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Cell signalling

RNA device rewires cellular networks

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 12, page 5 (2011)Cite this article

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At the heart of the new device is an RNA aptamer, an RNA molecule that alters its conformation and function upon binding to a particular protein ligand. In the new study, an RNA aptamer is inserted into the intron of a three-exon minigene. On binding of the aptamer to a cellular factor, the RNA alters its conformation, and in so doing affects the alternative splicing of the middle exon of the minigene. This splicing event has crucial consequences: the middle exon contains a stop codon, and so its removal leads to the upregulation of an output gene that is under the control of the minigene product. This sensor–actuator construct therefore has the potential to link changes in intracellular protein concentration (via the sensor module, represented by the aptamer) to gene expression changes (via the actuator minigene and the output gene).

RNA is an apt molecule for such devices, given its versatile sensing functions and the ease with which RNA molecules can be designed.

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References

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Culler, S. J., Hoff, K. G. & Smolke, C. D. Reprogramming cellular behavior with RNA controllers responsive to endogenous proteins. Science 330, 1251–1255 (2010)

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FURTHER READING

  1. Khalil, A. S. & Collins, J. J. Synthetic biology: applications come of age. Nature Rev. Genet. 11, 367–379 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lim, W. A. Designing customized cell signalling circuits. Nature Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 11, 393–403 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Senior Editor, Nature Reviews Genetics,

    Tanita Casci

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  1. Tanita Casci
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Casci, T. RNA device rewires cellular networks. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 12, 5 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm3034

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