New Advancements in ATRP Could Lead to Smart RNA Biopolymers

Researchers in Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Chemistry developed a novel approach for modifying synthetic and natural ribonucleic acid (RNA) substrates. The resulting materials could have applications for therapeutics such as smart gels to make transplanting organs safer. Treatments using biopolymers are typically developed using proteins, said Subha R. Das , associate professor of chemistry and a member of the Carnegie Mellon's Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology , an interdisciplinary community of Carnegie Mellon and University of Pittsburgh scientists and engineers unified by interests in the chemistry, biology and physics of DNA, RNA and peptide nucleic acid. With nucleic acids, the biopolymers are mostly used as a carrier, like a basket. While they hold the RNA, the biopolymers don't interact with them. "Here, it's part of the same molecule, so the polymers enhance the nucleic acids and the hybrid can interact with other biological materials," Das said. "Now the material itself can be controlled - including how much this material is nucleic acid - which is totally new." A new reagent developed by chemistry doctoral candidate Jaepil Jeong enables this direct functionalization of RNA with an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator.