Discovery of MicroRNA Wins 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology for Gene Regulation Breakthrough
DA Gadgets 
An
unexpected
discovery
concerning
gene
regulation
has
earned
Victor
Ambros
from
the
University
of
Massachusetts
Chan
Medical
School
and
Gary
Ruvkun
from
Harvard
Medical
School
the
2024
Nobel
Prize
in
physiology
or
medicine.
The
duo’s
research
identified
small
RNA
segments,
known
as
microRNAs,
which
play
a
significant
role
in
regulating
protein
production
in
the
body.
This
discovery,
originating
from
their
work
with
a
tiny
worm,
has
provided
crucial
insights
into
biological
processes
linked
to
health
and
disease.
MicroRNA’s
Role
in
Gene
Regulation
MicroRNAs
are
tiny
RNA
molecules
that
help
regulate
gene
expression
by
affecting
the
production
of
proteins.
In
this
process,
microRNAs
latch
onto
messenger
RNA
(mRNA),
which
carries
instructions
from
DNA
to
make
proteins.
By
clinging
to
mRNA,
microRNAs
prevent
the
translation
of
those
instructions,
reducing
the
amount
of
protein
produced.
Instead
of
acting
as
an
on/off
switch,
these
molecules
function
more
like
dimmers,
subtly
reducing
protein
production.
Early
Discoveries
in
Worms
Ambros
and
Ruvkun’s
research
began
in
Caenorhabditis
elegans,
a
small,
transparent
worm.
Their
focus
was
on
two
genes,
lin-4
and
lin-14,
which
played
a
key
role
in
the
worm’s
development.
Ambros
initially
discovered
a
small
RNA
segment
associated
with
the
lin-4
gene.
It
turned
out
to
be
the
first
identified
microRNA.
Ruvkun
later
demonstrated
that
the
lin-4
microRNA
binds
to
the
mRNA
of
the
lin-14
gene,
reducing
the
production
of
its
corresponding
protein.
Impact
on
Human
Health
MicroRNAs
were
initially
thought
to
be
specific
to
worms,
but
subsequent
research
revealed
they
are
present
across
the
animal
kingdom,
including
humans.
This
discovery
has
opened
up
new
avenues
of
research
into
how
these
small
RNAs
impact
human
health,
with
potential
applications
in
treating
diseases
like
cancer,
heart
disease,
and
neurodegenerative
conditions.
