Understanding MicroRNA

High Hopes for a New Kind of Gene

In a beautifully written article in the July 2009 issue of Smithsonian magazine writer Sylvia Pagan Westphal describes the research of Dr. Carlo Croce, head of Ohio State University's Human Cancer Genetics Program.

While conventional wisdom held that only a large stretch of DNA could hold the functions of a gene, Croce and his team discovered that microRNA can stick to a part of a messenger RNA, shutting down protein construction. According to the National Cancer Institute, research suggests that these recently discovered types of genes could potentially be used to diagnose and classify tumors.

The Institute writes that researchers have found more than 200 microRNAs in humans. These tiny molecules - only about 25 units of genetic code long - are thought to regulate the activity of genes during development. They may play the same role for some genes involved in cancer.

Wesphal's elegant prose bring's Croce's work into clear focus as well as helping the reader understand the emerging role of microRNA in cancer research. A well-done article-congrats to the Smithsonian's editors for adding it to their "Frontiers of Science" series.