Millipore has launched its new Magna RIP RNA binding protein imuno precipitation kit to provide a complete solution for the entire RIP workflow. With this kit, any researcher, even those inexperienced in RNA purification, can investigate the dynamics of ribonucleoprotein assembly as it occurs inside the cell.

Cells respond to stimuli by altering gene expression, and RNA-protein complexes drive almost all processes regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, including splicing, nuclear export, mRNA stability, and translation.

Therefore, understanding gene regulation depends on characterizing the changes in RNA binding in these various processes. Traditionally, RNA-protein interactions have been identified by screening libraries in yeast, bacteria, or by in vitro selection, all confounded by system limitations, biases, or artifacts. In contrast, data obtained from RIP shows increased biological relevance, enabling researchers to achieve their goals more quickly.

"We know that an RNA binding protein can bind different RNA targets depending on physiological context," said Dr Robert Nakamura, CEO, Advanced Genetic Systems, a biotechnology company validating RNA-protein complexes as therapeutic targets. "By isolating intact complexes from cells, we can identify the specific interactions between molecules, and potentially disrupt these interactions for therapeutic benefits," he added.

The RIP application can be viewed as the RNA-based analog of the more well-known ChIP application (chromatin immuno precipitation), which identifies DNA targets of DNA-binding proteins. RIP involves immuno precipitating proteins, then purifying and characterizing their associated RNAs. Because of the heightened awareness of RNA's role in gene regulation, the development of higher throughput RNA identification methods, the validation of more antibodies against RNA-binding proteins, and now the availability of RIP kits, the pace of RIP-based research is expected to accelerate.

Millipore's Magna RIP kit contains all the reagents needed to quantitatively isolate RNA-protein complexes with full-length, intact RNAs. Reagents include protein A/G magnetic beads optimized to bind nucleic acid-protein immune complexes, RNAse inhibitors, RNAse-free buffers, and positive and negative controls. Millipore also offers specially designed RIPAb+ validated antibody/primer sets, RIP-validated antibodies, and over 80 other antibodies recognizing RBPs.