01
Current
What is RNA?
RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a biological polymer made from nucleotide building blocks. In nature, RNA plays essential roles in gene expression, protein synthesis, gene regulation, and cellular signaling. RNA is more than a genetic messenger — it is a programmable nanoscale building material. Because RNA strands can be designed to fold, bind, and self-assemble through predictable base-pairing interactions, RNA can be engineered into functional molecular nanorobots with defined size, shape, and purpose for carrying therapeutic cargo.
02
Current
How Is RNA Synthesized?
RNA can be produced using both chemical synthesis and enzymatic in vitro transcription, enabling the generation of custom RNA strands across a wide range of lengths and modifications. Chemically synthesized RNA (stable for up to ~80 structural building blocks) can be prepared with site-specific modifications, fluorophores, ligands, and other functional groups. For longer RNAs, DNA templates are transcribed enzymatically. Specific modified nucleotides can be incorporated during transcription to improve RNA stability and nuclease resistance.
03
Current
How Is RNA Purified?
RNA purification involves removing enzymes, salts, unincorporated nucleotides, degraded fragments, and other synthesis byproducts. Methods are chosen based on RNA length, modifications, purity requirements, and intended use. Common approaches include denaturing PAGE for high-resolution purification, HPLC for scalable separation of impurities, and size-exclusion chromatography for RNA nanoparticles and larger assemblies.
04
Current
What QC Methods Are Used?
For synthesized RNA strands, QC may include gel electrophoresis, HPLC and LCMS analysis, UV or fluorescence-based quantification, and integrity assessment. For modified RNA, nuclease-resistance testing confirms enhanced stability. For RNA nanoparticles, assembly is evaluated using native gel analysis, size-distribution measurements, and reference validation data.
01
What is RNA?
RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a biological polymer made from nucleotide building blocks. In nature, RNA plays essential roles in gene expression, protein synthesis, gene regulation, and cellular signaling. RNA is more than a genetic messenger — it is a programmable nanoscale building material. Because RNA strands can be designed to fold, bind, and self-assemble through predictable base-pairing interactions, RNA can be engineered into functional molecular nanorobots with defined size, shape, and purpose for carrying therapeutic cargo.