title: Using RNA as Molecular Code for Programming Cellular Function.
abstract: RNA is involved in a wide-range of important molecular processes in the cell, serving diverse functions: regulatory, enzymatic, and structural. Together with its ease and predictability of design, these properties can lead RNA to become a useful handle for biological engineers with which to control the cellular machinery. By modifying the many RNA links in cellular processes, it is possible to reprogram cells toward specific design goals. We propose that RNA can be viewed as a molecular programming language that, together with protein-based execution platforms, can be used to rewrite wide ranging aspects of cellular function. In this review, we catalogue developments in the use of RNA parts, methods, and associated computational models that have contributed to the programmability of biology. We discuss how RNA part repertoires have been combined to build complex genetic circuits, and review recent applications of RNA-based parts and circuitry. We explore the future potential of RNA engineering and posit that RNA programmability is an important resource for firmly establishing an era of rationally designed synthetic biology.
authors.affiliation: Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre (WISB) and School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick , Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K.
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kushwaha
authors.affiliation: Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre (WISB) and School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick , Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K.|iSSB, Genopole, CNRS, UEVE, Université Paris-Saclay, Évry, France.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rostain
authors.affiliation: Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre (WISB) and School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick , Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K.
authors.forename: Satya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.affiliation: Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre (WISB) and School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick , Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K.
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre (WISB) and School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick , Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K.|iSSB, Genopole, CNRS, UEVE, Université Paris-Saclay, Évry, France.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jaramillo
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D064112:Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods*; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D017393:RNA Editing; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D058928:Riboswitch; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D058928:Riboswitch; D012313:RNA