A renaissance in RNA synthetic biology: new mechanisms, applications and tools for the future

James Chappell; Kyle E Watters; Melissa K Takahashi; Julius B Lucks

doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2015.05.018

A renaissance in RNA synthetic biology: new mechanisms, applications and tools for the future

Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2015 Oct:28:47-56. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2015.05.018. Epub 2015 Jun 18.

Authors

James Chappell¹, Kyle E Watters¹, Melissa K Takahashi¹, Julius B Lucks²

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.
² School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States. Electronic address: jblucks@cornell.edu.

PMID: 26093826
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2015.05.018

Abstract

Since our ability to engineer biological systems is directly related to our ability to control gene expression, a central focus of synthetic biology has been to develop programmable genetic regulatory systems. Researchers are increasingly turning to RNA regulators for this task because of their versatility, and the emergence of new powerful RNA design principles. Here we review advances that are transforming the way we use RNAs to engineer biological systems. First, we examine new designable RNA mechanisms that are enabling large libraries of regulators with protein-like dynamic ranges. Next, we review emerging applications, from RNA genetic circuits to molecular diagnostics. Finally, we describe new experimental and computational tools that promise to accelerate our understanding of RNA folding, function and design.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Base Sequence
Computers, Molecular
Gene Expression Regulation
Gene Regulatory Networks
Genetic Engineering / methods
Humans
RNA / chemistry*
RNA / genetics*
RNA Folding
Synthetic Biology / methods*

Substances

RNA