Small RNAs hit a new target: Modulation of gene expression by targeting the non-coding sequences downstream from a gene.

The University of Texas researchers have recently discovered that small synthetic RNAs (sRNAs) that are complementary to sequences located 3'-outside of genes can efficiently modulate gene expression. These new findings significantly expand the transcription-regulatory potential of sRNAs, and they also may provide useful leads for other artificial nucleobase oligomers to target sequences beyond the 3' termini of mRNA.