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Australian Researchers Crack Code To Edit/Delete Defective RNA

RNA-binding PPR proteins could revolutionize the way we treat disease.  Their secret is their versatility — they can find and bind a specific RNA molecule, and have the capacity to correct it if it is defective, or destroy it if it is detrimental. They can also help ramp up production of proteins required for growth and development.

The new paper in PLOS Genetics describes for the first time how PPR proteins recognize their RNA targets via an easy-to-understand code.  This mechanism mimics the simplicity and predictability of pairing between DNA strands, but at a protein/RNA interface.

“Many PPR proteins are vitally important, but we don’t know what they do.  Now we’ve cracked the code, we can find out,” said Australian ARC Centre for Excellence in Plant Energy Biology Director Ian Small.

“What’s more, we can now design our own synthetic proteins to target any RNA sequence we choose. This should allow us to control the expression of genes in new ways that just weren’t available before.  The potential is really exciting.”

(via Molecular code for destroying/correcting defective RNA cracked | KurzweilAI)