RNA Discovery

In the three decades since RNA was first sequenced in 1975, scientists have been intrigued by how the genome relates to life, studying has been limited to looking at only one gene at a time. Now Erik Sperling GRAD ’11, a graduate student in the Yale Geology and Geophysics Department, and his colleagues have changed that. Staff reporter Rachel Gilmore investigates.

In research published Tuesday, the team reported their findings that microRNA or miRNA, single-stranded regulators of gene expression, can help us chart evolutionary history — and they used it to correct a misunderstood evolutionary fact.  (read more)