Rules To Target RNA Are Focus Of Research
Rules To Target RNA Are Focus Of Research: "Rationally designed RNA inhibitors could, he explained, prove more valuable than molecules that inhibit DNA.
One reason is that while DNA bases or nucleotides are always paired according to the same formula, RNA bases have more diverse pairings, which makes targeting RNA more challenging, but also potentially more valuable.
'The ability to form different pairings allows RNA to have a much larger structural repertoire than DNA and that gives RNA the ability to have such diverse cellular functions,' said Disney.
In addition, he said, because DNA is present only in the nucleus, pharmaceutical compounds that target it must be able to penetrate the nucleus.
'Since RNA is present both in the cell's nucleus and cytoplasm, you do not need to get a compound into the nucleus to target it,' he said.
Because RNA folds more like a protein than DNA does, it also may be easier to design compounds that selectively target specific structures, he added."
One reason is that while DNA bases or nucleotides are always paired according to the same formula, RNA bases have more diverse pairings, which makes targeting RNA more challenging, but also potentially more valuable.
'The ability to form different pairings allows RNA to have a much larger structural repertoire than DNA and that gives RNA the ability to have such diverse cellular functions,' said Disney.
In addition, he said, because DNA is present only in the nucleus, pharmaceutical compounds that target it must be able to penetrate the nucleus.
'Since RNA is present both in the cell's nucleus and cytoplasm, you do not need to get a compound into the nucleus to target it,' he said.
Because RNA folds more like a protein than DNA does, it also may be easier to design compounds that selectively target specific structures, he added."