Wound healing: 'See-saw' switch sends cells on the march
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 07:01
in Biology & Nature
Many genes are transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules that provide instructions for protein synthesis. Other genes encode regulatory RNAs known as 'microRNAs', which can block protein translation by binding to specific sequences on target mRNAs. Now, researchers led by Prabha Sampath of the A*STAR Institute of Molecular Biology have identified a gene that uses an unusual 'see-saw' mechanism to regulate wound healing by switching between production of mRNA and microRNA.