In vivo self-assembled small RNAs as a new generation of RNAi therapeutics.

RNAi therapy has undergone two stages of development, direct injection of synthetic siRNAs and delivery with artificial vehicles or conjugated ligands; both have not solved the problem of efficient in vivo siRNA delivery. Here, we present a proof-of-principle strategy that reprogrammes host liver with genetic circuits to direct the synthesis and self-assembly of siRNAs into secretory exosomes and facilitate the in vivo delivery of siRNAs through circulating exosomes. By combination of different genetic circuit modules, in vivo assembled siRNAs are systematically distributed to multiple tissues or targeted to specific tissues (e.

Identification of microRNA-like RNAs in Ophiocordyceps sinensis.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is well known as a traditional Chinese medicine and has widely been used for over 2,000 years to stimulate immune system, decrease blood pressure and to inhibit tumor growth. While miRNAs are increasingly recognized for their roles in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in animals and plants, miRNAs in fungi were less studied until the discovery of microRNA-like RNA (milRNA). High-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics approaches were used to identify conserved and novel milRNAs in O.

MiR-19b suppresses PTPRG to promote breast tumorigenesis.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type G (PTPRG) is an important tumor suppressor gene in multiple human cancers. In this study, we found that PTPRG protein levels were downregulated in breast cancer tissues while the mRNA levels varied irregularly, implying a post-transcriptional mechanism was involved. Because microRNAs are powerful post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, we used bioinformatics analysis to search for microRNAs that potentially targets PTPRG in the setting of breast cancer.