Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have shown to effectively down-regulate gene expression in human cells, giving them potential to eradicate disease. Prospects for clinical applications are discussed in this review, along with an overview of recent history and our current understanding of siRNAs used for therapeutic application in human diseases, such as cancer and viral infections. Over recent years, progress has been made in lipids, ligands, nanoparticles, polymers and viral vectors as delivery agents and for gene-based expression of siRNA to enhance the efficacy and specificity of these methods while at the same time reducing toxicity. It has become apparent that given the recent advances in chemistry and delivery, RNAi will soon prove to be an important and widely used therapeutic modality.

We have obtained precatalytic (enzyme–substrate complex) and postcatalytic (enzyme–product complex) crystal structures of an active full-length hammerhead RNA that cleaves in the crystal. Using the natural satellite tobacco ringspot virus hammerhead RNA sequence, the self-cleavage reaction was modulated by substituting the general base of the ribozyme, G12, with A12, a purine variant with a much lower pKa that does not significantly perturb the ribozyme's atomic structure. The active, but slowly cleaving, ribozyme thus permitted isolation of enzyme–substrate and enzyme–product complexes without modifying the nucleophile or leaving group of the cleavage reaction, nor any other aspect of the substrate. The predissociation enzyme-product complex structure reveals RNA and metal ion interactions potentially relevant to transition-state stabilization that are absent in precatalytic structures.

The Chemistry Department at Sonoma State University teaches two upper division capstone laboratory courses as culminating experiences for our BS chemistry and biochemistry majors. The courses share complementary learning experiences and have student learning objectives (SLOs) of literature competency, experimental design, development of communication and group work skills, and development of standard lab techniques. During spring semester 2020, this course had to abruptly pivot to online learning, and this communication shares that journey and lessons learned, specifically that students can learn a great deal about experimental planning and protocols online, but lab technique development and connections cannot be replaced.

This publication describes a method for the quantification by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of resinous compounds known as α-acids found in freshly harvested, unprocessed hops. This method provides consistent, efficient, and accurate results as well as the theories and rationale involved in HPLC method development. A system of quality checks was utilized as well as the validation of numerous developmental variables. By starting with a theoretical approach in preparation, extraction, and instrumental techniques and then further developing these practices by experimentation, a reproducible method was developed. Following the validation, fresh cascade hops grown in Sonoma County were analyzed during the 2017 harvest season and found to be within the predicted range specific to this cultivar. This method encompasses the techniques necessary to analyze fresh or dried hops, considering variability between different laboratories.

Current cancer therapies such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can leave residual tumor cells and have off‐target effects. Aptamers are used in a type of targeted cancer therapy that more precisely identify and attack cancer cells, while leaving unaffected cells unharmed. In B‐cell malignancies, such as non‐Hodgkins lymphoma, there is increased expression of B‐cell activating factor (BAFF) and its receptor (BAFF‐R). Upon binding to its receptor, BAFF increases B‐cell proliferation and survival, allowing cancer cells to proliferate faster than normal B‐cells. An RNA aptamer has been identified that binds BAFF‐R with high specificity and affinity, blocking BAFF binding. The aptamer has also been shown to successfully deliver therapeutic siRNA that is taken up by the cell and causes significant knock down of its mRNA. The objective of this study is to identify the essential nucleotides and amino acids required for interaction between BAFF‐R and its RNA aptamer by synthesizing and purifying the RNA aptamer using PCR and in vitro transcription, and synthesizing and purifying WT BAFF‐R and mutants. Gel‐shift assays and RNase protection assays will be used to identify amino acids of BAFF‐R and the nucleotides of its RNA aptamer that are key for their interaction. This contribution is significant because it will provide the details that allow for fine‐tune engineering of aptamers to be used in target cancer therapies, thus improving quality of life and more successful clinical outcomes for patients will B‐cell malignancies. The proposed research is innovative, in our opinion, because this is a new way to target B‐cells that is currently underdeveloped and therefore under utilized.