MIT News breed · Wetenschap

New method allows scientists to follow gene activity over time in the same cells

Researchers at the Broad Institute and MIT have developed a novel technique that enables scientists to monitor gene activity in living cells without destroying them. This "cellular self-reporting" method uses engineered virus-like particles to allow cells to release their RNA, providing a dynamic view of genetic activity over time.

Traditional methods for studying a cell's transcriptome, or all its RNA, require killing the cell, offering only a single snapshot of its genetic activity. The new approach, described in the journal Cell, involves cells packaging their RNA into virus-like particles, which are then released into the surrounding culture medium. Scientists can sample this medium repeatedly to track changes in gene expression as cells mature or respond to stimuli.

The development of this method was inspired by retroviruses and took over a decade. The researchers engineered mammalian cells to produce a retroviral protein that encapsulates cellular RNA, forming particles that bud off the cell membrane. These particles are then collected from the medium for RNA sequencing, allowing for non-destructive analysis.

The team demonstrated the method's versatility across various cell types, including immortalized human cells, cancer cell lines, stem cells, neuronal cells, and primary cells from donors. They also successfully applied it to co-cultures of different cell types and to three-dimensional cell structures like spheroids and organ-on-a-chip devices, observing transcriptional changes in response to stimulation and identifying differences in gene expression related to tissue formation.

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