Analysis of mechanisms of circular RNA translation in eukaryotic systems

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14357
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 37030:Chemical biology-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Abe Naoko 名古屋大学, 理学研究科, 特任助教 (70772119)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 環状RNA / 翻訳反応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

1. Sequence dependence of the circular RNA translation was revealed. 2. It was shown that the translation efficiency of linear mRNA having a pseudocyclic structure was improved. 3. A synthetic method of chemically linking circular RNA was examined, and it was shown that mRNA containing unnatural linkage could be translated. 4. The mRNA in which the phosphorothioate modification was introduced in the 5'untranslated region in a limited manner greatly improved the translation activity in the E. coli cell-free translation system. This indicates that the introduction of position-specific chemical modification is an effective method for improving the translational activity of RNA.

Free Research Field

核酸化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来起こりにくいと考えられてきた環状RNAの翻訳反応が起こりうること、塩基配列が翻訳効率に与える影響について検証し明らかにした。mRNAを医薬品として用いるに際しその安定性向上や翻訳能向上が必要であり、そのための方法論を多角的に検証した。その結果、今後の核酸医薬品の開発に役立つ知見を得た。