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© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Advances in synthetic biology have led to the design of biological parts that can be assembled in different ways to perform specific functions. For example, genetic circuits can be designed to execute specific therapeutic functions, including gene therapy or targeted detection and the destruction of invading viruses. Viral infections are difficult to manage through drug treatment. Due to their high mutation rates and their ability to hijack the host’s ribosomes to make viral proteins, very few therapeutic options are available. One approach to addressing this problem is to disrupt the process of converting viral RNA into proteins, thereby disrupting the mechanism for assembling new viral particles that could infect other cells. This can be done by ensuring precise control over the abundance of viral RNA (vRNA) inside host cells by designing biological circuits to target vRNA for degradation. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have become important biological devices in regulating RNA processing. Incorporating naturally upregulated RBPs into a gene circuit could be advantageous because such a circuit could mimic the natural pathway for RNA degradation. This review highlights the process of viral RNA degradation and different approaches to designing genetic circuits. We also provide a customizable template for designing genetic circuits that utilize RBPs as transcription activators for viral RNA degradation, with the overall goal of taking advantage of the natural functions of RBPs in host cells to activate targeted viral RNA degradation.

Details

Title
A Genetic Circuit Design for Targeted Viral RNA Degradation
Author
Bello, Adebayo J 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Popoola, Abdulgafar 2 ; Okpuzor, Joy 3 ; Ihekwaba-Ndibe, Adaoha E 4 ; Olorunniji, Femi J 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 School of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK; [email protected] (A.J.B.); [email protected] (A.P.); Department of Biological Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede 232101, Osun State, Nigeria 
 School of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK; [email protected] (A.J.B.); [email protected] (A.P.); Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Kwara State University, Malete, Ilorin 241102, Kwara State, Nigeria 
 Department of Cell Biology & Genetics, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos 101017, Lagos State, Nigeria; [email protected] 
 School of Life Sciences, Alison Gingell Building, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 2DS, UK 
 School of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK; [email protected] (A.J.B.); [email protected] (A.P.) 
First page
22
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
23065354
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2918525680
Copyright
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.