Synthetic small RNAs: Current status, challenges, and opportunities.

Abstract

Small regulatory RNAs act at the levels of transcription, posttranscription, and translation, with numerous roles that include binding to protein targets, protein modification, binding to messenger RNA targets, and regulation of gene expression. We discuss the development of a number of riboregulators and riboswitches, highlighting their use in metabolic engineering and genetic control. Riboregulators and riboswitches are self-assembled RNA molecules that can dynamically change their conformation, acting as regulatory switches that affect biological changes. They have currently been designed, characterized, and implemented in a wide range of organisms and cell types, including bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells. We have identified and examined the recent advances in RNA synthetic biology, underlining the potential future development of their use and capabilities, noting how these can be ultimately expanded and improved into novel biotechnological, biomedical, and industrial applications.