Preparation of Chemically Modified RNA Origami Nanostructures

• Published in: Chemistry : a European journal 2014-11, Vol.20 (47), p.15330-15333
• Main Authors: Endo, Masayuki, Takeuchi, Yosuke, Emura, Tomoko, Hidaka, Kumi, Sugiyama, Hiroshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: atomic force microscopy; Bundling; chemical modification; Chemistry; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Microscopy, Atomic Force; Nanostructure; nanostructures; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nucleic Acid Conformation; Ribonucleic acids; RNA; RNA - chemistry; Scaffolds; Staples; Strands; transcription; Tubes; Uridine - chemistry
• ISSN: 0947-6539; 1521-3765
• DOI: 10.1002/chem.201404084

In nucleic acid nanotechnology, designed RNA molecules are widely explored because of their usability originating from RNA’s structural and functional diversity. Herein, a method to design and prepare RNA nanostructures by employing DNA origami strategy was developed. A single‐stranded RNA scaffold and staple RNA strands were used for the formation of RNA nanostructures. After the annealing of the mixtures, 7‐helix bundled RNA tile and 6‐helix bundled RNA tube structures were observed as predesigned shapes. These nanostructures were easily functionalized by introducing chemical modification to the RNA scaffolds. The DNA origami method is extended and utilized to construct RNA nanostructures. Joining the fold: The RNA nanostructures, 7‐helix bundled tile and 6‐helix bundled tube (see figure), were prepared from a single‐stranded RNA scaffold and staple RNA strands in a similar fashion to the DNA origami design. These nanostructures were easily functionalized and their properties were changed by introduction of the chemical modification to the RNA scaffolds.