Approaches to regulation of gene functions - RNA interference and light

核酸具有广泛的生物学功能，例如形成我们基因的构建模块。其中许多功能受到高度管制。核酸的各种化学修饰已显示影响这些分子的性质和功能。拟议的研究使用两种不同的方法来调节核酸特性。首先，将糖连接到称为小干扰RNA（siRNA）的特殊核酸的各个位点，以提高siRNA作为治疗药物的适用性。第二，通过掺入在暴露于特定波长的光时经历结构变化的基序来修饰核酸。因此，核酸的结构和功能可以通过光来操纵。这些修饰可能会在核酸的生物化学和医学应用中产生新的方向。

Nucleic acids perform a wide array of biological functions, such as forming the building blocks of our genes. Many of these functions are highly regulated. Various chemical modifications of nucleic acids have been shown to affect the properties and functions of these molecules. The proposed research uses two distinct approaches to modulate nucleic acid properties. First, sugars will be attached to various sites of special nucleic acids called small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in order to improve the suitability of siRNAs as therapeutic drugs. Second, nucleic acids will be modified by incorporating motifs that undergo structural changes upon exposure to light of a specific wavelength. Consequently, the structures and functions of nucleic acids can be manipulated by light. These modifications may generate new directions in the biochemical and medicinal applications of nucleic acids.