Development of optical probes based on encoded aptamers for RNA visualization in live cells

RNA是从DNA到蛋白质的遗传信息的载体。此外，已发现非编码RNA有助于许多重要的调节功能，这些功能仍在被发现和研究中。为了充分了解RNA的各种功能，人们对开发在活细胞中显示它们的方法越来越感兴趣。在这个项目中，我们建议开发一系列小分子探针，这些探针与编码的适体结合将用于显示活细胞中的RNA动力学。为了实现这一点，我们将建立在我们团队最近开发的具有独特光物理性质的光学探针的基础上；与建议的适体结合，它将产生第一个利用荧光寿命来研究单细胞RNA动力学的编码RNA可视化工具。我们还将致力于进一步发展这一技术，以利用超分辨率显微镜。这个多学科项目将涉及开发新的小分子光学探针、核酸化学生物学和活细胞显微镜。

RNA is the carrier of genetic information from DNA to proteins. In addition, non-coding RNAs have been found to assist in many essential regulatory functions, which are still being discovered and studied. To fully understand RNAs' varied functions, there is increasing interest in developing methods to visualize them in live cells. In this project we propose to develop a series of small-molecule probes which in combination with an encoded aptamer will be used to visualize RNA dynamics in live cells. To achieve this, we will build on recent optical probes developed in our group which have unique photophysical properties; in combination with the proposed aptamers, it will yield the first encoded RNA visualization tool that employs fluorescence lifetime to study RNA dynamics in single cells. We will also aim to develop this further to utilize super-resolution microscopy. This multidisciplinary project will involve the development of new small-molecule optical probes, nucleic acid chemical biology, and live cell microscopy.