Grant: Alliance Grants

Imagine an RNA molecule that could both detect a disease within the body and initiate a treatment in response. Our work is geared towards making such a scientific feat more attainable. In this research project, we aim to develop controllable, multifunctional RNA molecules inspired by evolutionary mechanisms. This project is grounded in understanding a critical yet complex phenomenon that has facilitated the course of evolution: the subspecialization of genetic functions. In nature, genes or molecules often serve multiple roles before being duplicated and specializing in specific functions. Our team is creating algorithms based on evolutionary theory to generate new RNA sequences capable of performing multiple roles. These sequences will then undergo in vitro testing to confirm their multifunctionality. We have two main objectives: to create innovative molecular tools for various applications in synthetic biology, and to contribute to a better understanding of the evolutionary mechanisms that allow the emergence and preservation of complex biological functions. To achieve these aims, we have assembled a multidisciplinary team of experts in algorithmic design, evolutionary biology, and in vitro experimentation. The project is structured around three major objectives: to develop algorithms for the reconstruction of non-coding RNA sequences, to create experimental methods for their in vitro duplication and specialization, and finally, to design multifunctional RNA molecules. This project fits into a broader context aimed at understanding the genotype-phenotype duality in RNA sequences, how it has evolved, and how it can be harnessed for the design of new materials and technologies. The expected outcomes will provide significant contributions to multiple fields, including synthetic biology, RNA structure prediction, ancestral reconstruction, and evolutionary molecular biology.