Engineering Nanocage-Based RNA Exporters for Measurement and Manipulation of Living Cells

• Grace Davis, Applied Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, University of Delaware

• Mona Batish, Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware

RNA is the most dynamic molecule to maintain the intricate balance of gene expression regulation in the cells. Recent years have identified another critical role of RNA in intercellular communication. Several RNA species are identified to be selectively packaged into extracellular vesicles and released into the recipient cell to alter its gene expression. These findings have opened new avenues to engineer vesicles to selectively package RNA cargo, allowing us to achieve delivery from donor cells to recipient cells, providing many implications in therapeutic delivery of RNA as well as cell monitoring. Batish lab has been working in developing engineered artificial vesicles called COURIER (Controlled Output and Uptake of RNA for Interrogation, Expression, and Regulation) system. COURIER is based on the cell-to-cell transportation of RNA, establishing a foundation for hybrid cell and gene therapies. This system delivers engineered exporter RNA cargo enclosed into extracellular vesicles known as nanocages that can be used to export the RNA, monitor its delivery, expression, and functional activity in recipient cells.