Lighting up RNA team

Winner: 2024 Faraday Horizon Prize

For the development of two bright multi-colour fluorogenic aptamer tags, and for demystifying the fluorescence activation mechanism, enabling efficient imaging of diverse RNAs in living cells.

Celebrate Lighting up RNA team

#RSCPrizes

Leave congratulations on this page

The Lighting up RNA team is a collaboration between groups from Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is found in all living cells and plays a key role in making proteins. These tiny molecules are like instructions that tell cells how to function. The Lighting up RNA team has developed two multicoloured tags – Pepper and Clivia – that can find these molecules and glow brightly when they attach to them.

The team’s research combined chemical, chemical biological, structural biological, and cell biological methods to achieve this breakthrough. Scientists will now be able to see RNA molecules inside living cells much more easily and gain a better understanding of how cells work.

Thank you for honouring our team with this special award! Receiving the Horizon Prize inspires us to delve deeper into the exploration of fluorogenic aptamers with exceptional photophysical properties and to create even more impactful application tools.

The team

See full team

Bingkun Bao, Assistant professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Chunyan Bao, Professor, East China University Of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Xianjun Chen, Professor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Zhengda Chen, Postdoctor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Wenli Du, Professor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Mengyue Fang, Postdoctor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Xin Hua, Technical assistant, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Kaiyi Huang, PHD student, Zhejiang University

Xinyi Huang, PHD student, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Li Jiang, Assistant professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Yu Jingwei, Researcher, WuXi AppTec

Chunyan Li, PHD student, Zhejiang University

Huiwen Li, Senior Research Fellow, Shanghai Rightongene Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

Ningfeng Li, Technical assistant, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Qiuning Lin, Professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Renmei Liu, Assistant professor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Joseph Loscalzo, Professor, Harvard Medical School

Aiming Ren, Professor, Zhejiang University

Qianqian Song, PHD student, Zhejiang University

Ni Su, Assistant professor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Wanghui, Field Application Scientist, Agilent Technology Co Ltd

Xin Xie, Postdoctor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Jinjin Xu, Technical assistant, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Xiaochen Xu, Postdoctor, Zhejiang University

Lipeng Yang, Technical assistant, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Yi Yang, Professor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Qingmei Zeng, PHD student, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Bibi Zhang, Student, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Dasheng Zhang, Technical assistant, East China University Of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Lixin Zhang, Professor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Rui Zhang, Student, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Yuzheng Zhao, Professor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Linyong Zhu, Professor , Shanghai Jiaotong University

Fangting Zuo, Postdoctor, East China University of 新月直播app下载 and Technology

Q&A

What were the biggest challenges in this project?

Aiming Ren: The biggest challenge of this project lies in enhancing the performance of the fluorescent aptamers and expanding their impactful applications.

Why is this work so important and exciting?

Xiaochen Xu: RNAs play critical roles within diverse biological systems. RNA-based fluorogenic aptamers can monitor the spatiotemporal localisation of RNA molecules and exhibit powerful utilization potentiality. The two new multi-colour fluorogenic aptamers, Pepper and Clivia, can break through the limitation, such as high fluorescence background, the misfolding scaffolds. The identification and structural research provide a robust foundation for the enhanced and more efficient utilization.

Where do you see the biggest impact of this technology/research being?

Qianqian Song: Fluorogenic RNA aptamer is one promising RNA labelling tool. However, the existing RNA imaging tools has various limitations, such as the strong fluorescence background of unbound fluorophores, misfold of aptamer, weak cell brightness. We identified two bright multi-colour fluorogenic aptamer, Pepper and Clivia, which allow simple and robust imaging of diverse RNA species in live cells with minimal perturbation of the target RNA’s transcription, localisation, and translation.

How will this work be used in real life applications?

Xiaochen Xu锛歍hese new multi-colour fluorogenic aptamers significantly enhances the recognition sensitivity of fluorophores both in vitro and in vivo, shedding light on future efficient applications in various biomedical and research contexts. Genetically encoded sensors based on fluorogenic RNA have been engineered to detect various essential metabolites in living systems. The utilisation of these new fluorogenic RNAs may be extended from tagging and imaging the expression, location and transport of RNAs in living cells to detecting RNA-protein interactions and various essential metabolites in living systems in the future.

How do you see this work developing over the next few years, and what is next for this technology/research?

Aiming Ren: Over the last decade, the rapid advancement of diverse fluorogenic aptamer systems has greatly broadened the scope of RNA tools application in RNA research. As this field progresses, there is a growing need for fluorogenic aptamers with heightened fluorophore binding affinity, brightness, and photostability, alongside reduced background fluorescence and improved in vivo folding efficiency. These enhancements are vital for the creation of more effective RNA imaging tools in RNA biology and RNA-related drug development.

What is the importance of collaboration in the chemical sciences?

Qianqian Song:Chemical sciences are complex and full of challenges, and it is difficult for one person or one team to complete all aspects of a project. Collaboration can bring together talents with multiple professional backgrounds and skills, promote the communication of knowledge between various fields, and improve the depth of research.

How are the chemical sciences making the world a better place?

Qianqian Song: Chemical sciences continue to drive innovation and progress in addressing global challenges, promoting sustainability, improving human health, and enhancing the quality of life for people around the world.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Xiaochen Xu: If you are considering a career in the chemical sciences, you should cultivate your curiosity and passion for chemistry, explore different areas of chemistry, engage in hands-on experiments, and seek out mentors or professionals in the field to learn about their experiences and gain insights into various career paths. Stay updated with the latest advancements and technologies in the field, and be prepared for challenges and setbacks.

Sign up to hear when nominations open for certain prizes later in the year →