MicroRNA Discovery deserves the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 2024
An unexpected discovery in the field of gene regulation has won Victor Ambros of the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and Gary Ruvkun of Harvard Medical School the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The duo’s research identified small RNA segments, known as microRNAs, that play an important role in regulating protein production in the body. This discovery, arising from their work with a tiny worm, has provided crucial insights into biological processes related to health and disease.
The role of microRNA in gene regulation
MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules that help regulate gene expression by influencing the production of proteins. In this process, microRNAs attach to messenger RNA (mRNA), which contains instructions from DNA to make proteins. By attaching to mRNA, microRNAs prevent the translation of those instructions, reducing the amount of protein produced. Instead of acting as an on/off switch, these molecules function more like dimmers, subtly reducing protein production.
Early discoveries in worms
Ambros and Ruvkun research started in Caenorhabditis elegans, a small, transparent worm. Their focus was on two genes, lin-4 and lin-14, that played a key role in the worm’s development. Ambros initially discovered a small RNA segment associated with the lin-4 gene. It turned out to be the first microRNA identified. Ruvkun later showed that the lin-4 microRNA binds to the mRNA of the lin-14 gene, reducing production of the corresponding protein.
Impact on human health
MicroRNAs were initially thought to be specific to worms, but later research showed that they are present throughout the animal kingdom, including humans. This discovery has opened up new research avenues into how these small RNAs impact human health, with potential applications in treating diseases such as cancer, heart disease and neurodegenerative disorders.
