Efficient RNA extraction is critical for all downstream molecular applications and techniques. Despite the availability of several commercial kits, there is an enormous scope to develop novel materials that have high binding and elution capacities. Here we show that RNA from the cells can be extracted by dendritic fibrous nanosilica (DFNS) with higher efficiency than commercially available silica. This could be because of the unique fibrous morphology, high accessible surface area, and nano-size particles of DFNS. We studied various fundamental aspects, including the role of particle size, morphology, surface area, and charge on silica surface on RNA extraction efficiency. Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies revealed the interaction of functional groups of the RNA with the silica surface, causing selective binding. Due to the sustainable synthesis protocol of DFNS, the simplicity of various buffers and washing solutions used, this RNA extraction kits can be assembled in any lab. In addition to the fundamental aspects of DFNS-RNA interactions, this study has the potential to initiate the development of indigenous DFNS based kits for RNA extraction.

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Starvation and refeeding are mostly unanticipated in the wild in terms of duration, frequency, and nutritional value of the refed state. Notwithstanding this, organisms mount efficient and reproducible responses to restore metabolic homeostasis. Hence, it is intuitive to invoke expectant molecular mechanisms that build anticipatory responses to enable physiological toggling during fed-fast cycles. In this regard, we report anticipatory biogenesis of oscillatory hepatic microRNAs, which were earlier shown to peak during a fed state to inhibit starvation-responsive genes. Results presented in this study clearly demonstrate that the levels of primary and precursor microRNA transcripts increase during a fasting state, in anticipation of a fed response. We delineate the importance of both metabolic inputs and circadian cues in orchestrating microRNA homeostasis in a physiological setting, using the most prominent hepatic fed-miRNAs as candidates. Besides illustrating the metabo-endocrine control, our findings provide a mechanistic basis for the overarching influence of starvation on anticipatory biogenesis. Importantly, by employing pharmacological agents that are widely used in the clinics, we point out the high potential of interventions to restore homeostasis of hepatic microRNAs, whose deregulated expression is otherwise well established to cause metabolic diseases.