Programmable nuclear organization using RNA kissing loops

Can RNA-RNA interactions be utilized to control how a cell nucleus is organized and how its components are regulated? The complete set of interactions between nuclear components and how these form areas of distinct gene regulation within the nucleus are still not fully understood. The development of tools that assist in the unraveling of these dynamics will aid both answering fundamental questions and allow for the development of advanced cell differentiation strategies. Here, a novel design strategy of RNA-based nanostructures that interact with DNA and RNA and induce nuclear components repositioning and de novo genomic compartment creation is proposed. This project aims to act as a steppingstone for the development of a modular tool to spatially organize a eukaryotic genome and increase its interactions with other molecules.