New fluorescent tag called Corn paves way for better understanding of heart disease

Researchers are reporting development of a new fluorescent tag or marker that will allow scientists to view hidden RNA molecules in cells to better understand their location and function in disease processes. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a key molecule that helps translate genes into proteins. The new RNA tag, which they call ‘Corn’ because it causes the RNA structures to emit a yellow glow, will help scientists to better understand the formation of blood vessels, cholesterol metabolism, and other biological processes related to heart disease, they say. Their study, which appears in Nature Chemical Biology, was funded by NHLBI.