About this Research Topic
Studying RNA is of great importance. RNA molecules are no longer seen as passive elements transferring the genetic information from DNA into proteins but are involved in almost all aspects of cell physiology as well as disease development. The functional diversity of RNA comes from its structural richness which rivals that of proteins. Although it is a single-stranded polymer composed of only four nucleotides, RNA possesses an intrinsic ability to fold into complex secondary and tertiary structures, further modulated by post-transcriptional modifications and interaction with ligands (proteins, small metabolites, etc.).
The biological significance of RNA is unquestionable but to fully understand its key role in many cellular processes we need to explore RNA molecules from a structural perspective. There is a number of methods that are used for the determination of RNA structure and its complexes with ligands. NMR, X-ray crystallography, and Cryo-EM microscopy allow for the three-dimensional structure of RNAs to be explored at the atomic level. Secondary structure probing methods based on deep-sequencing approaches including SHAPE, DMS modification, or ribonucleases foot-printing gives insight into the spatial organization of large viral and non-coding RNAs which are currently unavailable for atomic-resolution techniques. Also, bioinformatics tools are useful in the prediction of secondary and tertiary structures of RNAs with high accuracy based on experimental data. These powerful methods help to explain the structure-function relationship of RNA molecules and to exploit them as tools for molecular biology, biomedicine, and nanotechnology.
This Research Topic will cover all kinds of studies aiming at unrevealing the role of RNA structure in biological processes. We welcome original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, and method articles including (but not limited to) the following topics:
• Characterization of the RNA secondary and tertiary structure in relation to its role in cellular processes
• Influence of RNA modifications on RNA structure and function
• Role of RNA structure in disease development
• Structural study of RNA molecules in complex with small compounds, drugs, and proteins
• Modulation of RNA structure and function using synthetic biology approaches
• RNA structure as a platform for rational design and synthesis of RNA therapeutics
Keywords: RNA, Function, Structural, Posttranslational modifications, Small compounds, Synthetic Biology, Structure Determination
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
