RNA is best known as a working copy of the DNA sequence of
genes. In this role, it’s a carrier of the genes’ instructions
to the cell, which manufactures proteins according to
information in the RNA molecule. But molecular biologists have
increasingly realized that many RNA snippets -- so-called small
RNAs -- also directly influence which genes make proteins, and
in some cases, how much protein. They’ve also found that some
small RNAs play a unique role in protecting the integrity of
genetic material. Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
(CSHL) have played a central role in these discoveries since the
beginning of the decade. In recent weeks they have published
additional findings adding to our knowledge of small RNAs,
identifying a brand new class and clarifying how a known class
acts to regulate gene activity. “It turns out that there are
more types of small RNA molecules than anyone initially
suspected,” said Gregory J. Hannon, Ph.D., CSHL professor and
pioneer in small RNA research. “And we are fin