Researchers use lasers, custom microscope to show gene splicing process in real time
Thursday, March 10, 2011 - 15:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Researchers have developed a way to use lasers to study the splicing of pre-messenger RNA molecules, an essential process in creating proteins to sustain advanced organisms, including human life. Now this process of splicing, carried out by a cellular micro-machine called the spliceosome, can be viewed in real time. The research paper culminates a five-year-long collaboration of three research laboratories.