A recent study has scientists worldwide re-evaluating the principles of modern genetics in the hope of answering a common question; could RNA contain heritable material?
It has long been accepted that all of the instructions for creating an organism are provided by DNA, with RNA acting purely as an assistant. This idea is currently under review, as evidence has emerged to suggest that RNA may also have some hereditary involvement. A team of French researchers performed an experiment on grey and brown mice, focusing on mutant genes that cause white fur patches to appear. Somewhat inexplicably, they found that mice with homozygous normal genes displayed the mutant phenotype of their heterozygous parents. Affirming the notion of RNA’s hereditary involvement even further was the birth of a patchy mouse from two homozygous wildtype parents. This occurred by injection of RNA stands associated with the mutant genes into the fertilized wildtype egg.
Genetic defects resulting from RNA heritability could rapidly become a thing of the past, as RNA is a relatively unstable molecule and is therefore susceptible to pharmacological attack. Perhaps a comprehensive understanding of genetics is a futuristic prospect, but can we cure disease with epigenetics? Research projects like this (Nature News, http://http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060522/full/news060522-13.html) are the key.
By 41179114
References:
Vardhman K Rakyan, Stephen Beck, 2006, Science Direct: Epigenetic variation and inheritance in mammals
Helen Pearson, 2006, Nature News, Mutant mice challenge rules of genetic inheritance (http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060522/full/news060522-13.html)
