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We hypothesize that stress-induced RNA structural changes, stabilized by RNA-binding proteins in biomolecular condensates, propagate via conformational catalysis in a prion-like manner across generations. Our model suggests that RNA structure encodes heritable memory, and its roles should be explored in epigenetic inheritance, evolutionary adaptation and disease.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01736-4 | DOI Listing |
EMBO Mol Med
September 2025
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, 100071, Beijing, China.
Traditional live attenuated vaccines (LAVs) are typically developed through serial passaging or genetic engineering to introduce specific mutations or deletions. While viral RNA secondary or tertiary structures have been well-documented for their multiple functions, including binding with specific host proteins, their potential for LAV design remains largely unexplored. Herein, using Zika virus (ZIKV) as a model, we demonstrate that targeted disruption of the primary sequence or tertiary structure of a specific viral RNA element responsible for Musashi-1 (MSI1) binding leads to a tissue-specific attenuation phenotype in multiple animal models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Biotechnol
September 2025
Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
RNA-protein interactions critically regulate gene expression and cellular processes, yet their comprehensive mapping remains challenging due to their structural diversity. We introduce PRIM-seq (protein-RNA interaction mapping by sequencing), a method for concurrent de novo identification of RNA-binding proteins and their associated RNAs. PRIM-seq generates unique chimeric DNA sequences by proximity ligation of RNAs with protein-linked DNA barcodes, which are subsequently decoded through sequencing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe genus Flapocephalus Deshmukh, 1979, is a little-known group of lecanicephalidean cestodes parasitizing cowtail rays (genus Pastinachus Rüppell) mainly in the Indo-Pacific region. Since the erection of the genus, with Flapocephalus trygonis Deshmukh, 1979, as the type species, and the description of a second species, Flapocephalus saurashtri Shinde and Deshmukh, 1979, both from Pastinachus sephen (Fabricius) from India, reports of this genus have been restricted mainly to brief mentions or discussion of its validity and taxonomic placement. More recently, phylogenetic analyses based on molecular sequence data that included specimens of Flapocephalus have supported Flapocephalus as a distinct genus allied with the Polypocephalidae Meggitt, 1924.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Drug Deliv Rev
September 2025
Biochemistry, CUNY Graduate Center, The City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States; Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, CUNY Graduate Center, The City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States; Chemistry, CUNY Gradua
Targeted drug delivery significantly enhances therapeutic efficacy across various diseases, particularly in cancer treatments, where conventional approaches such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy often cause severe side effects. In this context, nucleic acid aptamers-short, single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides capable of binding specific targets with high affinity-have emerged as promising tools for precision drug delivery and therapy. Aptamers can be selected against whole, living cells using SELEX and chemically modified for diverse applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVet Microbiol
September 2025
Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Shanghai 200240, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou Unive
Bovine coronavirus (BCoV), a member of the Betacoronavirus genus, causes severe calf gastroenteritis and respiratory disease, resulting in a significant loss of livestock. Coronavirus non-structural protein 14 (nsp14) is involved in viral RNA replication and modification and subverts host immune regulatory pathways to facilitate immune evasion. In this study, we demonstrated that BCoV nsp14 mediates TNF receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3) degradation through the coordinated targeting of the ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagy-lysosomal pathways, thereby potentiating viral replication.
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