Researchers Produce Stable RNA Nanoparticles

The emerging field of RNA nanotechnology received a boost from the recently reported development of RNase- resistant RNA nanoparticles.

Use of RNA as the basis for nanoparticle manufacture has lagged behind the use of DNA largely due to the greater susceptibility of RNA to enzymatic degradation (principally by RNase). However, investigators at the University of Cincinnati (OH, USA) have found a solution to this problem.

They reported in the December 14, 2010, online edition of the journal ACS Nano that chemically modified 2′-F (2′-fluoro) RNA was resistant to RNase digestion. The 2′-F RNA could be incorporated into nanoparticles that retained the RNA's property for correct folding in dimer formation, appropriate structure in pro-capsid binding, and its biological activity in packaging viral DNA and producing infectious viral particles.

The authors concluded that, "They had demonstrated that it is practical to produce RNase-resistant, biologically active, and stable RNA for application in nanotechnology.”

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