Researchers from Heidelberg University have successfully designed RNA-based cytoskeleton structures, paving the way for self-assembling synthetic cells with promising applications in biotechnology, diagnostics, and therapeutic development.

RNA Structures Advance Synthetic Biology

Advancing Synthetic Biology Through RNA Engineering

In a groundbreaking study, researchers have successfully produced cytoskeleton-like structures from RNA, marking a pivotal advancement towards the field of synthetic biology. This innovation, detailed in a publication by Heidelberg University in Nature Nanotechnology, holds promise for the development of synthetic cells, which could have wide-ranging applications in research, diagnostics, and therapeutics [1].

The Concept of RNA Origami

RNA and DNA molecules play critical roles in biological systems by carrying genetic information necessary for protein synthesis. However, their inherent properties also lend them as excellent building materials for synthetic structures. This concept isn’t new; nature has utilized ribosomes, which are partially composed of RNA, for countless years.