Sequence-Independent RNA Sensing in Living Mammalian Cells.

ABSTRACT: Recently, several groups described sensors in living cells that take advantage of adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) to link the presence of an RNA (a "target transcript") to the translation of a payload from a second, exogenously introduced mRNA. These sensors share the key mechanism of editing a stop codon opposite a specific sequence motif in the target transcript, where this motif requirement is dictated by ADAR's strong sequence preference. This constrains sensor design and precludes the sensing of short sequences that lack such motifs, often essential for key applications such as sensing viral RNAs and differentiating splice isoforms. Here we address this limitation with modular RNA sensors using adenosine deaminases acting on RNA ("modulADAR"). ModulADAR features two key ele

SUBMITTER: Kolber NS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12458216 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature