What is chemical genetics?
Chemical genetics is the study of how small organic molecules can regulate protein activity. Whether it is through allosteric inhibition or any other kind of binding, these small molecules are able to either down-regulate or up-regulate the function of a protein. Chemical genetics is at use every day in our society - the medicines we consume affect protein function in just this way.
Chemical genetics is important in the study of proteins because finding interacting partners can allow for possible changes in protein activity in diseased states. Finding a molecule involves creating a large library of test components, then completing screens of each component and examine the binding abilities of the component to the protein of interest. Molecules able to bind to the protein can then be considered future candidates for drug research.
In my analysis of chemical genetics for the EFHC1 protein and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, I did not find any significant results. I used the PubChem database as a searching tool and there is no literature at this time on small molecules interacting with EFHC1 protein.
Chemical genetics is important in the study of proteins because finding interacting partners can allow for possible changes in protein activity in diseased states. Finding a molecule involves creating a large library of test components, then completing screens of each component and examine the binding abilities of the component to the protein of interest. Molecules able to bind to the protein can then be considered future candidates for drug research.
In my analysis of chemical genetics for the EFHC1 protein and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, I did not find any significant results. I used the PubChem database as a searching tool and there is no literature at this time on small molecules interacting with EFHC1 protein.
What is RNAi?
RNAi, or RNA interference, is a process of inhibiting gene expression through the use of RNA molecules. In this process, specific RNA molecules that match the order of the messenger RNA of your target protein are joined with an enzyme and clip the messenger RNA whenever it is found. By this target cleavage (see Image 2) the messenger RNA that would encode the protein of interest is destroyed and no protein is created.
RNAi is important because it allows the observation of cells or organisms that do not have functioning copies of the protein of interest. Thus through this process researchers are able to observe phenotypes of cells in absence of this protein, and observe which cell processes are no longer functional, and thus involve the protein of interest.
RNAi is important because it allows the observation of cells or organisms that do not have functioning copies of the protein of interest. Thus through this process researchers are able to observe phenotypes of cells in absence of this protein, and observe which cell processes are no longer functional, and thus involve the protein of interest.
RNAi of EFHC1
Using the Mouse Genome Informatics database, information regarding EFHC1 knockout was found. Mice heterozygous or homozygous for null mutations in the EFHC1 gene presented with myoclonic seizures and induced susceptibility to pharmacologically induced seizures [1] . Mice homozygous for null mutations also displayed reduced hippocampal size and enlarged brain vesicles [1] .
Analysis:
While this information was not obtained using RNAi processes, it does give information to cellular processes in the absence of functional EFHC1 protein. These results showed that not only does EFHC1 play a role in neuronal firing regulation but also in the morphology of the brain itself. Because mice with two copies of null EFHC1 had varied brain structures, it speaks to EFHC1's enlarged importance in neurons throughout the mouse brain.
Analysis:
While this information was not obtained using RNAi processes, it does give information to cellular processes in the absence of functional EFHC1 protein. These results showed that not only does EFHC1 play a role in neuronal firing regulation but also in the morphology of the brain itself. Because mice with two copies of null EFHC1 had varied brain structures, it speaks to EFHC1's enlarged importance in neurons throughout the mouse brain.
References:
[1] Mouse Genome Informatics http://www.informatics.jax.org/marker/MGI:1919127
Image 1:http://www.astbury.leeds.ac.uk/people/staff/staffpage.php?StaffID=RFImage 2: http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/journal/v5/n5/full/nrmicro1671.html
Image 2: http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/journal/v5/n5/full/nrmicro1671.html