In a remarkable achievement, two distinguished scientists have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking work on microRNAs, a class of minuscule molecules that play an instrumental role in the regulation of gene expression.
A Milestone in Scientific Discovery
Victor Ambros, affiliated with the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and Gary Ruvkun, a molecular biologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, will share a prize worth 11 million Swedish krona (approximately $1.06 million).
The Genetic Landscape: MicroRNAs and Their Role
MicroRNAs belong to the larger family known as RNA molecules, which differ from DNA by having only one strand of genetic information. The significance of microRNAs was initially revealed when Ambros and Ruvkun conducted research on the development of the tiny roundworm *Caenorhabditis elegans*, standard fare for biological study, back in 1993.
The Impact on Multicellular Organisms
Since their discovery, these researchers—alongside others—have demonstrated that microRNAs are integral components within the genomes across all multicellular life forms, including humans. According to Olle Kämpe, vice chairperson of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, this finding enables scientists to better comprehend cellular operations.
Paving The Way For Future Applications
Kämpe noted that while immediate medical applications stemming from this research do not currently exist, future potential is promising. For instance, current studies suggest that dysregulated microRNA function may contribute to cancer progression by altering gene activity in ways conducive to tumor growth.
Diseases Linked with MicroRNA Dysfunction
Certain conditions are directly associated with mutations affecting genes involved in producing microRNAs; examples include congenital hearing loss as well as particular eye and skeletal disorders. The misregulation surrounding these molecules has also been implicated in epilepsy development.
The Mechanisms Behind Protein Construction
A human body cell typically contains approximately 20,000 genes coding for proteins—the fundamental components essential for life. However, diverse tissues like muscle or nerve cells exhibit unique characteristics necessitating distinct genetic instructions activated according to specific physiological demands both during embryogenesis and throughout individual growth.
A New Perspective on Gene Regulation
The process begins when genetic material is ”activated,” initiating transcription where DNA segments transform into messenger RNAs (mRNAs). These mRNAs serve as templates crucial for constructing proteins within various cellular locales.
The Shift In Understanding”
Historically viewed through narrow lenses focused solely on protein factors—a line initiated since their discovery in the 1960s—the emergence of microRNA investigation revolutionizes established beliefs about gene activity control mechanisms pioneered by Ambros and Ruvkun’s findings several decades later.
Laboratory Breakthroughs That Changed Everything
Together through meticulous laboratory experiments involving *C. elegans*, they identified lin-4—a distinct form of microRNA capable of binding mRNA thereby blocking corresponding protein synthesis processes. Another significant discovery emerged two years later: let-7 was found widespread amongst various animal species.
A Growing Knowledge Base
The past twenty years have unveiled results identifying over a thousand specific types of these regulatory molecules even within human physiology alone; today recognized extensively as critical influencers guiding cell development along with operational functions necessary across biological contexts.
Praise from Peers
Janosch Heller, an assistant professor within biomedical sciences at Dublin City University expressed his joy regarding Ambros’ and Ruvkun’s prestigious recognition stating their pioneering contributions have laid foundational groundwork exploring innovative therapeutic avenues addressing debilitating conditions like epilepsy while revealing intricate internal cellular dynamics governing physiological processes ongoing daily throughout our lives!
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Author : earthnews
Publish date : 2024-10-07 15:04:24
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