What are microRNAs and why are they important?

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine has been awarded to two researchers who have devoted themselves for at least three decades to understanding how cells in our bodies organize, regulate and express their genetic material. In this research path, They discovered microRNAs.

These short sequences, comprising 17 to 25 RNA nucleotides (Ribonucleic Acid), earned Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun the highest award given to scientists who support revolutionary discoveries in a wide variety of fields. Want to know what microRNAs are and why they are important enough to deserve the Nobel Prize? Read on.

What are microRNAs?

We all have a recipe. Since the day your chromosomes inherited from your parents formed you, Your cells copy your genetic code, DNA, replace dead cells, heal scars and keep your body functioning..

However, despite being a good repository of information, the double helix structure of DNA molecules cannot be easily “broken” to be copied into new sequences.

Our cells carry out a series of processes so that DNA molecules can be copied and reproduced. In this process, we find RNA and its single strand, which bind to one of the DNA strands and transcribe it. As a result of this process, messenger RNA (mRNA) is formed, which will carry the information captured in the nucleus to the cytoplasm of the cell.

In the cell cytoplasm, this RNA chain encounters an organelle called the ribosome that will synthesize proteins. According to the genetic instructions brought by mRNA. And it’s in this productive dance that microRNA comes into play.

The “production” of microRNAs begins in the cell nucleus through a process as complex as DNA transcription. Its mature form is taken from the nucleus and transported to the cytoplasm where it will perform its function.

MiRNAs are short chains consisting of 17 to 25 ribonucleotides. They were first observed in worms in the 1990s. Caenorhabditis elegans, By Nobel Prize-winning researchers. In total, 18,000 miRNA species have been identified in 168 different species. There are approximately 2,500 types of miRNAs identified in the human body.

study miRNAs show they play a crucial role in gene expression in our cells. These small molecules bind to messenger RNA and have the ability to activate or deactivate mRNA, inhibiting the expression of proteins.

However, on the other hand, miRNA is not always that effective in deactivating RNAs that can potentially harm our organism, and in stimulating protein production by playing the opposite role.

Nobel Prize Discovery

This role played by miRNAs in gene regulation is one of the possible answers to the question of why our cells can differentiate despite having the same genetic code.

On the other hand, this regulatory mechanism may also be one of those responsible for regulating the development of cancer cells by acting after faulty transcription of mRNA. prevent it from producing potentially carcinogenic proteins.

However, regulation of microRNA depends on the genetic code carried by mRNA and can bind to more than one type of reporter molecules. In these cases, instead of creating an inhibition in the cell’s reproductive process, it can create a positive stimulus, causing the ribosomes to produce high amounts of protein.

According to some data, this change in role may be linked to epigenetic factors that contribute to the expression of “defective” genes already harbored in our genetic code.

According to some researchers, miRNAs are believed to contribute to most of the pathological processes that develop in the human body. Therefore, it may be a potential target for the development of gene therapies.

Regulating who organizes it, We may achieve better results in preventing malignancy or developing targeted treatments that will suspend cell proliferation..

The truth is that although there are around 2,500 microRNAs identified in the human body, we do not know exactly the mechanism of regulation that they carry out individually, nor do we understand which factors they recognize as positive or negative, inhibiting or promoting replication. “Failure” of miRNA regulation can already be observed in some types of cancer.

Therefore, there is still much to study and investigate regarding the regulatory role of miRNAs and their potential as a therapeutic target in the fight against cancer and other comorbidities related to autoimmune diseases.

Want to learn more about genetic manipulation for good? So take the opportunity to understand how vaccines are made that use the virus’s genes to our advantage. Stay tuned to TecMundo for more award-winning topics.