RNA Switches: Design & Applications

This lecture delves into the design and applications of RNA switches, exploring the principles of regulatory RNAs to engineer new biomolecular components with diverse functionalities. Topics covered include the structure of eukaryotic mRNA, translational control mechanisms, riboregulators, ribozymes, riboswitches, and ligand-guided RNA-conformational gating. The lecture also discusses the engineering of RNA molecules with new biological functions and applications, emphasizing the hijacking of natural regulatory RNA principles. Various case examples are presented, showcasing the development of engineered RNA-based gene regulatory tools. The session concludes with a focus on positive and negative selection in enzyme evolution and key take-home points.