Essay Sample on Specific RNA Structures

Introduction

Specific RNA structures are responsible for controlling numerous metabolic processes in our bodies which have a huge impact on human health. Nonetheless, efforts to target RNA structures de novo are limited. In Eukaryotes, the self- splicing group II Intron is a mitochondrial RNA tertiary structure, absent in vertebrates' but vital fir the respiration of plants, yeast and fungi. In this article, Federova et al., 2018, shows that RNA can be targeted through a process of high-throughput in the vitro screening, lead optimization, and SAR leading to high-affinity compounds which specifically stall group IIB intron splicing in Vitro, lack of toxicity in human cells, and in In vivo. Moreover, these compounds powerfully inhibit the growth of pathogen Candida parapsilosis, thus demonstrating antifungal activity similar to that of amphotericin B. Henceforth, these studies illustrate that the tertiary structures of RNA can be successfully targeted de novo to yield pharmacologically important compounds.

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What did the author do?

To conduct the experiment, Federova et al., 2018, conducted a high-throughput screening in Vitro screening, SAR and lead optimization. Thus they developed a sensitive high-throughput fluoresce essay to monitor the ribozyme activity. It resulted in high-affinity compounds that specifically inhibit group IIB intron splicing in vitro and in vivo and lack toxicity in human cells. To achieve the goal, they focused on RNA target within pathogenic yeasts since the organisms have increasingly problematic, especially regarding patients with weak immune system such as cancer and neonatal patients.

Moreover, to carry out the SAR studies in vitro, Federova et al., 2018, complemented the primary flouremetric assay with a roust secondary radio analytic self-splicing assay of the precursor. Also, they used RNA with the full-length ai5gh intron and short exons, which made it possible to determine establish Ki values for all compounds of interest

What did the author find?

First Federova et al., 2018, realized that full reaction required folded group II intron RNA tertiary structure or if individual intron domains can bind the inhibitors with high affinity. Also, at the end of the study, there was Small-molecule growth inhibition of C. parapsilosis. The yeast pathogen C. parapsilosis contained a single group IIB intron in its COX1 gene38. On the other hand, the active site of this intron (D5) is almost identical to that of the ai5gh intron. Thus, it suggests that compounds that inhibit the S. cerevisiae ai5gh intron may also inhibit splicing by the group II intron in C. parapsilosis.

Outlook and future directions. How to expand this work. What would you do next?

The research is still new and as only been experimented in on one specimen. Therefore, to expand this work, the future direction would be to conduct more research on the same. It would mean more experiments on other specimens and then attempt to use it to cure people with weak immune systems. Thus, what I would do next is to introduce the idea of the research to other scientists to guarantee ample research and justification of the study. It is to ensure that once it is experimented fro treatment, it is safe and with a guarantee of effectiveness.

References

Fedorova, O., Jagdmann, G. E., Adams, R. L., Yuan, L., Van Zandt, M. C., & Pyle, A. M. (2018). Small molecules that target group II introns are potent antifungal agents. Nature chemical biology, 14(12), 1073.