Nobel Prize winning technology at your fingertips

  • Published: 24 October 2024
This year the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, two scientists credited with discovering microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation [1]. Now, 30 years after their finding, you can do microRNA experiments with ease by using our products designed to make discovering new things simple and hassle-free.

What is the relevance of microRNAs?

Although Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun published their findings in 1993 [2][3], it has taken almost 30 years for the scientific community to truly acknowledge the significance of microRNAs (miRNAs).

MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules, typically about 22 nucleotides in length, that play a crucial role in the regulation of gene expression [2][3][4]. They function by binding to complementary sequences on messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts, usually leading to the degradation of the mRNA or inhibition of its translation into proteins [4][5]. Each miRNA can regulate multiple target genes, making them key players in controlling various cellular processes such as development, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis (programmed cell death) [5].

The significance of miRNAs lies in their widespread influence on biological systems and their association with many diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders [4][5]. Because they regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally, miRNAs provide a layer of fine-tuning in gene networks, making them essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis [5]. In cancer, for example, certain miRNAs can function as oncogenes (promoting tumor growth) or tumor suppressors (inhibiting cancer) [4][5]. Additionally, miRNAs have potential as biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis, and they are being explored as therapeutic targets, highlighting their importance in both basic biology and medicine [4][5].

Our technology

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded this year to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper for computational protein design and protein structure prediction [6]. The technology and tools (AlphaFold2) they invented for researchers around the world to use have allowed our R&D team to develop better enzymes and proteins than ever before.

So, if you would like to, for example, study microRNAs or perhaps discover a new one, we have some excellent options for you. We have developed our own chimeric synthetic reverse transcriptase with very special characteristics - SOLIScript® [7]. RNA templates suitable for the patented SOLIScript® reverse transcriptase stem from different material types: pro- and eukaryotic cells, tissues, organs and different organisms. The enzyme is also compatible with several RNA types, enabling miRNA profiling, viral RNA detection, gene knockdown validation, etc. The reverse transcribed cDNA product can then be used for PCR, Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA), Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based Amplification (NASBA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and more.

How can I discover microRNAs?

Because of the wide range of possibilities for application, we have many different kits available that include SOLIScript®. The best options are the 1-step kits, which are extremely convenient for performing highly specific cDNA synthesis and probe-based qPCR in a single tube. These kits help avoid contamination risk, make the workflow much easier and can also be used to detect multiple targets from the same sample. For more information check SOLIScript® 1-step Probe Kit and SOLIScript® 1-step Multiplex Probe Kit. For intercalating dye-based detection of a single target, they have a special SOLIScript® 1-step SolisGreen® Kit 2.0.

If you’d like to use cDNA for other experiments as well, then the 2-step option might be a better option for you. For this we have SOLIScript® KIT, SOLIScript® RT cDNA synthesis KIT and SOLIScript® RT cDNA synthesis MIX.
 
References
[1] The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute. (2024, October 7). The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024. NobelPrize.org. 
[2] Lee RC, Feinbaum RL, Ambros V. The C. elegans heterochronic gene lin-4 encodes small RNAs with antisense complementarity to lin-14. Cell. 1993;75(5):843-854. doi:10.1016/0092-8674(93)90529-y
[3] Wightman B, Ha I, Ruvkun G. Posttranscriptional regulation of the heterochronic gene lin-14 by lin-4 mediates temporal pattern formation in C. elegans. Cell. 1993;75(5):855-862. doi:10.1016/0092-8674(93)90530-4
[4] Ranganathan, K., & Sivasankar, V. (2014). MicroRNAs - Biology and clinical applications. Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP, 18(2), 229–234. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-029X.140762
[5] Ratti, M., Lampis, A., Ghidini, M., Salati, M., Mirchev, M. B., Valeri, N., & Hahne, J. C. (2020). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and Long Non-Coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as New Tools for Cancer Therapy: First Steps from Bench to Bedside. Targeted oncology, 15(3), 261–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11523-020-00717-x
[6] The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute. (2024, October 9). The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024. NobelPrize.org. 
[7] Kahre, O. (2021). Synthetic reverse transcriptases and uses thereof (US Patent No.11,046,940). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.