In vivo production of RNA nanostructures via programmed folding of single-stranded RNAs

Mo Li, Mengxi Zheng, Siyu Wu, Cheng Tian, Di Liu, Yossi Weizmann, Wen Jiang, Guansong Wang () and Chengde Mao ()
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Mo Li: Purdue University
Mengxi Zheng: Purdue University
Siyu Wu: Purdue University
Cheng Tian: Purdue University
Di Liu: University of Chicago
Yossi Weizmann: University of Chicago
Wen Jiang: Purdue University
Guansong Wang: Xinqiao Hospital
Chengde Mao: Purdue University

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Programmed self-assembly of nucleic acids is a powerful approach for nano-constructions. The assembled nanostructures have been explored for various applications. However, nucleic acid assembly often requires chemical or in vitro enzymatical synthesis of DNA or RNA, which is not a cost-effective production method on a large scale. In addition, the difficulty of cellular delivery limits the in vivo applications. Herein we report a strategy that mimics protein production. Gene-encoded DNA duplexes are transcribed into single-stranded RNAs, which self-fold into well-defined RNA nanostructures in the same way as polypeptide chains fold into proteins. The resulting nanostructure contains only one component RNA molecule. This approach allows both in vitro and in vivo production of RNA nanostructures. In vivo synthesized RNA strands can fold into designed nanostructures inside cells. This work not only suggests a way to synthesize RNA nanostructures on a large scale and at a low cost but also facilitates the in vivo applications.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04652-4

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