The studies mentioned are all about diving deep into the tiny building blocks of our cells, specifically focusing on molecules called nucleic acid and a special kind of molecule known as tRNA, which helps build proteins in our body. Now, why is this important? Understanding these tiny parts can help us tackle severe health issues.
MUST scientists have devised new ways to peek inside our cells and see what happens with these nucleotides, precursors of nucleic acids [1], [4]. This study could be a game changer in understanding how diseases mess up our bodies by disturbing the balance of nucleotides and how we could fix them. The same research team also lights a tiny beacon of hope in the fight against cancer [2]. They discovered that some changes in tRNA can make cancer cells more resistant to a standard chemotherapy drug. So, by understanding and maybe reversing these changes, we might stand a better chance against cancer.
Cumulating in-depth knowledge about tRNA over the years, the research team has developed a novel method to look at tRNA with a techy twist [3]. The approach gives doctors a new tool to detect and understand diseases at their very roots. The MUST research team has developed a more straightforward and faster nuclei acid mass-spectrometry (MS) method that solves the damage to instruments caused by traditional detection methods. Such a discovery significantly promotes the progress of the MS method for broader applications, including applying this method to get more clues on liver disease [5]. And now, MUST researchers can closely examine how certain diseases alter our cells. The research team has expanded their work, looking into the harmful effects of pesticide residues of a chemical used in agriculture on the human body [6]. It reveals that certain chemicals can cause severe damage at the molecular level, which we want to avoid.
All these studies are like opening new windows to understand better our body’s tiny machinery, which is crucial if we want to get better at fighting diseases and keeping ourselves healthy.
*Notes: This article provides research teasers for each reference to showcase the novelties
References
[1] Z. Li et al., “Method for Quantification of Ribonucleotides and Deoxyribonucleotides in Human Cells Using (Trimethylsilyl)diazomethane Derivatization Followed by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry,” Anal. Chem., vol. 91, no. 1, pp. 1019–1026, Jan. 2019, doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b04281.
[2] Y. Pan, T.-M. Yan, J.-R. Wang, and Z.-H. Jiang, “The nature of the modification at position 37 of tRNAPhe correlates with acquired taxol resistance,” Nucleic Acids Research, vol. 49, no. 1, pp. 38–52, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1164.
[3] T.-M. Yan, Y. Pan, M.-L. Yu, K. Hu, K.-Y. Cao, and Z.-H. Jiang, “Full-Range Profiling of tRNA Modifications Using LC–MS/MS at Single-Base Resolution through a Site-Specific Cleavage Strategy,” Anal. Chem., vol. 93, no. 3, pp. 1423–1432, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c03307.
[4] H. Zhang et al., “MTBSTFA derivatization-LC-MS/MS approach for the quantitative analysis of endogenous nucleotides in human colorectal carcinoma cells,” Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 77–86, Feb. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2021.01.001.
[5] H.-X. Zhang et al., “Selective Chemical Labeling Strategy for Oligonucleotides Determination: A First Application to Full-Range Profiling of Transfer RNA Modifications,” Anal. Chem., p. acs.analchem.2c02302, Jan. 2023, doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02302.
[6] H.-X. Zhang et al., “An integrated approach to evaluate acetamiprid-induced oxidative damage to tRNA in human cells based on oxidized nucleotide and tRNA profiling,” Environment International, vol. 178, p. 108038, Aug. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108038.
The studies mentioned are all about diving deep into the tiny building blocks of our cells, specifically focusing on molecules called nucleic acid and a special kind of molecule known as tRNA, which helps build proteins in our body. Now, why is this important? Understanding these tiny parts can help us tackle severe health issues.
MUST scientists have devised new ways to peek inside our cells and see what happens with these nucleotides, precursors of nucleic acids [1], [4]. This study could be a game changer in understanding how diseases mess up our bodies by disturbing the balance of nucleotides and how we could fix them. The same research team also lights a tiny beacon of hope in the fight against cancer [2]. They discovered that some changes in tRNA can make cancer cells more resistant to a standard chemotherapy drug. So, by understanding and maybe reversing these changes, we might stand a better chance against cancer.
Cumulating in-depth knowledge about tRNA over the years, the research team has developed a novel method to look at tRNA with a techy twist [3]. The approach gives doctors a new tool to detect and understand diseases at their very roots. The MUST research team has developed a more straightforward and faster nuclei acid mass-spectrometry (MS) method that solves the damage to instruments caused by traditional detection methods. Such a discovery significantly promotes the progress of the MS method for broader applications, including applying this method to get more clues on liver disease [5]. And now, MUST researchers can closely examine how certain diseases alter our cells. The research team has expanded their work, looking into the harmful effects of pesticide residues of a chemical used in agriculture on the human body [6]. It reveals that certain chemicals can cause severe damage at the molecular level, which we want to avoid.
All these studies are like opening new windows to understand better our body’s tiny machinery, which is crucial if we want to get better at fighting diseases and keeping ourselves healthy.
*Notes: This article provides research teasers for each reference to showcase the novelties
References
[1] Z. Li et al., “Method for Quantification of Ribonucleotides and Deoxyribonucleotides in Human Cells Using (Trimethylsilyl)diazomethane Derivatization Followed by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry,” Anal. Chem., vol. 91, no. 1, pp. 1019–1026, Jan. 2019, doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b04281.
[2] Y. Pan, T.-M. Yan, J.-R. Wang, and Z.-H. Jiang, “The nature of the modification at position 37 of tRNAPhe correlates with acquired taxol resistance,” Nucleic Acids Research, vol. 49, no. 1, pp. 38–52, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1164.
[3] T.-M. Yan, Y. Pan, M.-L. Yu, K. Hu, K.-Y. Cao, and Z.-H. Jiang, “Full-Range Profiling of tRNA Modifications Using LC–MS/MS at Single-Base Resolution through a Site-Specific Cleavage Strategy,” Anal. Chem., vol. 93, no. 3, pp. 1423–1432, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c03307.
[4] H. Zhang et al., “MTBSTFA derivatization-LC-MS/MS approach for the quantitative analysis of endogenous nucleotides in human colorectal carcinoma cells,” Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 77–86, Feb. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2021.01.001.
[5] H.-X. Zhang et al., “Selective Chemical Labeling Strategy for Oligonucleotides Determination: A First Application to Full-Range Profiling of Transfer RNA Modifications,” Anal. Chem., p. acs.analchem.2c02302, Jan. 2023, doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02302.
[6] H.-X. Zhang et al., “An integrated approach to evaluate acetamiprid-induced oxidative damage to tRNA in human cells based on oxidized nucleotide and tRNA profiling,” Environment International, vol. 178, p. 108038, Aug. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108038.
