Research from University of Madras, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences has provided new information about gene therapy
December 29th, 2008
2008 DEC 29 -- New research, 'Down regulation of gyrase A gene expression in E. coli by antisense ribozymes using RT-PCR,' is the subject of a report. "Nucleic acid-based gene interference technologies represent promising strategies for specific inhibition of mRNA sequences of choice. Recently, small interfering RNAs have been implicated in inducing endogenous RNase of the RNA-induced silencing complex in the RNA interference pathway to inhibit gene expression and growth of several human viruses," scientists in Chennai, India report.
"We report down regulation of gene expression of E. coli gyrase A, an essential gene for DNA supercoiling and antibiotic susceptibility in BL21 (DE3) strain of E. coli, using Ribonuclease P based external guide sequence (EGS) technique. EGS directed against gyrase A gene that was cloned into pUC vector, which contains the ampicillin (Amp) resistance gene. The recombinant plasmid pT7EGyrA was transformed into BL21 (DE3) and inductions were performed using IPTG. RT-PCR experiment was done to investigate the down regulation of gyrase A gene. RT-PCR results demonstrated a significant decrease of gyrase A gene after 18 h of induction of the transformants. These experiments showed that the down regulation of the gene was seen after 18 h of induction than earlier hours of induction with IPTG suggesting inhibition of gyrase A gene with profound effect on cell viability," wrote S.S. Rao and colleagues, University of Madras, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences.
The researchers concluded: "These results demonstrate the utility of EGS RNAs in gene therapy applications, by inhibiting the expression of essential proteins."
Rao and colleagues published their study in Molecular Biology Reports (Down regulation of gyrase A gene expression in E. coli by antisense ribozymes using RT-PCR. Molecular Biology Reports, 2008;35(4):575-8).
For additional information, contact S.S. Rao, University of Madras, Dept. of Genetics, Dr. ALM PG Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Taramani, Chennai, 600 113, India.
The publisher's contact information for the journal Molecular Biology Reports is: Kluwer Academic Publ, Van Godewijckstraat 30, 3311 Gz Dordrecht, Netherlands.
