rna-targeting
RNA-targeting comprises molecular techniques that selectively modulate specific RNA molecules to regulate gene expression in plants without permanently altering the plant genome. This approach is particularly valuable in plant research because it enables precise control of gene function for both fundamental studies of plant development and applied crop improvement studies. RNA-targeting methods have emerged as tools for enhancing agronomically important traits such as disease resistance and environmental stress tolerance.
PubMed · 2026-02-19
Researchers developed polyvalent guide RNAs that allow a CRISPR-Cas13 system to simultaneously target multiple sequences of human coronavirus, achieving better viral suppression in human lung cells than traditional approaches while reducing off-target effects.
Polyvalent guide RNAs (pgRNAs) targeting multiple viral sequences achieved significantly greater viral suppression against hCoV-229E compared to single-target guide RNAs, even when multiple single-target gRNAs were used together
pgRNAs demonstrated reduced collateral RNase activity compared to single-target counterparts, indicating improved specificity and potential safety advantages for therapeutic use
The pgRNA design and validation pipeline was successfully demonstrated in human lung epithelial cells, extending prior proof-of-concept work from plant viral infection models