Designed Regular Tetragon-Shaped RNA-Protein Complexes with Ribosomal Protein L1 for Bionanotechnology and Synthetic...

RNA nanotechnology has been established by employing the molecular architecture of RNA structural motifs. Here, we report two designed RNA-protein complexes (RNPs) composed of ribosomal protein L1 (RPL1) and its RNA-binding motif that are square-shaped nano-objects. The formation and the shape of the objects were confirmed by gel electrophoresis analysis and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Any protein can be attached to the RNA via a fusion protein with RPL1, indicating that it can be used as a scaffold for loading a variety of functional proteins or for building higher-order structures. In summary, the RNP object will serve as a useful tool in the fields of bionanotechnology and synthetic biology. Moreover, the RNP interaction enhances the RNA stability against nucleases, rendering these complexes stable in cells.