Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
08:53
Synthesis, Functionalization, and Characterization of Fusogenic Porous Silicon Nanoparticles for Oligonucleotide Delivery
Published on: April 16, 2019
Gene regulation with polyvalent siRNA-nanoparticle conjugates
David A Giljohann1, Dwight S Seferos, Andrew E Prigodich
1Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|January 28, 2009
Summary
We developed novel RNA-gold nanoparticle conjugates for RNA interference (RNAi). These nanoparticles enhance RNA stability and cellular uptake, leading to effective gene knockdown without transfection agents.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Molecular Biology
- Bioconjugation
Background:
- RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful gene silencing mechanism.
- Delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) remains a challenge for therapeutic applications.
- Gold nanoparticles offer a versatile platform for drug delivery and bioconjugation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize polyvalent RNA-gold nanoparticle conjugates (RNA-Au NPs).
- To design RNA-Au NPs for enhanced stability and efficient cellular uptake in the RNAi pathway.
- To evaluate the gene knockdown capability of RNA-Au NPs in a cellular model.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of gold nanoparticles functionalized with synthetic RNA oligonucleotides.
- Characterization of RNA-Au NPs for surface loading and stability.
- Assessment of cellular uptake and gene silencing efficacy in vitro.
Main Results:
- Synthesized RNA-Au NPs exhibited high surface loading of siRNA duplexes.
- Conjugates demonstrated a six-fold longer half-life compared to free dsRNA.
- RNA-Au NPs facilitated cellular entry without transfection agents, achieving significant gene knockdown.
Conclusions:
- Polyvalent RNA-Au NPs are a promising delivery platform for RNAi therapeutics.
- The developed nanoparticles overcome key limitations of free siRNA delivery.
- RNA-Au NPs show potential for effective gene silencing applications.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:23RNA Interference
RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
02:30siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, are short regulatory RNA molecules that can silence genes post-transcriptionally, as well as the transcriptional level in some cases. siRNAs are important for protecting cells against viral infections and silencing transposable genetic elements.
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
01:23Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps
The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the addition of a...
02:15Experimental RNAi
RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...
01:29Translational Regulation
Translational regulation in prokaryotes ensures efficient protein synthesis by controlling ribosome access to mRNA. This regulation is mediated by secondary RNA structures, including translational riboswitches, RNA thermometers, and small RNAs (sRNAs), which respond to intracellular and environmental signals to modulate gene expression.Translational RiboswitchesRiboswitches in the leader region of mRNAs can regulate translation by altering the accessibility of the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence,...