The Use of Antisense

A number of different chemical modifications of the basic RNA antisense have shown promise in the lab and in animal test systems, 

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A newer, highly experimental approach to anxiety therapy is the use of antisense oligonucleotides to the anxiogenic peptide, NPY (44). 

A selective method of preventing the expression of adhesion molecules or cytokines is the use of antisense oligonucleotides. These oligonucleotides are short sequences of nucleic acids complementary to mRNA sequences of specific proteins of interest. If delivered to the cytoplasmic compartment of cells these oligonucleotides are able to form a complex with their target mRNA. In this way the translation of mRNA into protein by ribosomes is inhibited. The subsequent mRNA degradation by RNAse H results in reduced expression of the protein (see also Chapter 5 for a description of antisense ohgonucleotides as therapeutic modalities). 

Methods for the manipulation of gene expression are now available which should open avenues for the production of increased phenolics through the overexpression of specific genes (Lagrimini et al., 1990), the reduced production of end products through the use of antisense RNA or sense RNA strategies (Smith et al., 1988, 1990), or the production of novel chemical structures through the insertion of enzymes which can use the phenolic substances as precursors, but are not normally found in the plant of choice. 

Genes encoding enzymes involved in starch biosynthesis or other relevant pathways (e.g., synthesis of sucrose) can be used for the overexpression of enzyme activity, as described in this chapter for ADPGlc PPase. Another approach is the use of antisense (complementary) DNA or RNA to decrease gene expression, a good way to assess the role of an enzyme and whether it limits the rate of the overall pathway. 

A totally different approach to the design of antiviral therapeutics is the use of antisense oligonucleotides. Here, the mechanistic target for intervention is... 

A second general scheme for developing genetic-sexing, which perhaps has more potential, is the use of antisense RNA to disrupt... 

Several techniques are now available to change the genetic information in plant cells transformation with Agrobacterium spp., direct DNA injection, and protoplast fusion. Novel techniques in molecular biology have found rapid application in plant cell biotechnology, as, for example, the use of antisense DNA 9,120,121). 

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