Nucleic Acid–Gold Nanoparticle Conjugates as Mimics of microRNA

Novel conjugates of gold nanoparticles functionalized with synthetic microRNAs can enter cells without the aid of cationic co-carriers and mimic the function of endogenous microRNAs. These conjugates can regulate multiple proteins through interactions with the 3′ untranslated region of the target messenger RNA and control cell behavior. The conjugates are promising new tools for studying microRNA function and are candidates for microRNA replacement therapies.