The "light-up" RNA aptamer-Hoechst pair can be used as a fluorescent tag to monitor transcription processes.

No abstract

Here is presented a concept for in vitro selection of suppressor tRNAs. It uses a pool of dsDNA templates in compartmentalized water-in-oil micelles. The template contains a transcription/translation trigger, an amber stop codon, and another transcription trigger for the anticodon- or anticodon loop-randomized gene for tRNASer. Upon transcription are generated two types of RNAs, a tRNA and a translatable mRNA (mRNA-tRNA). When the tRNA suppresses the stop codon (UAG) of the mRNA, the full-length protein obtained upon translation remains attached to the mRNA (read-through ribosome display) that contains the sequence of the tRNA. In this way, the active suppressor tRNAs can be selected (amplified) and their sequences read out. The enriched anticodon (CUA) was complementary to the UAG stop codon and the enriched anticodon-loop was the same as that in the natural tRNASer.

We developed a new fluorescent pH indicator from a common Hoechst 33258 fluorescent dye. Unlike the parent compound, the improved Hoechst probe, wherein two methyl substituents were introduced into the terminal phenol ring, is fluorescent in an aqueous solution at neutral pH, and showed a unidirectional wavelength shift in the fluorescence emission spectra on lowering the pH. Thus, the probe can be used as a blue/green color-changing fluorescent pH indicator in an acidic range.

Recently, the authors determined the partial sequence of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) from the mandrill (SIVMND) and found SIVMND to be a new member of the HIV/SIV group, equidistant from other members, including SIVAGM. Experimentally, the African green monkey and cynomolgus monkey could be infected with SIVAGM and the cottontop tamarin with SIVMND. However, no clinical sign of an AIDS‐like disease was observed in these monkeys.