The discovery of small RNAs that have regulatory effects on gene expression has excited researchers to further characterise the function of these molecules in molecular processes and as possible tools in drug discovery.
One common way to examine these small RNAs, either siRNAs or miRNAs, is to analyse them on a microarray. Due to their small size, these RNA molecules prove very difficult to label via the enzymatic reactions common to NHS-ester chemistry.
Kreatech's miRacULS miRNA isolation and labelling kit provides a solution to isolate and label miRNAs as well as siRNAs. A 30-minute column-based isolation is followed by a one step, 15 minute; direct labelling without the need for enzymes.
This kit also includes the proprietary KREApure purification columns. These columns were developed to specifically remove unreacted ULS reagent from the labelling reaction.
The KREApure columns have no affinity for nucleic acids and for this reason the recovery is extremely high as fragments of all sizes flow through, making it ideal for work with miRNA samples.
"Our miRacULS miRNA isolation and labelling kit expands our product offering for microarray based miRNA and siRNA analysis. By supplying to the market the first combined isolation and labelling kit we provide our customers with convenient, rapid and reproducible kits to carry out their miRNA experiments," said Brent Keller, General Manager of Kreatech USA and VP Commercial Operations.
The market for gene expression analysis is dominated by three distinct technologies: microarray analysis, quantitative real time PCR (qPCR) and RNA interference (RNAi).
Though estimates vary greatly, the market for tools that aid in studying genetic expression figures in the billions every year.
According to Frost and Sullivan, pre-made commercial microarrays, supplies for self-printed microarrays, and microarray analysis software brought in revenues worth $596 million in 2003. That figure is estimated to grow to $937 million by 2010, representing an annual growth rate of 6.7 per cent.
Efforts to understand the genome have recently received a big boost from the refinement of RNA inhibition, in which exogenous double-stranded DNA introduced into a cell undergoes a natural process to silence expression of the mRNA with a complementary sequence.
Worldwide, the RNAi market brought in revenues of $48 million in 2003. With an annual growth rate of 31.5 per cent, the market expects to bring in $358 million by 2010.
At that point, use of RNAi for target validation is estimated to generate $146.4 million with its use in basic research bringing in $97.6 million. Over the long term, the purchase of RNA oligonucleotides is estimated to generate 56 per cent of the market while vector-based siRNA may be responsible for 18 per cent.
The miRacULS miRNA Isolation and Labelling kit is available with the ULS labelling molecule bound to Cy3 and Cy5 dyes licensed from GE Healthcare.
Since the ULS labelling technology is a non-enzymatic labelling reaction whose labelling efficiency is independent of fragment size, the power of the ULS labelling technology is its ability to label any and all sizes of naturally occurring nucleic acids without the need of enzymes.
Kreatech's ULS technology relies on the binding properties of platinum, to form coordinative bonds with biomolecules by binding to specific sites on DNA, RNA and proteins.
In this way, ULS acts as "molecular glue" for DNA, RNA and proteins. As a result of its versatility, customers have a choice of the molecular label attached to the ULS they can use to label the biomolecules of interest.