Freedom of Expression
Science 28 March 2008: 1781.
Freedom of Expression
Guy Riddihough, Beverly A. Purnell, and John Travis
As in civil society, where there must necessarily be checks and balances on freedom of expression, cells have evolved a range of mechanisms to regulate the expression of their constituent genes. By far the best-understood medium for gene regulation is the protein transcription factor. The broad set of rules by which these regulators operate is outlined by Hobert (p. 1785). However, new and unexpected gene regulatory systems have been discovered in the past decade, perhaps the most important of which involve microRNAs (miRNAs). Hobert compares the action of these small noncoding RNAs, found in many eukaryotes, with their proteinaceous counterparts, showing that miRNAs share many similar activities but also display unique traits in their compartmentalization, rapid reversibility, and evolvability. Makeyev and Maniatis (p. 1789) provide examples of the profound systemwide influence that miRNAs can have on gene expression programs. miRNAs are also being linked to a growing list of common ailments, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and viral illnesses such as hepatitis. In a related News story (p. 1782), Jennifer Couzin explores how miRNAs are attracting the interest of biomedical researchers and biotechnology companies eager for new ways to diagnose and treat diseases.
本期有个special issue 是关于Gene Regulation的，有兴趣的可以去看看，可以下载
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/vol319/issue5871/index.dtl
[
本帖最后由 zxh0427 于 2008-3-30 18:49 编辑 ]
