EN
Nucleic acids have emerged as an extremely promising platform for
nanotechnological applications because of their unique biochemical
properties and functions. RNA, in particular, is characterized by relatively
high thermal stability, diverse structural flexibility, and its capacity
to perform a variety of functions in nature. These properties make
RNA a valuable platform for bio-nanotechnology, specifically RNA
Nanotechnology, that can create de novo nanostructures with unique
functionalities through the design, integration, and re-engineering of
powerful mechanisms based on a variety of existing RNA structures
and their fundamental biochemical properties. This review highlights
the principles that underlie the rational design of RNA nanostructures,
describes the main strategies used to construct self-assembling
nanoparticles, and discusses the challenges and possibilities facing the
application of RNA Nanotechnology in the future.