Scientists discover new gene expression mechanism with possible role in human disease
(PHYSorg.com Biology)

When cells grow and divide to ensure a biological function-such as a properly working organ-DNA must be unwound from its typical tightly packed form and copied into RNA to create proteins. When this process goes awry-if too little or too much RNA is produced-then the result could be diseases such as cancers. UNC School of Medicine researchers have discovered that a protein called Spt6, previously known to have a key role in making RNA and repackaging DNA after RNA copying, also facilitates RNA degradation so that cells have just the right amount of RNA for the creation of proteins.