Surprising Discovery of Low-Noise Genes
Published:23 Nov.2023 Source:Virginia Tech
While engaging in cell division research, Silke Hauf and members of her lab made a surprisingly quiet discovery. When cells express RNA, there is always some fluctuation, or noise, in how much RNA is produced. Hauf's group found several genes whose noise dips below a previously established threshold, known as the noise floor, during expression. There are some genes that are different and can have super low noise.
Often upstaged by the more striking, well-publicized high-noise genes, Hauf and her team were intrigued by these ultra-low noise genes as they provide a window into the understanding of gene expression and gene expression noise. The discovery's importance lies in helping gain a basic understanding of how these cells do what they do. Cells can't avoid making noise, but for them to function well, the noise needs to be minimized.
Researcher Hauf is excited about understanding how these cells express in such a quiet manner and learning more about the mechanisms behind it. She also would like to find other genes in this category. "We saw these minimal fluctuations in one particular organism and cell type, but we really need to check other cells to determine if it is universal," Hauf said.