Photoresponsive siRNAs as a biotechnological tool to examine gene function

SiRNA是一种基因沉默的寡核苷酸，在生物技术中具有重要作用，是潜在的下一代疗法。在生命科学中，siRNAs对于阐明基因功能和描述复杂的生物途径非常重要。使用siRNA的挑战之一是，一旦在细胞内给药，就需要控制它的使用。偶氮苯是一种可光开关的分子，在紫外光和可见光存在下，它可以在顺式和反式两种**形式之间发生异构化。我们已经开发出siRNAzos，**是含有偶氮苯的基因沉默siRNAs。我们已经证明，siRNAzos在细胞内可以分别在可见光和紫外光下可逆激活和失活。我们还开发了一种能够在不同颜色的光下在顺式和反式之间进行异构化的四氯偶氮苯。在这一阶段的提案中，我们将开发一个针对不同基因的双重siRNAzo系统，一旦**转染到细胞中，两个siRNAzos就可以被选择性地激活和失活，以不同的波长。这将使研究人员获得新的生物技术工具，为他们提供一个受控的基因沉默平台。**这个系统将促进复杂生物途径的表征。

siRNAs are gene-silencing oligonucleotides that have an important role in biotechnology and as potential next**generation therapeutics. Within life sciences, siRNAs are important to elucidate gene function and characterize**complex biological pathways. One of the challenges in using siRNAs involves controlling its use once**administered inside of the cell. Azobenzene is a photoswitchable molecule that can isomerize between two**forms, cis and trans in the presence of UV and visible light, respectively. We have developed siRNAzos, that**are gene-silencing siRNAs that contain azobenzene. We have shown that siRNAzos can be reversibly activated**and inactiavted within cells with visible and UV light, respectively. We have also developed a tetrachlorinated**azobenzene that is capable of isomerizing between cis and trans with different colored light. In this phase of**the proposal, we will develop a dual siRNAzo system that targets different genes, and the two siRNAzos once**transfected in cells, can be selectively activated and inactivated with different wavelengths. This will give**researchers access to new biotechnological tools by providing them a platform for controlled gene-silencing.**This system will facilitate the characterization of complex biological pathways.