| Connection Between Fragile X Syndrome and RNAi
by Richard Carthew, 7/1/2004
Two years ago, several papers were published showing that the
Fragile X gene is involved in RNAi ("interfering RNA"). RNAi is a
widespread biological process that until 1998 remained undiscovered,
but that plays important roles in combatting viral infection,
organizing chromosome DNA, and silencing gene expression during embryo
development. A major question now being asked is how the Fragile X
gene normally contributes to the RNAi process. Moreover, does Fragile
X syndrome arise because human RNAi is working improperly, due to the
absence of FMR1?
Our lab studies RNAi in the fruitfly and has
done some incisive experiments to understand this conserved process in
both flies and humans. So far, this study has not found definite
links between the fruitfly FMR1 gene and RNAi. However, not all
potential avenues linking FMR1 and RNAi have been explored, Additional
experiments to be conducted over the coming year should give us a
clear idea of whether or not there is a general role for the Fragile X
gene in RNAi. This is an important mechanism of biological control,
so it is important to know whether Fragile X might in any way be
related to RNAi.
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