NEW DELHI: The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNA, a fundamental mechanism of gene regulation.
This discovery has revolutionised our understanding of how genes are controlled and expressed in living organisms.
Ambros and Ruvkun’s work unveiled a new class of tiny RNA molecules that play a crucial role in regulating gene activity. These microRNAs act as molecular switches, fine-tuning the expression of genes in different cell types and under varying conditions.
Their research revealed an entirely new dimension to gene regulation, one that is essential for the development and function of multicellular organisms, including humans.
WHAT IS microRNA?
MicroRNA (miRNA) is a small, non-coding RNA molecule that plays a key role in regulating gene expression. Unlike messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries instructions to make proteins, microRNA works by binding to specific mRNA molecules and preventing them from being translated into proteins or by degrading the mRNA altogether.
By controlling which mRNA gets used to make proteins, microRNAs help fine-tune various cellular processes like development, growth, and metabolism. Their role is essential in maintaining normal cell function, and disruptions in microRNA activity have been linked to diseases such as cancer.
The human genome is now known to code for over a thousand microRNAs, highlighting the widespread importance of this regulatory mechanism. This discovery has profound implications for our understanding of cellular differentiation, development, and disease processes.
The Nobel Committee emphasised that this year’s prize focuses on a vital regulatory mechanism used in cells to control gene activity. While all cells in an organism contain the same genetic information, different cell types express unique sets of proteins.
MicroRNAs help explain how this specificity is achieved, allowing cells to select only the relevant genetic instructions for their particular function.
This Nobel-winning research has opened up new avenues for understanding and potentially treating various diseases. Dysregulation of microRNA-mediated gene control has been implicated in conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.
As such, this discovery not only advances our fundamental knowledge of biology but also holds promise for developing new therapeutic approaches.
The recognition of Ambros and Ruvkun’s work points to the importance of basic research in uncovering the fundamental principles of life.
Their discovery of microRNAs has provided scientists with new tools to investigate gene regulation and has significantly expanded our understanding of how genetic information is processed and utilized in living organisms.
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