4th round of Cryptogram Challenge is open now, and in the latest version of cipher-based puzzle participants have to unravel the message coded into the image of a 96-well plate from a RNAi experiment. The contest will run from January 18 until it is solved and the first person who will solve the puzzle will receive $1,500 plus opportunity to choose one of five benchtop devices from Invitrogen. Now more about the puzzle, participants have to find a statement containing four words hidden behind the pattern of following image.

Note:

Each of the 96 blocks in the image contains two cells: one in the upper left and one in the lower right corner. All cells are expressing the gene “R” that encodes for a protein that appears red as a function of the intensity of expression. The cells in the upper left have not been exposed to an siRNA that suppresses gene R. The cells in the lower right exhibit the degree of gene R expression after transfection with a subtle dose of the specific siRNA. Just as in biology, expression of gene R varies somewhat in intensity between the cells in the upper left corners. Similarly, after siRNA transfection a variable suppression of gene R is seen among the cells in the lower right hand corners.