DGR and bRT–Avd:RNAΔ98 RNP. credit: nature (2025). doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08405-s
Diversity-generating retroelements (DGRs) are found in the genomes of microorganisms all over the world – from Arctic permafrost to Yellowstone hot springs and the human gut. DGRs are able to reverse transcription of RNA back into DNA in a form of natural gene editing. This process accelerates the evolution of proteins to help microorganisms adapt to changing environments.
Using cryogenic electron microscopy, Partho Ghosh’s lab at UC San Diego has discovered the first steps of this accelerated evolution by visualizing related proteins and ribonucleic acid (RNA). They found that RNA specifically controls accelerated development, forming structures that start, maintain, and stop the process in the right place.
These RNA structures, which have been identified in the DGRs of many microorganisms, have limited the accelerated evolution into proteins needed to adapt to protect other essential proteins from harm. This research deepens our understanding of the evolutionary origin of GRs and may be applicable to future gene editing technologies.
The results are published In the magazine nature.
More information:
Sumit Handa et al., RNA control of reverse transcriptase in diversity-generating retroelements, nature (2025). doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08405-s
Quotation: Uncovering Clues for Natural Gene Editing Technique (2025, January 8) Retrieved January 8, 2025 from https://phys.org/news/2025-01-uncovering-clues-natural-gene-technique.html
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