proteins that desoxyribonucleic acid wrapping around to become more compact and primed into the nucleus . A protein calledDNMT1adds these molecules to desoxyribonucleic acid , and its activity can turn gene locution up or down depend on where a given gene is methylated .
In recent class , researchershave also found that RNA — a molecule that shuttles instructions from DNA out into the cell to make proteins — can also be modify . This is chiefly done by a protein complex calledMETTL3 - METTL14 . This methylation can destabilize the RNA molecule , thin the amount of protein made .
Every cell in the body uses both RNA and DNA methylation to regularise factor expression . However , it was antecedently assumed that these processes operated severally . The newfangled study set up that presumptuousness into interrogation .
In the bailiwick , the scientists seem at mouse embryonic stem cells and mapped the fix of DNA and RNA methylation as the cell developed . They found that thousands of factor and their complementary RNA molecule contained both methylation markers .
Through extra experiments , the squad found that the METTL3 - METTL14 complex that interacts with RNA also recruits and physically binds to DNMT1 , the protein that tags DNA . This new , great complex can then methylate the same cistron at the DNA or RNA level . This enables the cell to further fine - tune its gene regulation during cell distinction — a process by which a stem cubicle assumes a specific identity , becoming a pump or lung cell , for instance .
Previous studies have evince clear connexion betweenDNA and histone modifications , as well as betweenhistone and RNA modifications .
" So why would a cell not also link an epigenetic adjustment of deoxyribonucleic acid and an epigenetic modification of RNA ? " said study co - authorFrançois Fuks , film director of the ULB Cancer Research Center in Belgium . " [ Our subject shows ] the verbatim connectedness between desoxyribonucleic acid methylation and RNA adjustment that has not been interpret before , " he order Live Science .
According to Fuks , this study does have some limit , namely , that it mostly focuses on embryologic stem cell specialisation . DNA and RNA alteration had separately been well characterized in stem cell in past work , so it made sense for the researchers to start with them . But these same eccentric of DNA and RNA alteration are present in all type of cell .
" get word this , it ’s very unbelievable that [ this mechanics ] will be just in E cells , " Fuks said .
This find challenges the established sight that these RNA- and deoxyribonucleic acid - modifying process are wholly separate , and it suggests that it may have broader implications in human biology and disease . To that end , Fuks and his team are trying to limit how this fresh mechanics relates to cancer .
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If the coordination of DNA and RNA epigenetics gets throw off , you may end up with too much or too trivial of a protein , Fuk suggested . " Now , a key protein will be press out at a too high level , " he said . “This could be detrimental for a prison cell and contribute to tumorigenesis , " or the formation of tumor .
There are alreadyapproved therapiesthat curb the methylation of DNA , and there ’s anearly - phase angle clinical trialtesting RNA methylation inhibition as a cancer treatment . Fuks and his squad are testing the electric potential of combining these existing therapy to meliorate affected role ' outcomes . Preliminary information from their laboratory studies suggest this strategy could be useful for patient with leukemia .
At least in petri dishes , " we can revert the cancer progression of leukemic cell by adding these two drugs together , " Fuk said . " Eventually , down the agate line , why could n’t we combine these two drugs to care for patient role ? "
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